In 1996 20 year old Matt LaChappa was a left-hand pitcher for a San Diego Padres minor league farm team. While warming up LaChappa suffered a heart attack. He never pitched again and is now confined to a wheelchair. Ever since 1996 the Padres have signed him to a minor league contract so the he can continue to have health insurance.
He is at the park quite often. They talk about him alot and always show him at different team functions. You can tell he feels blessed because he is treated like one of the family. Cool story.
Wow, that's amazing. Pretty classy thing for that organization to do. Can you imagine a NFL Team doing something like that? I know the Giants helped Chad Jones a bit for like 6 weeks or something, but 20 years? Wow.
I think the Bengals kept a marginal player on their roster or practice squad because his daughter had cancer or something and he needed the insurance to continue her treatment.
