I read way too many articles last night about the Cory Lidle plane crash, and came across a bunch of worthwhile newspaper pieces from baseball reporters who'd gotten to know Cory Lidle as a friend, and more than just another player. Just thought I'd share the links.
One at MLB.com, one at the Courier-Post, and one at the Times Herald-Record. And one on ESPN.com by Alan Schwarz. Also a Newsday piece about Lidle's last radio interview, on Monday with WFAN, where Mike and the Mad Dog weren't that friendly to him. And a piece by ESPN's Jayson Stark about the reactions of other players.
I'd like to hear more about the person whose living room was destroyed. That is the true victim. I think her nephew was on the Today show this morning.
From time to time you hear about someone driving their sports car too fast down a residential street and they end up crashing across someone's lawn and parking in someone's livingroom. Isn't that what happened here? Cory Lidle is a new pilot flying the Porsche of airplanes. He (and his instructor) were flying in overcast conditions and in one of the most conjested airspaces in the world.
It's simple. He tried to make a turn and lost control. He is no victim. His instructor also should have known better.
Feel bad for his wife. Feel bad for his kid. Feel bad for the instructor's family. Feel bad for those poor folks whose homes were destroyed.
Posted by: ASSociate | October 12, 2006 at 03:49 PM
It's not as if he was under the influence of alcohol or some similar drug while flying. If in fact he made a mistake by flying where he was flying, or flying in those conditions, it's still reasonable to feel bad for him. He was relatively young, with a bright future and loving family. It's a shame he died. That isn't to take anything away from the other victims you mention, but nothing needs to be taken from them in order to also feel bad for him.
Posted by: Sean S. | October 12, 2006 at 07:02 PM
Besides, these were sports writers, writing about the person they knew.
They didn't know the person in the apartment. So they wrote the poignant story about the person they knew. And if you follow the links, you'll see that people had misgivings about him flying. It's chilling to read those stories.
As Sean S says, to read and write these sorts of stories takes away nothing from the other victims.
Posted by: Sean M. | October 14, 2006 at 07:05 PM
Looks like Lidle lost control of that pitch...and yaw...
Posted by: Too Soon? | October 15, 2006 at 05:48 PM
Too Soon? - Did you know that it was actually A-Rod who killed Cory Lidle? If he had played a little better. . .
Posted by: ASSociate | October 16, 2006 at 07:57 AM