Nick Adenhart
Pitcher
Born: August 24, 1986(1986-08-24) Silver Spring, Maryland
Died: April 9, 2009 (aged 22) Fullerton, California
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 1, 2008 for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Last MLB appearance
April 8, 2009 for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Career statistics
Win-Loss record	1-0
Earned run average	6.00
Strikeouts	9
Teams
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2008–2009)

Nicholas James Adenhart (August 24, 1986 – April 9, 2009) was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

[edit] Early years

Nicholas James Adenhart was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, the only son of Janet and Jim Adenhart, a former United States Secret Service officer. Nick's parents divorced and Janet later remarried Duane Gigeous, with whom she had a son named Henry.

Adenhart attended Springfield Middle School in Williamsport, Maryland, and Saint Maria Goretti High School, in Hagerstown, Maryland. He played shortstop and outfield, and pitched as well. In 1998 and 1999 at the ages of 11 and 12, Adenhart pitched the Halfway Little League all-star team to the state tournament both years and compiled a 9-0 record. At the age of 13, Nick pitched in the Pony League World Series for the Hagerstown Pony League.

While attending Saint Maria Goretti, Adenhart was a guard on the basketball team that won the Baltimore Catholic League championship.^[1] In 2003, at the age of 16, Adenhart pitched for the Youse's Maryland Orioles, who went on to win the All American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament for that year.^[2]

Adenhart transferred to Williamsport High School, after his sophomore year, where he gave up basketball to focus solely on baseball, as a pitcher. Scouts began heavily following him when, in his junior year, he went 6-1 with a 1.20 earned run average. Adenhart was named the Gatorade Player Of The Year in Maryland and then, Youth Player Of The Year by Baseball America. Entering his final high school season, that magazine dubbed Adenhart the No. 1 high school prospect in the country.^[1]

In Adenhart's senior year, he threw a perfect game in his very first outing, striking out 15 of the 21 batters faced.^[1] Entering the final regular season game of Adenhart's high school career, he had a 5-1 record, a 0.73 ERA and an average of 2.2 strikeouts per inning. Adenhart signed a letter of intent to play baseball for the University of North Carolina.^[3]

[edit] Baseball career

Adenhart was drafted straight out of Williamsport High School by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He had been projected as a top 10 draft pick, but he suffered a partial ligament tear in his elbow, in his final regular season high school game, just two weeks before the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft. This forced him to have Tommy John surgery and dropped him to the 413th overall pick in the 14th round.^[4]

Angels scout Dan Radcliff and director of scouting Eddie Bane convinced Adenhart to forego a scholarship offer from the University of North Carolina and signed him to a $710,000 bonus on July 26, 2004.^[5] Adenhart spent the next year rehabbing his elbow at the Angels' rehab facility in Tempe, Arizona. During that time, Adenhart also attended classes at Arizona State University.^[6]

Adenhart made his professional debut on June 25, 2005 with the Orem Owls of the Pioneer League. He pitched fifty innings in the Pioneer Rookie Leagues and Arizona League that summer, fashioning a 3-3 record with a 3.24 ERA. At the age of 19, Adenhart earned a non-roster invitation to the Angels' big league camp. He threw three innings without allowing a run. Adenhart was then assigned to the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low-A) out of Spring training. He did well against Midwest League hitters, leading the circuit in wins (10) and placing third in ERA (1.95) and strikeouts (99 in 106 IP). His performance earned him a starting assignment in the All-Star Game on June 20 and a promotion to the organization's High-A affiliate nine days later.^[7]

Adenhart became a top-ranked prospect in the Angels organization, ranked by Baseball America as the 90th best prospect in baseball and the sixth in the Angels organization in 2006, as the 34th best prospect in baseball and second in the Angels organization in 2007, as the 24th best prospect in baseball and 2nd in the Angels organization in 2008 and as the best prospect in the Angels organization going into 2009.^[8] In 2006, Adenhart played in the All-Star Futures Game and was a member of the United States Olympic Qualifying team.

In 2007, Adenhart was called up to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers where he had a record of 10-8, with a 3.65 ERA.^[9] The following year, he was called up to the Triple-A Salt Lake City Bees and spent the majority of the 2008 season there, owning a 9-13 record with a 5.76 ERA in 26 games.

Shortstop Maicer Izturis went on the disabled list on May 1, 2008 when Adenhart was called up and made his Major League debut as the starting pitcher against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California. At the time, he was the youngest active-roster pitcher in the majors.^[10] He gave up five earned runs and walked five in two innings, earning a no-decision.^[11]

Adenhart earned his only career decision, a victory, on May 12, 2008, against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, giving up four earned runs in 5⅔ innings en route to a 10-7 Angels victory.^[12]

Adenhart earned his spot in the Angels 2009 starting rotation, via a spring training in which he recorded a 3-0 record and a 3.12 ERA (26 IP - 9 ER) over the course of six starts. During that span, he struck out 18 while allowing only five base on balls.^[13] Adenhart opened the 2009 season as the third starter in the Angels' rotation.^[14]

Prior to his final start, Adenhart related how he had changed in the year since his somewhat disappointing performance in May of 2008^[15]:

I got called up, and I was realizing a dream. I felt like I had to not give up any runs and throw a shutout every time out and wow everybody. I put pressure on myself. That was enough of that. I'm just having fun now.

In his final game on April 8, 2009, he earned a no-decision, giving up seven hits and no runs while striking out five batters and walking three batters in six innings against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.^[16]

[edit] Death

The Washington Nationals honoring Nick Adenhart before a game.

Shortly after midnight on April 9, 2009, Adenhart was involved in a car crash in Fullerton, California, just hours after being the starting pitcher in a game against the Oakland Athletics. Police reported that an individual driving a red Toyota Sienna minivan ran a red light, hitting a gray Mitsubishi Eclipse in which Adenhart was a passenger, sending the Mitsubishi crashing into a telephone pole. Courtney Stewart, the driver of the Mitsubishi, and Henry Pearson, a passenger in the Mitsubishi, were pronounced dead at the scene.^[17] Adenhart and Jon Wilhite, the third passenger in the Mitsubishi, were taken to University of California, Irvine Medical Center, where Adenhart died as a result of his injuries.^[18] Wilhite suffered an internal decapitation, but survived the crash and underwent a five hour surgery to reattach his skull six days after the accident.^[19][20][21]

The driver of the minivan fled the scene on foot, but was later apprehended and identified as Andrew Thomas Gallo.^[14] On May 27, 2009, Gallo was indicted by the Orange County grand jury on three counts of murder, one count each of felony hit-and-run, driving under the influence and causing injury, and driving with a .08 percent blood alcohol or higher and causing injury. Gallo had a blood alcohol content of .19 percent two hours after the crash. He was also driving with a suspended license.^[22] On June 8, 2009, Gallo entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment.^[23] A Superior Court judge in Orange County, California, has postponed Gallo's trial for six months at the defense's request, with a new start date of April 19, 2010.^[24]

[edit] Memorials

Nick Adenhart banner at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

Makeshift shrine outside the home plate gates to Angel Stadium.

Adenhart's family released this statement, following his death:

Nick's family expresses sincere gratitude for all the help the Angels have provided. He lived his dream and was blessed to be part of an organization comprised of such warm, caring, and compassionate people. The Angels were his extended family. Thanks to all of Nick's loyal supporters and fans throughout his career. He will always be in everyone's hearts forever.

Angels General Manager Tony Reagins released a statement as well:

The Angels family has suffered a tremendous loss today. We are deeply saddened and shocked by this tragic loss. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nick's family, friends, loved ones and fans.

The Angels postponed the game for the day immediately after Adenhart's death. In remembrance of Adenhart, for the rest of the 2009 season, a black number 34 patch was placed above the heart on Angels uniforms, his locker in the Angel Stadium of Anaheim clubhouse remained as it was, and a locker was assigned to him on road games.^[25] The team hung one of Adenhart's jerseys in their dugout during games.^[26] A black and white photo of Adenhart along with his name and number was added to the center field fence at Angel Stadium.^[25] A makeshift shrine, dedicated to Adenhart, was established outside the home plate gates to Angel Stadium.^[27]

The Salt Lake Bees, the Angels' AAA affiliate, also postponed their game on April 9 (which was to be against the Reno Aces, the first game for the franchise since their move and name change) and wore a number 32 patch through the season representing Adenhart's jersey number during his time with the Bees. A number 32 was also painted on the grass in front of the Bees dugout.^[28]

On September 28, 2009, when the Angels celebrated winning the American League West division, they honored Adenhart by spraying champagne and beer on one of his jerseys, and then gathered in front of the outfield wall memorial for a team picture.^[29] The appropriateness of celebrating with alcohol in respect to Adenhart's death being alcohol related was questioned, but family members were supportive of the celebrations. Adenhart's father Jim stated, "That's baseball. If Nick were there, he'd have been throwing a few back as well."^[30] Adenhart's teammates voted to give his family a full playoff share for the 2009 playoffs worth $138,038.57.^[31]

The Angels established the Nick Adenhart Pitcher of the Year award given to an Angels pitcher for outstanding performance throughout the regular season.^[32] The Little League Baseball field where Adenhart played in Halfway, Maryland was rededicated as the Nicholas James Adenhart Memorial Field.^[33]

The Adenhart family created the Nick Adenhart Memorial Fund, which is designed to provide financial support to youth baseball organizations. The goal is to lend a helping hand to struggling leagues around the country to buy equipment and cover expenses to keep youth baseball functioning. ^[34] The first presentation from the fund was for $5000 to the Halfway, Maryland Little League.^[35]

Nick Adenhart is buried at Greenlawn Cemetery, in Williamsport, Maryland, just across the street from Springfield Middle School, where Adenhart attended and played baseball as a child.^[36]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Nick Adenhart

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• MLB.com Tribute Page
• Nick Adenhart at Find a Grave