Even if it is his prolific career on the mound that will be highlighted on July 27 when the Quebec Capitales will hoist his number 34 to the heights of Stade Canac, Karl Gélinas admits that he will then have a thought for his former teammate Nick Adenhart, tragically died in a car accident 15 years ago.
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Gélinas had actually chosen to wear the 34 in honor of his friend after the death of the Los Angeles Angels player on April 9, 2009 in California, when a drunk driver ran a red light to hit the car Adenhart was in. The young man thus lost his life at the age of 22, not without having briefly touched his dream of playing in major baseball. The American gunner had also obtained a start with the Angels, wearing the number 34, the day before his death.
Photo credit: Photo Jeff Gross / Getty Images via AFP
“I wouldn’t say that Nick’s death haunts my thoughts on a daily basis, but when I see the number 34, I always think of him,” confides Gélinas, in a touching telephone interview with The newspaper. “It’s a significant figure, obviously, because of the circumstances of his death.”
A thought for Bob
Without knowing it, the Capitals therefore officially announced on Wednesday evening the withdrawal of the jersey of the Quebec pitcher, today a coach at the Baseball Academy of Canada (ABC) and analyst for the TVA Sports network, the day after the 15th anniversary of the death of Adenhart.
On this day we remember Nick Adenhart!
Rest easy #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/9Pan6tzxeJ
— Halos In The Infield (@HalosInfield) April 9, 2024
“I was quite close to him, I have great memories with Nick both on and off the field,” Gélinas said with emotion. Above all, I enjoyed seeing him throw and compete, we were alike, and his joy of life was contagious.”
Since it is a question of tragic death and the Capitals, Gélinas spontaneously drops the name of Bob Bissonnette, this former hockey player, singer and shareholder of the Quebec team, during the interview.
“The death of Bob Bissonnette really had an impact on me,” he mentions, “about the man who died in a helicopter accident in September 2016. Like Nick, Bob also fully embraced life.”
10 more years…
The retirement of a jersey remains a happy event, Gélinas would especially like to thank the Capitales organization for this honor rendered. In Quebec, jersey number 34 becomes only the second to be retired by the club after Eddie Lantigua’s 31, in June 2010.
Photo credit: Photo Jean-François Desgagnés / Le Journal de Québec / Archives
“It’s always nice to be rewarded, even if I didn’t think about the possibility of receiving such an honor,” said the 40-year-old. I have several good memories with the Capitals, it’s difficult to choose one, it was an important part of my life, but everything that happened after 2009 made it even more special. That year, I announced that I was quitting baseball due to arm pain…I finally got the chance to pitch for 10 more years.”
Championships and records
In 13 seasons with the Capitales, Gélinas enjoyed six championships between 2007 and 2019. Due to his longevity and his domination on the mound, he holds several team records, including those of 85 career victories in the regular season and an impressive total of 945 strikeouts.
As part of the 25th anniversary of the Capitales, the Quebec team plans to announce at least one other jersey retirement for the next season.
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2024-04-11 17:36:56
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