The Pulaski County coroner has released a preliminary autopsy report on Mike Coolbaugh, the Tulsa Drillers coach who was killed by a line drive while in the first-base coaching box Sunday. Here are the details:
A preliminary autopsy report shows that a burst blood vessel in Mike Coolbaugh's neck, near his brain, killed the Tulsa Drillers hitting coach when he was hit by a batted ball on Sunday.
"It hit him in the back of the left side of his neck, kind of right below the ear," Pulaski County coroner Mark Malcolm said.
The ball compressed the left vertebral artery, which travels up the left side of the spinal column and provides blood to the brain. The artery compressed against the vertebra at the top of his spine, right at the base of the skull, and a hemorrhage was the result, Malcolm said.
What's of particular interest to me is since Coolbaugh was struck in the neck, a batting helmet may not have even saved his life. In any event, this report further strengthens the fact that the coach's box can be a rather dangerous place.
{Via the Biz of Baseball.}
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-26-2007 @ 9:15PM
craig carter said...
terrible
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 9:26PM
richard peck said...
As a physian I think it should be mandatory for the coaches to wear a helmit.I did not see exactly where it hit him but if the helmit took any force away it could of saved his life.What a tradgedy!!!
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 9:45PM
Robert Oberlander said...
Richard,
physian = physician
helmit = helmet
tradgedy = tragedy
I wanted to thank the good "Doctor" for pointing out that a helmet might have save the life of this coach if the ball had hit him in the head. However, the ball hit him in the neck meaning a helmet would have been useless. Staying at home in bed may have saved his life too. Life's dangerous so take every day you are upright and taking nourishment as a blessing. Also, "Doc" you might want to invest in spell check or a dictionary.
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 10:37PM
cherri hairston said...
How tragic and the evil Michael Vicks of the world live on How sad?
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 11:21PM
RON said...
HEY DOCTOR PECK,
WITH YOUR EDUCATION YOUR SPELLING IS TERRIBLE.
IS THERE ANY CONNECTION TO YOUR MEDICAL SKILLS AND SPELLING ? IF SO,I WANT TO BECOME A PATIENT OF YOURS BECAUSE I CAN SPELL M-A-L-P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E S-U-I-T.
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 11:20PM
RON NOVAL said...
HEY DOC, ARE YOUR SPELLING AND MEDICAL SKILLS ON PAR WITH ONE ANOTHER ? IF SO, CAN I BECOME A PATIENT OF YOURS BECAUSE I CAN SPELL M-A-L-P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E
S-U-I-T.
Reply
7-28-2007 @ 9:08AM
june carelis said...
Dr. Peck,
Exactly what kind of doctor are you?
Reply
7-27-2007 @ 11:37AM
Michael said...
I think that it is interesting that most of these discussions have nothing to do with a sad accident, but someone's spelling skills. First, there is no spell check here, so get a grip people
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