Former Main League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel was among the many dozens killed when the roof of a nightclub within the Dominican Republic collapsed through the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Not less than 58 individuals died and 160 had been injured on the nightclub in Santo Domingo the place a crowd that included athletes and politicians had been attending a merengue live performance.
Dotel, who was 51 on the time of his loss of life, began his 15-year MLB profession with the New York Mets in 1999. He performed for 13 completely different groups, spending probably the most time with the Houston Astros between 2000 and 2004. His profession high-point got here when he was a part of the St Louis Cardinals that gained the World Sequence in 2011. His last season within the majors was with the Detroit Tigers in 2013. Dotel was often called a strikeout pitcher and at his peak was among the finest relievers within the league.
“We’re heartbroken to be taught the tragic information that former Astros pitcher Octavio Dotel was one among a number of people that handed away when a roof collapsed in his native Dominican Republic final night time,” the Astros mentioned in a press release on Tuesday. “Whereas in Houston, he was one of many prime relievers in all of baseball and was a major a part of a dominant bullpen that included Corridor of Famer Billy Wagner and All-Star Brad Lidge. A workhorse, Dotel’s club-leading 159 appearances in 2002-03 mixed had been second within the Majors in that span, throughout which he posted a 2.15 ERA.”
One other Dominican baseball participant, Tony Blanco, was killed within the collapse. He had briefly performed for the Washington Nationals in 2005.
Dotel overcame vital challenges on his technique to the majors, together with the loss of life of his father who was murdered throughout a theft. Dotel mentioned he used baseball as a means of conserving his thoughts off his father’s loss of life. “I can do nothing if I’m going to the ballpark and take into consideration him on a regular basis,” Dotel mentioned. “I simply should preserve enjoying exhausting and get what I’m on the lookout for. I believe God helps me as a result of I’m right here. I’m right here and I respect it. I might get pleasure from it extra if my dad was nonetheless right here, however everyone’s obtained to die.”
Jet Set, the nightclub the place Tuesday’s tragedy happened, says it’s cooperating with authorities. “The lack of human life leaves us in a state of deep ache and dismay,” the nightclub mentioned in a press release.
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