Kirk Gibson remembers…the horror.
NEED FOR SPEED
At spring training in Arizona, Kirk Gibson, the hero of the Dodgers’ 1988 World Series conquest, sits down, removes his cap and discusses the “great intentions” Crews had when he invited teammates and their families to foster new-found friendship and team camaraderie.
Gibson, who had rejoined the Detroit Tigers, previously had visited the ranch, but this off day was an Indians-only shindig. Some teammates and Indians officials who didn’t attend the picnic went to Disney World with their families.
“I was really close to him,’’ says the 55-year-old Diamondbacks manager.
So close that Gibson also realized his buddy had a weakness — a fascination with speed., particularly fast, aerodynamic and powerful boats.
In 1990, Gibson says Crews arranged for his then-Dodger teammate to purchase a pro-style Skeeter bass tournament boat. It was equipped with a high-revving 200-mph horsepower engine.
“This,’’ Crews told Gibson, “is a really bad-ass boat.’‘
The pitcher tricked-out the vessel for Gibson in Florida, and then shipped it up north for the native Michigander. On an off-day, Crews wanted to test the boat’s limits with his pal. Gibson was caught off guard. Initially, he was behind the wheel, he says. Crews became antsy.
“Let me behind the wheel,’’ Crews told his teammate.
Gibson then describes his horror.
“I tell you what, he got behind that wheel and we took off — we’re barely in the water. We’re doing 74 mph and we jump a wake and that boat felt almost like a wing of an airplane. He scared the (heck) out of me.
“I said, ‘You’re crazy.’
“He’s like, ‘Whoo! Whooo!’
“He’s kind of a hillbilly, you know — a dirt farmer. ‘Whooo! Whooooo! Whooooooo! He’s screamin’ and hollerin.’ ‘’
Crews’ risky behavior followed him home.
“He was haulin’ ass that night,’’ Gibson says. “I got it first-hand (from eyewitnesses). He was reckless. Sometimes, you just get over-aggressive. Athletes, that’s our strength. But it can be a weakness and leave us vulnerable.
“(He was) a great dude. It’s unfortunate all of the families that were affected by it. It’s tragic. I miss him. He died doing what he enjoyed doing. Unfortunately, he left his wife and kids behind.’‘
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1. Matt Chico's Bail Bonds (Dan Lee) Posted: March 21, 2013 at 06:17 AM (#4393345)If I remember correctly, not only did this event result in the deaths of Olin and Crews and the effective end of Ojeda's playing career, but was also blamed for helping push fellow reliever, and close friend of Olin, Kevin Wickander off the rails towards substance abuse and prison.
I remember "owning" Olin at a good price for that season in fantasy baseball, and how banal that felt off the news. Never did ##### about it, because ....
That's the first thing I remember about it too.
Then, in 2002, I had Darryl Kile in one of my keeper leagues. He also stayed on my roster all year.
I remember a Sports Illustrated story in late 93 discussing how much trouble he having coming to grips with Olin's death.
Nice article on Wickander. Reading about him asking his dad to safeguard Olin's watch so he wouldn't pawn it made me cry. Oof.
I've gone 65 mph in a boat like this in a similar situation - a friend at the wheel - and I don't plan to ever do it again. I distinctly remember calculating that we had roughly a 5% chance of crashing and dying in the next moments. You feel like you're barely touching the water and if you hit a wave wrong - let alone another boat - it's going to be all over.
I don't know if I've ever gone that fast, but I remember the exact sentiment at whatever top speed I reached. That #### is scary.
You are barely touching the water, the only parts of a boat actually in the water at those speeds are the bottom half of the propeller and perhaps 5% of the hull. They used to have hydroplane races here every summer, on the Ohio River, and it seems like two or three of them would come completely out of the water and end up upside down. Of course they were going faster than 65 mph but it could happen at a slower speed under the right conditions.
That's why Kenny Powers sticks to jet skis.
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