Similar to the tragic death of Jose Fernandez, Steve Olin and Tim Crews were killed in a boating accident during Spring Training in 1993. However, in this case, alcohol was a main factor.
A right handed submariner, Steve Olin had taken over as the Indians closer partway through the 1991 season. He finished that year with 17 saves and a 3.36 ERA, striking out 38 batters in 56.1 innings of work. The following season, he appeared to be on the verge of becoming one of the better closers in the game, notching 29 saves with a 2.34 ERA and a 1.211 WHiP, using his submarine delivery to generate ground ball after ground ball.
Tim Crews had been a free agent signing that offseason, coming over from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He struggled in 1992, posting a 5.19 ERA and a 1.474 WHiP, but was still expected to be a key part of the Indians bullpen in the coming year.
Unfortunately, both careers were cut short in a boating accident. Olin, Crews, and Bobby Ojeda had taken a boat out on Little Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida. Crews, who was legally intoxicated at the time, was piloting the boat, although Olin and Ojeda had barely any alcohol in their system. The boat crashed into a pier, killing Crews and Olin, with Ojeda suffering severe injuries to his head. He attributed his survival to the fact that he was slouching in his seat, but the accident took a severe toll on him mentally, as he only pitched in 11 games afterwards.
Steve Olin and Tim Crews were honored by the Cleveland Indians that year, with patches featuring each number on each sleeve of the uniforms. When the Indians clinched the pennant in 1995, manager Mike Hargrove had the team play Garth Brooks ‘The Dance,’ Olin’s favorite song, over the loudspeakers while they celebrated on field in honor to their former closer.