Major League Baseball

Minor League History: Andy Strong Killed by Lightning During Game

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:08 p.m. ET

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Fansided, David Hill/FanSided via Call to the Pen

Usually, lightning strikes are accompanied by severe storms. On this day in 1951, with clear skies, a lightning bolt struck and killed minor league outfielder Andy Strong.

Weather delays are not out of the ordinary at a baseball game. As such, when the skies opened up during the fifth inning of the minor league tilt between the Crowley Miners and the Alexandria Aces in the Evangeline League, no one thought anything of it. The players and fans sought refuge from the storm, hoping that the weather would change.

Eventually, the torrential rains ended and play resumed. The skies were clear, and it was expected that the game would continue without interruption. At least, that was the case until the sixth inning. Despite clear skies, a bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere, striking Miners outfielder Andy Strong, killing him instantly.

It was truly a bolt out of the blue. Strong was standing in center, under skies that did not appear threatening, when the bolt came down. It took some time for those present to even process what happened, before the fans scattered and medical attention came for Strong.

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Playing in his first minor league campaign, Strong was having a solid start to his career. He had a .339 batting average, with two doubles and a triple in his 19 hits. All told, his career lasted for 16 games before the 23 year old was struck down on the field.

Obviously, from that brief time frame, no one could tell if Strong would have eventually found his way to the majors. The Evangeline League was an unaffiliated minor league, given a Class C status, the equivalent of High-A. Yet, it was possible that, if Strong had continued his solid play, he could have found his way into affiliated baseball. Players such as Hall of Famer Hal Newhouser had their starts in the league, giving hope that Strong could have had a future in the game.

Instead, Andy Strong will be remembered for one of the more shocking deaths in minor league history. Under clear skies, he was struck down on this day in 1951 by a lightning bolt from out of the blue.

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