[ValKehl]

I nominate Edgar Charles "Sam" Rice who began his professional baseball career in the minors as a pitcher at the rather late age of 22 in the spring of 1912. Almost immediately, his family was struck by a horrific tragedy, one that Rice very seldom mentioned, even to his teammates, during the rest of his life. The following is from SABR's bio of Rice:

"Rice signed a contract in October of 1911 with the Galesburg Pavers of the Class D Central Association. [6] He made the 150 mile trek across state the next April in hopes of securing a spot on a professional baseball team for the 1912 season. Rice and the other new Paver recruits reported to Galesburg's Illinois Park on Thursday, April 11 for their first practice. Two days later they met the local Knox College nine in a pre-season tune up game, during which Rice made his professional pitching debut. [7] In all, Rice made four pre-season appearances for the Pavers, two against the local college boys, and two against the nearby Central Association rival Monmouth Browns. [8] His performance in these contests led a local reporter to pronounce Rice "one of the most promising of [Galesburg manager] Ducky Ebert's recruit pitchers." [9] The most promising of his pre-season outings occurred on April 21 in a Sunday afternoon encounter with the Browns. Rice gave up a run on one hit and two walks while striking out four in three innings of work, helping the Pavers to an eventual 6-1 victory. [10] Unfortunately, any celebration that might have accompanied either his team's win or his own improving pro prospects was quickly curtailed.

While Rice was away in Galesburg, his wife and children moved in with his parents on the family farm in Donovan. On Sunday, April 21, as Rice took to the mound in Galesburg, his family took to the road to visit friends in his wife's hometown of Iroquois. Shortly after the family returned from their outing that evening, a violent tornado ripped through Donovan. The high winds destroyed the Rice farmhouse and killed Rice's wife, both of his children, his mother, and his youngest two sisters. According to a report published in the Kentland Democrat a few days later, "... the house, with contents, and everything else on the premises ... was seized, torn, and whirled into fragments and strewn entirely across the farm. ... [family members'] ... bodies were found ... 150 [to] 400 yards south of where the house was ... all nearly entirely naked, the clothing having been whipped into shreds and torn away by the wind." His father survived the storm, but was seriously injured. "When neighbors came upon the scene, they found Mr. Rice running distractedly about among his dead dear ones in the ravine, and carrying in his arms one of the children that yet showed evidence of life, but died a few moments later."[11] All told, the storm left over 70 dead and as many as 200 injured while destroying over $1,000,000 in property as it thundered along a line beginning southwest of Donovan in Illinois, through Rice's birthplace of Morocco in Indiana, and to points beyond. [12]

Rice was notified of the tragedy by telegraph the next morning [13] and immediately set out for home. He arrived in time for his mother's and sisters' funerals on April 23 and for those of his wife and children the day after, at services reportedly attended by "thousands" of mourners. [14] He stayed with his father afterward, helping care for him at the neighboring farmhouse where he had been taken after the storm. The elder Rice succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter, however, dying on April 30. [15]"

Following this tragedy, after wandering a bit, Rice returned to baseball and made it to the Senators at age 25. After a brief period as a pitcher (1-1 W-L record), he was converted to an outfielder because of his hitting ability. A contact hitter who seldom struck out, Rice played mostly during the era when the home run hitters emerged after the introduction of the lively ball. He finished his career at age 44 with 2,987 base hits, back when there was no emphasis on getting 3,000 hits; if his 19 World Series base hits are included, Rice finished with 3,006 base hits for his career.

I'm working on a master set of Sam Rice cards. This scarce R316 Kashin premium photo is one of my favorites: