Baseball Mourns Death of Minor League Coach Mike Coolbaugh

Coolbaugh, 35, had played pro ball since 1990 and had 44 games of Major League service with Milwaukee and St. Louis.

Photo courtesy: Tulsa Drillers

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Tulsa Drillers hitting coach Mike Coolbaugh was hit on the head by a line drive while coaching first base in the ninth inning on Sunday.

Coolbaugh was attended to by medical personnel who were on site and taken to Springhill Baptist Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:47 p.m.

Coolbaugh was a 17-year veteran of professional baseball who had joined the Drillers as hitting coach on an interim basis on July 3 after the resignation of Orlando Merced.

Coolbaugh, 35, had played pro ball since 1990 and had 44 games of Major League service with Milwaukee and St. Louis.

His brother, Scott, also a long time professional ballplayer is currently the batting coach for the Frisco RoughRiders.

Coolbaugh, who lived in San Antonio, is survived by his wife Mandy, and two young sons Jacob and Joseph.

Mandy is expecting the couple's third child in October.

The game was suspended in the ninth inning with the Travs leading 7-3.

It is scheduled to be resumed during the Drillers' next visit to Arkansas between Thursday, July 26 and Sunday, July 29.

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