Little League International stated on Friday that Sean Burroughs, who hurled back-to-back no-hitters in the Little League World Series, had passed away. 43 was his age.
Burroughs “tragically passed away” on Thursday, according to a social media post by California’s Long Beach Little League, which confirmed his passing. Debbie Burroughs, Burroughs’ mother, reported her son’s cardiac arrest to the Southern California News Group.
The Long Beach team led by Burroughs won two Little League World Series titles. He later played for four major league teams and took home the gold medal at the 2000 Olympics.
CEO of USA Baseball Paul Seiler released a statement saying, “We at USA Baseball are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Sean.” “Sean played for one of our favorite teams and did a first-rate job of representing our nation both on and off the field. The Burroughs family is in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
Shortly after dropping off his son Knox for a Little League baseball game, Burroughs was discovered unconscious close to his car, according to Long Beach Little League President Doug Wittman. Burroughs could not be brought back to life.
Wittman described it to The Orange County Register as “extremely shocking.” “At Long Beach Little League, there is a genuine feeling of family. Thus, it is painful when we lose one of our own.”
In his Instagram post, Long Beach Little League said, “Sean was a legend in LBLL and the baseball community for winning back-to-back Little League World Series Championships for LBLL in 1992 and 1993.” To suggest that this is a significant loss would be an understatement. During this difficult time, we will keep his family in our prayers and thoughts. We also want to finish the season with a baseball team that Coach Sean would be proud of.”
Burroughs carried on his father Jeff Burroughs’s legacy. In 1974, the older Burroughs was chosen the MVP of the American League.
The San Diego Padres were Burroughs’ big league home for the first four seasons of his career. In late 2005, he was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays. When Burroughs realized he no longer had “the passion” for the game, he decided to put his career on hold after making eight appearances with the Rays in 2006. He struggled with substance problems as well.
“I simply lacked the motivation and the enthusiasm,” Burroughs said to ESPN in June 2011. “I was mentally and physically exhausted. It was simply absent. I was spent on the inside. I didn’t have the motivation to go to the park every day, but I still appreciated and enjoyed the game. I think I lost the will.”
2011 saw him make a comeback to the game with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Before his career ended in 2012, he went on to play in ten games with the Minnesota Twins.
