Tragic News from Kalamazoo

[Cole]

3/10/2010: Kalamazoo, MI – There is tragic news in the PEBA today as Kalamazoo Badgers outfielder George Crocker's career is finished. Crocker fractured his skull during tonight’s game in what was truly an ugly scene at Portage Park.

With Bakersfield's Joseph Lane at the plate against Pat Paige, the unthinkable was about to happen and change the future of the Badgers franchise. With an 0-1 count, Paige handcuffed Lane with a fastball in on the hands. Lane muscled the pitch in the air towards shallow left field and the scene was set for one of the most devastating moments in the PEBA's short history.

Crocker charged hard from leftfield while shortstop Raúl García, the 2009 Wunderkind Award Winner, gave chase from the infield. As always is the case with Garcia and Crocker, both charged hard in effort to prevent a hit despite the fact that it was a meaningless Spring Training game. Approaching the ball, Crocker called off Garcia and went in hard after the ball. Garcia, eyes on the ball in the air, didn't hear Crocker and was prepared to make a running grab until, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Crocker diving headfirst towards the ball. In his effort to avoid Crocker, Garcia's knee collided sickly with the side of Crocker's head and the fans of Kalamazoo fell silent as Crocker lay motionless on the ground with the ball secured in his mitt.

What followed was new team doctor Jorge Gonzáles sprinting onto the field, followed by 15-20 minutes of awkward silence and finally Crocker being removed from the field via ambulance. In a few quick moments, the flourishing career of 27-year-old All-Star George Crocker was over and the Badgers organization and fans were left to pick up the pieces.

In three years with the Badgers, Crocker accumulated 61 HR, drove in 252 runs, stole 62 bases, raked in a .288 batting average, .385 OB%, .493 SLG% and crossed the plate 284 times. He was coming off a career year which saw him put up the line of 29 HR, 102 RBI, 26 SB, .301 AVG, .393 OB% and .562 SLG%. George Crocker will be sorely missed in Kalamazoo.