Photo courtesy of NJ.com.
The Angels celebrated another AL West division title last night, but after the traditional beer and champagne pouring in the clubhouse, the team walked out to the centerfield wall where a mural of Nick Adenhart, the rookie pitcher killed by a drunk driver in April, sits.
No matter what team you root for normally, you can't help but root for the Angels a little this year in light of the Adenhart tragedy. There are moments when the reality that the game of baseball being a low priority is reinforced. This was one of those moments. I went to Angels Stadium for the Angels-Red Sox series in April, a day or two after the crash. A huge memorial of flowers and photos was out front of the home plate gate and an eerie silence fell over passers by.
The drunk driver, 22-year-old Andrew Thomas Gallo, was charged in April for three counts of second-degree murder and could face life in prison. He had multiple DUI arrests and did had a suspended license at the time of the crash. He plead not guilty to the murder charges. If convicted, he could face anywhere from 55 years to life in prison.
The Angels have a tough road ahead of them (they play Boston in the first round of playoffs), but this team is gelling and as cohesive as ever. To see the tribute from last night (and a great column by Eric Neel to boot), go here. For a SoCal perspective, try this LA Times column.
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