Darryl Kile

Darryl Kile (December 2, 1968 - June 22, 2002) was a baseball player, a right-handed pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals who was known for his hard-breaking curveball. Born in Garden Grove, California, Kile died in a Chicago, Illinois hotel of coronary disease. He was the first Major League Baseball player to die during the regular season since the New York Yankees' Thurman Munson died in an aviation accident in 1979.

Having been successful with the Tucson Toros (the Houston Astros AAA club) in the Pacific Coast League (PCL), Kile entered the majors in 1991, going 7-11 in 22 starts. His breakthrough came in 1993 when he pitched a no-hitter, ending the season with 15 wins and 8 losses. In 1998 he signed to the Colorado Rockies as a free agent, but the thin air at Coors Field was detrimental to the breaking pitches, particularly an overhand curve ball, with which he had previously been effective. After two seasons, in which he was a combined 21-30, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. After winning 20 games in his first season, Kile was still a Cardinal at the time of his death.

Kile's death coincided with the passing of St. Louis Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck, who had died four days earlier.

Career Statistics:

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA
128	115	345	317	28	9	0	2080.7	2053	957	205	890	1618	4.14