Tragedy & Inspiration in the Minor Leagues

In July of 2007, at the AA ballpark in Little Rock, Ark., a journeyman ballplayer namaed Tino Sanchez hit a foul ball that struck his first base coach, Mike Coolbaugh.

Coolbaugh, who had spent his entire adult life in pro baseball, was a journeyman himself. The 35-year old was just beginning his career as a coach after spending the previous 17 years bouncing back and forth between the minors with brief stints in the majors.

The foul ball hit Coolbaugh in the back of the neck in a strangely dangerous spot and killed him nearly instantly.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED writer S.L. Price was intrigued with the story. Price talks about the accident, the lives it impacted and the world of minor league baseball.

LISTEN: S.L. PRICE - THE HEART OF THE GAME