Former Major League Baseball pitcher Anthony Varvaro dies

Anthony Varvaro, a former major league pitcher, died in a car accident.
Varvaro retired in 2016 to become a police officer.
The former major league pitcher was killed in a crash on the way to work at a 9/11 memorial event in New York City.

Anthony Varvaro, a former Major League Baseball pitcher who retired in 2016 to become a police officer in the New York City area, was killed in a car accident Sunday morning. He was on his way to work at the 9/11 memorial ceremony in Manhattan, according to police officers and his former teams.

Varvaro, 37, was an officer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He played baseball at St. John’s University in New York City before a major league career as a relief pitcher with the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox from 2010 to 2015.

Anthony Varvaro dies in car accident

«We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Braves pitcher Anthony Varvaro,» the Braves said in a statement. «Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his colleagues.»

According the AP, the accident happened Sunday morning in New Jersey. Messages seeking details about the crash were left with the New Jersey State Police. St. John’s head baseball coach Mike Hampton said he was «speechless» over Varvaro’s death.

His colleagues are in mourning

“Not only was he everything you could want in a player, he was everything you could want in a person,” said Hampton, who was an assistant coach at St. John’s during Varvaro’s three seasons there. «My heart goes out to his family, friends, teammates and fellow officials.»

Port Authority officials said in a statement that Varvaro «represented the best of this agency and will be remembered for his courage and commitment to service.» «On this solemn occasion as the Port Authority mourns the loss of 84 employees in the World Trade Center attacks, including 37 members of the Port Authority Police Department, our grief is deepened today by the passing of Officer Varvaro,” continued the statement issued by Port Authority Chairman, Kevin O’Toole, and the Executive Director, Rick Cotton.

A great career in the Major Leagues

Raised on Staten Island, New York, Varvaro was drafted by Seattle in the 12th round in 2005. He played for the Mariners in 2010 and Atlanta from 2011 to 2014. Varvaro was traded to the Red Sox in late 2014 and pitched 11 innings for Boston early in the 2015 season.

In May 2015, the Chicago Cubs claimed him from Boston, but returned him to the Red Sox after tests showed he had an elbow injury in his right throwing arm, resulting in surgery that happened during the season.