By Jonathan Sawyer
Sports Editor
This week the baseball world, Cuban community and the United States mourned the death of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. He was killed in a boating accident Sunday morning. The Marlins were supposed to play the Atlanta Braves at 1:10 p.m. that day but decided to cancel it.
Fernandez was a 24-year-old Cuban who did more than just pitch professionally. He meant so much to the Cuban community and his family. Fernandez was caught attempting to defect from Cuba three times and almost arrested twice. When he was 15, he tried for his fourth time. During the attempt, he saw someone drowning in the water, so he jumped in to save them and found it was his mother. From there they made it to Mexico and then to Miami, Florida.
Once getting to the United States, he made a name for himself as a professional pitcher. He was not only one of the best pitchers in the game, he was also one of the most liked people in the game.
The Marlins made a tribute to Fernandez before their game on Monday night versus the New York Mets, where the eight starters surrounded the mound. Fernandez was supposed to be the starting pitcher against the Mets. Adam Conley got the nod for Monday’s game and in his post-game press conference he mentioned that the mound was Fernandez’s, not his. He didn’t even want to pitch the game.
Not only was the Marlins’ organization affected by the tragedy, but all baseball players were affected and felt the loss, as if they were teammates of Fernandez. They expressed their sadness over Twitter this past week.
“Damn man it’s raining at your mothers house bro…God and ALL his angels are crying down tears of joy on us because you came HOME, #JDF16” wrote Dee Gordon, a teammate of Fernandez for the Marlins.
“Absolutely crushed and shocked at the news about Jo-Fez..My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and the @Marlins org!” wrote Bryce Harper, an outfielder for the Washington Nationals.
“Absolutely devastated hearing about Jose. Thoughts and prayers go to his family, friends, and Marlins org.,” tweeted Mike Trout, an outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels.
“No words can fully express a loss like this…baseball and the world lost a true warrior today. Rest in peace brother,” wrote Noah Syndergaard, a pitcher for the New York Mets.
“Wow very sad new this morning…hands down one of my favorite guys to watch pitch! He brought nothing but intensity and passion #ripjose,” wrote David Ortiz, the designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox.
There are many more tweets like the ones from these great baseball players, expressing their sadness of the sudden loss.
Fernandez not only left behind his amazing baseball family but his own family, his grandmother, mother and his girlfriend, who is expecting their first child.
He was 38-17, with a 2.58 earned run average (ERA) and struck out 589 players in his short time in the majors.
sawyerjp15@bonaventure.edu
