Baseball: Marlins Pitcher Fernandez Dies In Boating Accident

MIAMI, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Sep, 2016 ) - Miami Marlins ace pitcher Jose Fernandez, who was once jailed in his native Cuba for trying to defect, died early Sunday in a boating accident in Miami Beach, the Major League Baseball team announced.

There were moments of silence before every game and tributes of all fashions on Sunday for Fernandez, whose infectious enthusiasm made him immensely popular with teammates, peers and baseball fans.

"When you watch kids play Little League, that's the joy Jose played with," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, breaking down in tears during an emotional news conference attended by all of Fernandez's teammates.

The Marlins' game against the Atlanta Braves scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Miami was cancelled.

The 24-year-old was one of the biggest rising stars in the league. He was a Cuban refugee who became a US citizen and achieved his dream of starring for a team in Miami which is considered the cultural heart of Cuba in America.

"All of Baseball is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez," said MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said. "He was one of our game's great young stars who made a dramatic impact on and off the field since his debut in 2013. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, the Miami Marlins organization and all of the people he touched in his life."