05:04 AM
11/16/24
11/16/24
September 04, 2002
Girl Dies After Football Practice: "The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled that her death was caused by blunt trauma that led to a clot under the surface of her brain. A spokesman for the office said she had been hit during a full-contact practice earlier in the week."
Horrible and tragic -- a child's accidental death always is -- but I'm afraid that Taylor's death will become Exhibit A in the "girls shouldn't play football" camp. Was she doing something fundamentally unsafe? No, no more so than the thousands of other little boys (and girls) who don pads for PeeWee leagues around the country. Hopefully this sad freak accident won't be used to deter other girls who want to play. My deepest condolences to Taylor's parents, on the off-chance that they can bear to read what people are writing about her passing.