March 29, 2024

Recalling the Death of Tim Crews and Steve Olin in 1993 Spring Training

March 20, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

A few years ago I looked back at the Cleveland Indians’ speedboat wreck in Florida on March 22, 1993, that killed Steve Olin and Tim Crews, and nearly killed Bob Ojeda.

The 20th anniversary of the tragedy is this week. If any in the Seamheads audience remember the tragedy and your reaction to it, I’d appreciate it if you shared your memories. I was not an Indians fan, and did not know Olin, but Steve was from the Portland area, within 30 miles of where I was living, and went to Beaverton High School and Portland State University. His ashes were buried in late March of 1993 at Skyline Memorial Gardens in the Tualatin Mountains, two miles south of the Willamette River, within the Portland city limits. His death is one of the most disturbing events in the history of Portland sports.

Also, there has been speculation about how the Indians might have done with Olin, Crews, and Ojeda in 1993 and beyond. They went 76-86 in ’93, 19-32 in April and May, when, logically, they might well have been reeling from the disaster. In the two weeks after losing Crews and Olin, the Indians acquired pitchers Mark Clark, Paul Abbott, Bob Milacki, Jason Grimsley, and Matt Young to replace them and Ojeda, who would pitch in nine games, but none until August 7. (Ojeda’s career ended the next year, after two subpar starts for the Yankees in April.) After Olin had saved 29 games (with a 2.34 ERA and 8-5 record) for Cleveland in ’92, their leading closer in ’93 was Eric Plunk, with 15 saves.

Speak Your Mind

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!