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Dutch Pitcher Loek van Mil, Tallest Ever in Pro Baseball, Dies at 34

Peter King

Peter King

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By Alaa Abdeldaiem July 29, 2019

Dutch international pitcher Loek van Mil died Sunday evening from injuries sustained from a fatal accident, the baseball and softball association KNBSB announced on Monday morning. He was 34 years old.

Van Mil was admitted to an Australian hospital last December in "critical but stable" condition after sustaining serious head injuries while hiking. He had been found by a hiker after hitting his head on rocks and suffering multiple fractures and bleeding on the brain.

Van Mil had recently announced that he was stepping away from baseball as a consequence of the accident.

"The KNBSB is very grateful to Mil for what he has done in his career for Dutch baseball and wishes the surviving relatives strength to cope with this major loss," the association said in the statement.

Van Mil made his Dutch league debut in 2005 at 20 years old, pitching for Honkbalclub Allen Weerbaar (HCAW) in Bussum. He signed a seven-year deal as a non-drafted free agent with the Minnesota Twins in 2005 and had brief stints with the Angels, Indians and Reds during his time playing pro baseball in the U.S. He pitched 10 seasons in the minor leagues, topping out at Triple A.

A 7'1" closer, Van Mil was one of the tallest pitchers in baseball history, tied with former Diamondbacks prospect Ryan Doherty. He pitched in Japan before signing with Adelaide Bite of the Australian Baseball League in 2016 and the Brisbane Bandits in 2018. He played 48 international matches for Team Kingdom of the Netherlands and was a part of the 2007 Baseball World Cup, the World Baseball Classic in 2013 and the Premier 12 in 2015. In the 2017 WBC, he faced Israel’s Nate Freiman (6'8") in what was believed to be the tallest batter-pitcher matchup in baseball history.

As a closer, he helped his team win the European Championship final in 2016.
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Loek van Mil death: Dutch international pitcher dies at 34 | SI.com



Very sad for his family and loved ones.
 
I never heard of this guy but the articles say he hit his head while hiking. They don't say he fell. How can you whack your head so bad you end up unconscious for 24 hours just walking?
 
Rest in peace.
 
Lutherf said:
I never heard of this guy but the articles say he hit his head while hiking. They don't say he fell. How can you whack your head so bad you end up unconscious for 24 hours just walking?
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7'1". I bet his head always had a divot out of it somewhere.
But it said he'd hit his head on rocks so I guess he fell. Caused bleeding in the brain and that would take a pretty hard whack, my guess.
 
Lutherf said:
I never heard of this guy but the articles say he hit his head while hiking. They don't say he fell. How can you whack your head so bad you end up unconscious for 24 hours just walking?
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Well he was missing and I do not know which hiking track he went on but this is one of the Canberra hiking trails

9870528_orig.jpg

As is this

kokoda.jpg

Or this

redhill.jpg

Then I will say there are plenty of spots to fall and hit your head. And I am not sure after all that time knocked out/comatose he knew how he fell. He had been missing for quite some time.
 
Grand Mal said:
7'1". I bet his head always had a divot out of it somewhere.
But it said he'd hit his head on rocks so I guess he fell. Caused bleeding in the brain and that would take a pretty hard whack, my guess.
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You just have to fall the wrong way. I have seen brain injuries from a fall from a kitchen cabinet and no brain injury falling backwards into an empty pool. It is the luck/bad luck people have which determines this.
 
Sounds like he may have got off the actual trail a bit. As someone who used to do a LOT of solo hiking it's really important to let someone know where you're going and when you expect to return.
 
Peter King;1070397173 Then I will say there are plenty of spots to fall and hit your head. And I am not sure after all that time knocked out/comatose he knew how he fell. He had been missing for quite some time.[/QUOTE said:
Made the mistake of hiking by himself, that's never a good idea. Even if experienced, who know how long he was out. I can totally see it happening, been doing tons of hiking myself lately
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Lutherf said:
Sounds like he may have got off the actual trail a bit. As someone who used to do a LOT of solo hiking it's really important to let someone know where you're going and when you expect to return.
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Always have a GPS tracker would be a good idea so you can be found if you get lost.
 
Lutherf said:
I never heard of this guy but the articles say he hit his head while hiking. They don't say he fell. How can you whack your head so bad you end up unconscious for 24 hours just walking?
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Perhaps a brain hemorrhage.
 
Peter King said:
Always have a GPS tracker would be a good idea so you can be found if you get lost.
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This sounds like this could have happened just walking down the street or falling down the steps.
 
Bucky said:
This sounds like this could have happened just walking down the street or falling down the steps.
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Yes, but then you could have been found by someone passing by. He had his accident in the middle of nowhere and was missing for some time before he was found. So not quite comparable to falling down the steps or walking down the street.
 
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