Cory Lidle goes through a pre-flight inspection of his plane in February. Photograph: Randy Miller/AP
Cory Lidle, killed yesterday when his light aircraft hit a New York apartment block, was a pitcher with America's largest baseball team, the New York Yankees.
The NY Times said many pilots fear to take the congested flight path Lidle had chosen. The paper described Lidle as "something of an overachiever in baseball".
"A 5-foot-11 right-handed pitcher who rarely threw his fastball above 90 miles an hour, he was not drafted out of high school and played for three organizations in the minors, including an independent team, before joining the Mets in 1997."
He leaves a wife, Melanie, and a six-year-old son, Christopher.
Teammates called him "Snacks" due to his tendency to graze on Reese's bars between innings.
The Yankees' owner, George Steinbrenner, said the tragedy was "terrible and shocking" and had stunned the entire Yankees organisation.
Lidle had also played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Oakland Athletics, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies, before joining the Yankees.
The 2004 season, which he started with the Reds, was his best overall. For those who understand baseball's scoring system, Lidle's lifetime player card is here and real fanatics of the sport can get further statistics here.
Newsday's profile of Lidle notes his interest in "chess, poker, pool and, sadly, flying planes".
Blogging on Pinstripealley, PhilliesAngel said Lidle will be missed, not just by Yankees' fans.
After the Yankees' recent defeat in the play-offs, some have wondered whether the accident could have been intentional, and silly conspiracy theories have also started.
Tyler Stanger, Lidle's flying instructor, recently described him as his best pupil.
