Sean Burroughs, a two-time Little League World Series winner who earned an Olympic gold medal and then had a major league career cut short by substance problems, died. He was 43.
According to online records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Burroughs died on Thursday, with a cause of death unknown.
According to USA Today, Burroughs passed away in Stearns Champions Park in Long Beach, California, where he grew up.
The Long Beach Fire Department arrived to the park just after 5 p.m. following a report of a person in full cardiac arrest in the parking lot. “We did all of our lifesaving measures, but we weren’t successful,” said public information officer Brian Fisk on Friday, adding that the victim was pronounced dead on scene.
“It is with heavy heart that I am writing this message to inform you that yesterday afternoon one of our Coaches, Sean Burroughs, tragically passed away,” Doug Wittman, president of Long Beach Little League, stated in a statement posted on social media Friday.
Wittman coached Burroughs for the past two years.
“He always came with a fun & 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,” according to the release. “To say this is a huge loss is an understatement.”
Burroughs was a great pitcher for the Long Beach Little League World Series team, which became the first in the United States to win consecutive championships. They won the 1992 championship after their title-round opponent, the Philippines, was forced to forfeit due to the use of overage players.
He pitched two no-hitters in the 1993 LLWS, with a then-record 16 strikeouts, and his team defeated Panama, 3-2.
“Sean was a legend in LBLL and the baseball community,” Wittman stated.
Burroughs won a gold medal with the United States baseball team, coached by Tommy Lasorda, in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“We at USA Baseball are heartbroken to learn of Sean’s tragic death,” 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.”
Burroughs’ father, Jeff, was a three-time All-Star and the 1974 American League MVP with the Texas Rangers. He coached his son during the Little League World Series appearances. Sean was born in Atlanta, where his father played for the Braves.
Sean Burroughs was committed to playing baseball at the University of Southern California, but the San Diego Padres selected him with the ninth choice in the first round of the 1998 MLB draft and signed him instead.
He hit.278 in his career, with 12 home runs and 143 RBIs for the Padres, Tampa Bay, Arizona, and Minnesota.
He was awarded the most valuable player in the 2002 All-Star Futures Game.
Burroughs made his Major League Baseball debut as a third baseman for the Padres in April 2002. He hit a game-winning single in the inaugural game at San Diego’s Petco Park that year.
After the 2005 season, the Padres traded Burroughs to Tampa Bay, but he saw little playing time before being optioned to the minors and designated for assignment.
Burroughs signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners in December 2006, but the team dropped him less than halfway through the season.
Burroughs was out of baseball for four years while dealing with substance misuse, which “took away from my aspirations and dreams,” he told the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2012.
In November 2010, Burroughs agreed to a minor league contract with Arizona. The following spring, he joined the Diamondbacks and hit.261, but was sent to the minors. After third baseman Melvin Mora was released, Burroughs was promoted back to Arizona in July and rejoined the starting order.
Burroughs became a free agent that fall, signing a minor league contract with Minnesota in December. He made the main league team during spring training, but was released in May.
From 2013 until 2017, he played for many independent minor league teams.
He worked as an extra on the television shows “Knots Landing” and “Saved by the Bell,” as well as the film “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”
