St. Louis Cardinals History: Oscar Taveras Dies in Car Crash
By David Hill
Oscar Taveras appeared to be a star in the making for the St. Louis Cardinals. Then, on this day in 2014, he tragically lost his life in a drunk driving accident.
He was one of the brightest prospects in all of baseball, not just in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Oscar Taveras had been a top three prospect in all of baseball in 2013 and 2014, tearing up the Minors with his incredible ability to make contact and his developing power. Taveras appeared to be a long term solution for the Cardinals in the outfield for a long time to come.
His debut in the Majors did little to dissuade that thought process. Although he only produced a .239/.278/.312 batting line, Taveras still showed an impressive ability to make contact, striking out in only 14.9% of his at bats. Although he only had eleven extra base hits, the expectation was that his power would develop, with Taveras turning into an incredible hitter.
Although he only served a pinch hitting role in the postseason that year, Taveras made his presence felt. He went 3-7, belting a game tying home run off Jean Machi in Game Two of the National League Championship Series. The sky appeared to be the limit for the potential superstar.
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And then, tragedy struck. Taveras and his girlfriend, 18 year old Edilia Arvelo, were killed when their car went off the road, hitting a tree. Neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt, with Taveras dying on his way to the hospital due to the injuries that he sustained.
Prior to the accident, Taveras and his girlfriend had been at a party at a friend’s house, and was driving home when a sudden downpour occurred. His car, which was travelling at a high rate of speed, slipped on the road, and hit a tree. In the blink of an eye, one of the more promising young players in the game was no more.
The tale took another sad turn days later. The toxicology report indicated that Taveras had a blood alcohol level almost five times the legal limit, adding another senseless layer to the tragedy. With the mixture of his heavy drinking, not wearing a seatbelt, and the heavy rainstorm, it was a recipe for disaster.
Remembrances for Taveras were everywhere. The St. Louis Cardinals left the lights on in right field to honor his memory. Yordano Ventura pitched the game of his life in Game Six of that year’s World Series, with Taveras’ initials and number on his hat. Commissioner Bud Selig issued a message of condolences. For the 2015 season, the Cardinals wore a patch in Taveras’ honor, and on May 31, the anniversary of his debut, had his family at Busch Stadium, honoring their fallen outfielder.
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Oscar Taveras had his entire career ahead of him, and an incredible amount of potential. Instead, on this day in 2014, the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder lost his life in a drunk driving accident.