an ironic article: 
Hancock shows up late 
By Rick Hummel 
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 
04/27/2007 
 
Reliever Josh Hancock, after pitching three innings on Tuesday, probably wasn't going to appear in Thursday's game, but he almost didn't make it, anyway. 
 
Hancock admitted he had overslept on his new comfortable bed, and thinking the game was starting later than it was (12:10 p.m.), didn't get up until the "20th call" he received from anxious teammates. 
 
With righthander Darryl Kile dying before a game in Chicago five years ago, the Cardinals don't take it lightly when a player doesn't show up at the park on time. 
 
Reliever Jason Isringhausen, the only pitcher still on the club who played with Kile here, said, "(Hancock's) phone always shuts off. Everybody was trying to reach him. That's why it's so different here because of what happened with Darryl. So everybody worries. That's got more to do with it than oversleeping. 
 
"We were all a little nervous. We don't care if you're late. That happens. We want to know that you're OK." 
 
Manager Tony La Russa said only, "It's not worth discussing. It's personal and not baseball-related." 
 
But Hancock said he expected to be fined.  
 
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Sports > Cardinals > Story 
Cardinals reliever Hancock killed in car crash; tonight's game postponed 
POST-DISPATCH STAFF 
04/29/2007 
Josh Hancock 
St. Louis Cardinals' Josh Hancock 
(Chris Lee/P-D) 
 
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Josh Hancock was killed early Sunday in an accident on Highway 40 (Interstate 64), just west of Compton Avenue, authorities said. 
 
Hancock's Ford Explorer slammed into the rear of a tow truck that was parked in the far left westbound lane shortly after 12:30 a.m.  The tow truck driver, who was seated in the vehicle at the time, was unhurt. 
 
He told police that his emergency lights were on, and that he honked his horn when he saw the Explorer approaching in his rear view mirror, but that the Exploer didn't slow down or swerve to avoid the collision. 
 
At the time of the accident, the tow truck driver was assisting a motorist from an earlier accident. 
 
Hancock, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene. 
 
The Cardinals were expected to release a statement later today. Their game this evening with the Chicago Cubs has been postponed. A new game time has not been set.