Coroner Says Ruptured Artery Caused Death Of Coach
The Pulaski County, Arkansas Coroner’s office says the foul ball that killed Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh ruptured an artery in his neck and he died from a loss of blood to the brain. The coroner’s
Wednesday, July 25th 2007, 1:26 pm
By: News On 6
The Pulaski County, Arkansas Coroner’s office says the foul ball that killed Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh ruptured an artery in his neck and he died from a loss of blood to the brain. The coroner’s office says the line drive hit Coolbaugh on the left side of the neck while he stood in the first-base coach's box.
The Drillers and the Arkansas Travelers were in the ninth inning, when Tino Sanchez hit a foul ball just outside the first base line, striking Coolbaugh.
Medical personnel at the game administered CPR on the field before Coolbaugh was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:47 p.m.
Coolbaugh had only been coaching with the Drillers for a month, after a wrist injury ended his 17 years of playing mostly minor league baseball. He played 39 games with the Milwaukee Brewers and five games for the St. Louis Cardinals.