Mets Game Tonight Will Be Bittersweet by bluepastry Blog entry

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Mets Game Tonight Will Be Bittersweet

Yankees' Lidle killed in plane crash
Small plane he was piloting slams into Manhattan high-rise

Date: 10/11/2006 5:58:14 PM ( 20 y ) ... viewed 1539 times

Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle died in an airplane accident in New York City on Wednesday afternoon when a plane he was piloting crashed into a 50-story building on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Reports indicated that the plane took off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey around 2:30 p.m. ET, crashing into the building roughly 15 minutes later. The New York City Fire Department and New York City Police Department said that at least two people were killed in the accident.

FBI officials told CNN that Lidle, 34, was the only person aboard the plane.

"This is a terrible and shocking tragedy that has stunned the entire Yankees organization," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. "I offer my deep condolences and prayers to his wife, Melanie, and son, Christopher, on their enormous loss."

The plane, a Cirrus SR20, was purchased by Lidle last offseason for $187,000 after he earned his pilot's license.

News reports indicated that Lidle's passport was found on the sidewalk near the building.

Lidle, whose team was eliminated from postseason play on Saturday by the Detroit Tigers, told reporters on Sunday that he planned to fly home to California on Wednesday. He said it would take roughly 15 hours of flying time, though he planned on stopping at least twice, including one stop in Arizona.

ESPN reported that Lidle's wife, Melanie, was on a commercial flight headed for California and was not on board Lidle's plane. ESPN also reported that Lidle called in fuel problems shortly after takeoff.

Lidle's agent, Jordan Feagan, told Newsday he was told by the Yankees that Lidle was among the fatalities in the crash.

"He wasn't just my client," Feagan said. "He was probably my closest friend."

Federal Aviation Administration records showed the single-engine plane was registered to Lidle, an FBI official said, and FBI reports show that Lidle's passport was found at the scene.

"I am deeply saddened by this tragic event and I ask everyone to keep Cory, his family and all those affected by this tragedy in your prayers," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

"This is a terrible shock," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "I was with Ron Guidry and Lee Mazzilli when I heard the news and we were just stunned. Cory's time with the Yankees was short, but he was a good teammate and a great competitor. My heart goes out to his family."

Lidle's interest in flying was examined in a New York Times story on Sept. 8. In that article, Lidle discussed the safety issues regarding the plane.

"The whole plane has a parachute on it," Lidle told the Times. "Ninety-nine percent of pilots that go up never have engine failure, and the one percent that do usually land it. But if you're up in the air and something goes wrong, you pull that parachute, and the whole plane goes down slowly."

There have been several fatal plane crashes involving Major League players, the two most famous being the one that killed Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente in 1972 and the one in which Yankees captain Thurman Munson died in 1979.

Lidle, a right-hander, was acquired by the Yankees from the Philadelphia Phillies on July 30 in a trade that also brought right fielder Bobby Abreu to New York. He went 4-3 with a 5.16 ERA in 10 games, nine of them starts, for the Yankees.

Lidle also pitched for the Mets, Devil Rays, A's, Blue Jays and Reds. He played in all or parts of nine Major League seasons and had a record of 82-72.

"The Phillies family is extremely saddened by the tragic news involving Cory Lidle," Phillies president David Montgomery said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are extended to his wife Melanie, son Christopher and those families who were affected by the terrible incident in New York."

Yankees captain Derek Jeter added in statement: "I am shocked by this devastating news. Spending the last few months as Cory's teammate, I came to know him as a great man. While he was known as a baseball player, he was, more importantly, a husband and father and, at a time like this, I want to share my deepest sympathies with his wife Melanie, his son Christopher and all those who know and loved him."