Bobby Ojedas Tragic Boating Accident -17 Years Later

March 22, 1993 was an off day for three Cleveland pitchers during Spring Training. Former Met Bobby Ojeda, Tim Crews & Steve Olin went out fishing in the darkness of the evening on Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida. Their 18-foot open-air bass boat rammed into a private dock that jutted out some 250 feet into the still waters. Two other Cleveland Indians personell arrived to meet the fishing party and arrived as the horror took place. They heard Ojeda say they needed help. The two men jumped into the water and called out for someone to call 911.

Steve Olin was killed instantly.& Tim Crews was struggling to breathe but was still alive with massive head wounds. Bobby Ojeda was in & out of shock and had head lacerations but was coherent. They were taken to the hospital, where Crews died the next morning. Ojeda was operated on & survived the tragedy. He claims that he slouches over, and that slouch saved him by a matter of inches.

Crews was the driver of the boat and was found to be legally drunk while driving the boat. Crews had signed a minor league contact with Cleveland and was fighting for a spot on the staff. He had played six years with the Dodgers, going 11-13 with a 3.44 ERA & 15 saves. He was 4-0 in the Dodgers 1988 championship season.

Steve Olin had just come off strong season, as the Indians closer. He had 29 saves (8th in the AL) going 8-5 with a 2.34 ERA, he was 27 years old. After 4 seasons he was 16-19 with 48 saves and a 3.10 ERA lifetime.

Ojeda was Crews teammate the previous two season in L.A. Ojeda went 18-5 with a 2.57 ERA for the 1986 Mets. He was 51-40 as a Met from 1986-1990

That season the Indians wore commemorative arm patches in honor of their teammates. Two yeras later they would go onto the World Series.