May 16, 201213 yr RIP, and prayers for the family. http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/5/16/3024157/...ckey-dies-at-56 Former White Sox Pitcher Kevin Hickey Dies At 56 By Al Yellon - Editor Kevin Hickey made the White Sox out of a tryout camp. Sadly, he has passed away at a young age. Follow @sbnbaseball on Twitter, and Like Baseball Nation on Facebook. May 16, 2012 - Kevin Hickey is a great baseball story. He grew up on the South Side of Chicago and had no professional baseball experience; in the late 1970s, the White Sox used to have open tryout camps. This is what happened when Hickey went to one of those camps: In 1978, Kevin Hickey was playing center field for a steel mill softball team in Chicago. Then, his work scheduled changed, and a teammate talked him into joining the Markham Cardinals, a semipro baseball team as a catcher. That August, the Chicago White Sox held their annual tryout at Comiskey Park, 3 miles from Hickey`s home. He was the only one of 250 players to receive a contract. Hickey wound up pitching three major league seasons for the White Sox and was part of their 1983 AL West title team; he later pitched three seasons for the Orioles, and for the past several years had been a batting practice pitcher for the White Sox. On April 5, before the White Sox' season-opening game in Texas, Hickey was found unresponsive in his hotel room. He passed away early Wednesday: Lou Canellis @LouCanellis #white sox family lost a good man today, one of my favorite lefties growing up and then a friend later in life, Kevin Hickey RIP 16 May 12 Kevin Hickey was 56 years old.
May 16, 201213 yr I think they knew it was coming. Cooper had 99 on his hat and they had his jersey hanging in the dugout. RIP.
May 16, 201213 yr If there is any silver lining in our recent losses, it's that they have shown us how tight the White Sox family really can be. I've never even heard of him before today, but I'm sad for his loss. When you make an impression on this ballclub via hard work, great numbers & character (BMS), or even a great story, you're a White Sox for life.
May 16, 201213 yr I remember him pitching, but I didn't realize he was a former 16" player who got on via an open in-town tryout. That's something you'd probably never see happen today. RIP, always seemed like a great guy.
May 16, 201213 yr I think the coolest thing about his story is that he grew up a hardcore White Sox fan. It was truly a dream come true for him to pitch for the Sox. I remember when he first came up he talked about how it hadn't been that long ago when he was sitting out in the bleachers with his buddies.
May 16, 201213 yr Jermaine Dye tweeted: We lost a great guy in Kevin Hickey of the @whitesox. Great man to be around and was always around if u needed some BP. #RIP Buddy
May 16, 201213 yr Author QUOTE (flavum @ May 16, 2012 -> 02:19 PM) Jermaine Dye tweeted: There are a lot of great tweets from current and former members of this franchise. Hickey was one loved dude.
May 17, 201213 yr Didn't he go to St . Rita ? Nice guy rest in peace Kev just a few years older then me.
May 18, 201213 yr QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ May 17, 2012 -> 11:20 AM) Must Read http://www.suntimes.com/sports/12569512-46...dies-at-56.html Thank you so much for posting that. It is a great read. I hope more people who love the Sox read it.
May 18, 201213 yr QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ May 17, 2012 -> 11:20 AM) Must Read http://www.suntimes.com/sports/12569512-46...dies-at-56.html Must Read Indeed -- what a great, great story.
May 19, 201213 yr QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ May 18, 2012 -> 03:32 PM) Must Read Indeed -- what a great, great story. For anyone who grew up in the inner city, played 16 inch softball, threw a rubber ball against a brick wall, is Irish, or had strings pulled for them in the true Chicago way it's a great story. I can relate to all of it. I'm pretty sure my dad knew the Hickey's if there were any firemen or cops in his family. Edited May 19, 201213 yr by CaliSoxFanViaSWside
May 22, 201213 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 22, 2012 -> 05:13 PM) Double uniform patches now That's depressing. But classy.
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