I am a Mariners fan, and woke up this morning to hear the terrible news that 24-year-old Mariners outfielder and farm hand Greg Halman was stabbed to death, possibly by his own younger brother, in the Netherlands last night. I realize there aren't likely a lot of Mariners fans here, but I consider the baseball world an extended family of sorts and I know that is how this community regards the game and its players.
This is just so terribly sad.
It seems meaningless at a time like this to speculate on what Greg Halman the baseball player might have become, but if nothing else was clear, Greg played with joy and abundant athleticism and clearly had more chances to succeed in front of him and a world of athletic ability to mold into the player he dreamed of becoming. To have that robbed of him – along with the rest of his life - is beyond senseless and tragic.
It is difficult to even think about his past as a player or what the future might've held. Right now, all I can think of is his family, friends, and teammates. I mourn with them, but I am also so sorry for their grief.
I also think of the thousands, even millions of kids who share Greg’s dream - the kids who are the very reason for this site. My own son is one of those. While he’s had his share of successes as a young player, he’s as far away from that dream coming true as Greg was close to it. I can’t help but think of all those young players, and the death of a dream, even if baseball almost certainly had nothing to do with Greg’s death.
My condolences to Greg’s family in the Netherlands (who quite possibly lost two sons today), to his Mariners family in the northwest, and to his friends both known and unknown in his extended baseball family beyond.
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