PHOENIX — Sean Burroughs, a former player for the Arizona Diamondbacks, winner of the Little League World Series and a 2000 Olympic gold medalist, died at the age of 43.
The Long Beach Little League in California said in a statement on Instagram that Burroughs died Thursday afternoon. According to a report from USA Today, he collapsed while coaching his son's Little League team.
"I have had the privilege of coaching with Sean for the past two years and he always came with a fun and friendly attitude the kids were drawn to, a wealth of baseball knowledge that could get any kid out of a batting rut and humility worth emulating," the Long Beach Little League posted on Instagram. "To say this is a loss is an understatement."
Burroughs threw back-to-back no-hitters to help Long Beach to consecutive Little League Championships before playing on the Long Beach Wilson High School team. He was then picked No. 9 overall by the San Diego Padres in 1998 and made his major league debut in 2002.
From then until 2005, Burroughs played for the Padres, and then was traded to Tampa Bay in late 2005. He was briefly with the Mariners before walking away from baseball for nearly three years, and when he returned, he signed with the Diamondbacks in 2011. He ended his major league career with the Minnesota Twins in 2012.
Burroughs was chosen for the U.S. team that won its first-ever gold medal at the Olympics in Sydney, as well.
"We at USA Baseball are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Sean," USA Baseball executive director and CEO Paul Seiler said in a statement. "Sean was a part of one of our most beloved teams, and he represented our country on and off the field in a first-class manner. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Burroughs family during this time."
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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