Covering death never gets easier

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Boron’s Vinnie Rodriguez was the fourth athlete I have written about who died over my 15-year sports writing career, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s four too many.

The first was Northwestern defensive back Marcel Price, who was accidentally shot in 1995 by a friend who was playing with a gun. I attended Price’s funeral in Tennessee while covering the event for the Daily Northwestern and couldn’t help but weep at the tragedy even though I did not really know Price. The Wildcats went on to play USC in the Rose Bowl that season.

In 2001, Wilmington Banning High offensive lineman Jonathan Diaz died from cardiac arrest after collapsing during a practice.

The first athlete I knew somewhat closely was USC basketball player Ryan Francis, who was the unintended victim of a shooting in his hometown of Baton Rouge, La., in May 2006. Francis was a genuinely sweet freshman who helped an undermanned Trojans team upset North Carolina, Arizona and UCLA on the way to a winning record.

The Francis tragedy was compounded by the fact that he left behind a single mother who called her only child ‘all I had.’ It was all I could do not to break down while listening to her talk lovingly about her son in the same high school library where she had beamed as he signed his letter of intent.

The death of Rodriguez is also incredibly tragic.

The sophomore running back and safety, who succumbed Tuesday night to head injuries suffered four days earlier while making a tackle during a game, leaves behind a disabled grandmother who is the guardian of two of Rodriguez’s three younger brothers.

The outpouring of support for the player his teammates call V-Rod during a spaghetti dinner fundraiser Thursday night at the school cafeteria was inspirational. The Bobcats players served dinner to rival players from several surrounding high schools who had come to pay tribute to the fallen player.

Boron (2-0) plays at Lake Isabella Kern Valley (1-1) Friday night at 7 in the first game since Rodriguez died. I hope it’s the last time I have to chronicle this kind of personal tragedy.

-- Ben Bolch