Nick Adenhart (1986–2009) was an American right-handed baseball starting pitcher who played two seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In four career games, Adenhart pitched 18 innings and posted a win-loss record of 1–0, with nine strikeouts and a 6.00 earned run average (ERA). A graduate of Williamsport High School, Adenhart was highly touted as a high school prospect until an injury in his final game required Tommy John surgery. He was drafted by the Angels in the 14th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft, and began playing in their minor league system after the surgery was a success. He spent three full years in the minor leagues before making his major league debut on May 1, 2008. After appearing in three games, Adenhart spent the rest of 2008 in the minor leagues developing his skills, and in 2009 he earned a spot in the Angels' starting rotation. Just after pitching his first start of 2009, Adenhart was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. Both the Angels and the Salt Lake Bees, for whom Adenhart played in 2008, suspended their next games. There were many tributes to him over the course of the season, including his former teammates spraying champagne and beer on one of his jerseys after they clinched the 2009 American League West division championship.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Adenhart

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1778:

American Revolutionary War: French and British fleets fought to a standoff west of Ushant, which led to political disputes in both countries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ushant_(1778)

1916 - British mariner Charles Fryatt was executed at Bruges, Belgium after a court-martial found him to be a franc-tireur. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fryatt

1919:

Red Summer: Race riots erupted in Chicago after a racial incident occurred on a South Side beach, leading to 38 fatalities and 537 injuries over a five-day period. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Race_Riot_of_1919

1949:

The de Havilland Comet, the world's first commercial jet airliner to reach production, made its maiden flight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Comet

1953:

An armistice was signed to end hostilities in the Korean War, officially making the Division of Korea indefinite by creating an approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) wide demilitarized zone running across the Korean Peninsula. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Demilitarized_Zone

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

portend: 1. (transitive) To serve as a warning or omen. 2. (transitive) To signify; to denote. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/portend

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Write as the wind blows and command all words like an army! --Hilaire Belloc https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hilaire_Belloc