a memorial patch for darryl kile

tomorrow would have been darryl kile's 46th birthday, but the right-handed pitcher passed away during the 2002 season while a member of the saint louis cardinals.  the team was in chicago facing the cubs when kile was found in his hotel room, dead of a heart attack.  the game that was scheduled for that day, june 22, was postponed.  soon thereafter, the cardinals added a "dk 57" patch to their left sleeves in kile's memory.

here's the patch on jim edmonds' 2003 upper deck sp authentic card

edmonds has also written "57" (kile's uniform number) on his hat, just as some of kile's former astro teammates had done.

the patch is also visible on scott rolen's 2003 donruss estrellas card

and this albert pujols mini poster from the same release

the patch also shows up on pujols' 2004 topps card

with the jack buck memorial patch visible on his right sleeve.  

the card that i keep in my memorials binder is this 2003 donruss scott rolen card

it's the home whites.

kile spent several seasons with the astros before signing with the rockies as a free agent following a 19-7 season in which he posted a career best era of 2.57 - third best in the league in 1997.  still, kile was well thought of in houston, and his initials are part of a permanent memorial to him in left field at minute maid park.

after two years in colorado, he was traded to the cardinals where he had his best season in 2000.  he was 20-7 that year, finishing 5th in the cy young award voting just as he had in '97. he was a 3-time all-star who also threw a no-hitter for the astros in 1993, and had a career record of 133-119.  kile was 33 years old when he died.