- Stephen C. Reich
Major Stephen C. Reich (
May 22 1971 -June 28 2005 ) was an Americanminor league baseball player and soldier who was killed in action while on a rescue mission inAfghanistan at age 34. Reich played for the "Team USA" baseball team in 1993, and has more wins than any otherpitcher in the history of theUnited States Military Academy (West Point).Born in
Ohio and raised inConnecticut , Reich was the star pitcher atShepaug Valley High School , a lefthander who led the varsity baseball team to a state championship in 1987 where he pitched and won the championship game. He led the team back to title contention in 1989. Coming out of high school, Reich was a highly touted pitching prospect, but he chose the military over professional baseball.He attended the
United States Military Academy , where he pitched for the Army baseball team. Reich was a star pitcher for Army and holds the record for most wins by a West Point pitcher. "He was one of the best to ever come through here," said Bob Beretta, a spokesman for the Army baseball team. "When we say someone here is the best since, it's always the best since Steve Reich." [http://www.courant.com/news/specials/hc-ctwar-casualty-sreich,0,3340529.story]Reich was known for his fastball and command, rarely walking a batter. He signed with the
Baltimore Orioles in 1996 after completing two years of a four-year military commitment, and pitched two games in the minor leagues before being recalled by the Army.Even after his initial military commitment ended, Reich was a highly touted pitcher, but he chose military service over professional baseball.
In 1993, Reich was named to the "Team USA" baseball team. He carried the American flag while representing Team USA in 1993 at the
World University Games . He made 17 appearances for Team USA playing inItaly ,Nicaragua andCuba and at theWorld University Games .In 1996, Reich was ordered to Germany. He served in
Operation Allied Force inHungary , Bosnia,Albania , andKosovo .Reich served four tours of duty in Afghanistan and was killed in action on
June 28 2005 . Reich was on a mission to rescue an elite U.S. military team. Reich was one of 16 troops aboard an ArmySpecial Operations MH-47Chinook helicopter that was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in the mountains of eastern Afgahanistan'sKunar province . The soldiers were assigned to the160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) from Georgia.External links
* [http://www.courant.com/news/specials/hc-ctwar-casualty-sreich,0,3340529.story Newspaper Article on Reich]
* [http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14845831&BRD=1380&PAG=461&dept_id=157533&rfi=6 Nespaper article from Voices on Reich]
* [http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/historystuff/reich_bio.pdf Reich's Official Biographical Sketch]
* [http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1993/50578/ West Point biography, photographs and press release on Reich]
* [http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/004265.html From Reich's friends and classmates]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4729490 Audio Tribute to Reich from NPR]
* [http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/showthread.php?t=387809 Article on Reich]
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