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From MLB pitcher to NYC police officer, how did Anthony Varvaro die?

The former MLB pitcher was clearly a decent man, which makes his passing all the more sad on a day of rememberance for the many lives lost on 9/11 back in 2001.

Update:
Former MLB relief pticher Anthony Varvaro who retired in 2016 to become a New York City Port Authority police officer lost his life in a car accident en route to a 9/11 memorial ceremony.
Jamie SabauGetty Images

On an already sad day, both the MLB fraternity and the city of New York were met with news they didn’t want to receive as the tragic death of a former player turned police officer was confirmed.

Former MLB pitcher Anthony Varvaro dies in NYC car accident

According to reports on Sunday, former MLB pitcher Anthony Varvaro, who retired in 2016 to become a New York City police officer, died in a car crash Sunday morning while on the way to work at the September 11th memorial ceremony. Varvaro was just 37-years-old, which will undoubtedly add weight to what was already an extremely sad moment for friends, family and even the wider community of New York. On a day that would certainly have been filled with sorrow, given the tragic events that occurred back in 2001, Varvaro can only be remembered with the respect and dignity that he deserved.

Who was Anthony Varvaro?

A relief pitcher with six years spent in the league, Varvaro played for the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves and finally the Boston Red Sox before he retired in 2016. Interestingly, Varvaro would then take on the job of a police officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and was working in that role until his unfortunate passing on Sunday. Indeed, the former MLB pitcher was on his way to work at the September 11th memorial ceremony in Manhattan on Sunday morning when he was killed. There is yet no official report on the details of his fatal crash.

“On this solemn occasion as the Port Authority mourns the loss of 84 employees in the attacks on the World Trade Center - including 37 members of the Port Authority Police Department - our grief only deepens today with the passing of Officer Varvaro,” the Port Authority said in a statement.

Anthony Varvaro was a man who made an impact

From his initial period with the Mariners, to his four-year stint with the Braves and then his final season with the Red Sox, Anthony Varvaro pitched in MLB from 2010-15. A Staten Island native, Varvaro posted a career 3.23 ERA and pitched 183.2 innings across 166 games. “Not only was he everything you could want out of a ballplayer, he was everything you could want in a person,” said St. John’s coach Mike Hampton, who coached Varvaro for three seasons as an assistant coach during Varvaro’s college years. “My heart goes out to his family, friends, teammates and fellow officers.”