Lidle's death stirs memory

News of the fatal crash struck Bob Montgomery, a former Red Sox player and longtime aircraft pilot, like a jolt from a tragic past.

``I immediately thought about Thurman Munson," Montgomery said yesterday of his former Yankee catching rival.

In the small fraternity of professional athletes who double as recreational pilots, Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle's death in the cockpit of a small plane in Manhattan Wednesday stirred memories of previous losses and support for other players who continue to take to the sky.

Montgomery, 62, who played 10 seasons for the Sox, was preparing for a game against the Brewers in Milwaukee in 1979 when the jet Munson was piloting crashed in Canton, Ohio, killing the Yankee star.

``There's just no way of knowing why or how things like that happen," Montgomery said.

But Montgomery, who learned to fly while playing for Boston's Double A affiliate in Pittsfield in 1966 and received his license later that year while playing in the instructional league in Sarasota, Fla., said he harbors no greater concern after the latest fatality about the risks to other professional athletes who pilot aircraft in their free time.

Records kept by the Federal Aviation Administration show that Lidle was listed among Major League Baseball figures as a licensed pilot, as is Jay Bell, who served as bench coach this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Among NFL players, Denver kicker Jason Elam and Atlanta defensive end Patrick Kerney are licensed pilots, according to FAA records. So are Joey Graham of the NBA's Toronto Raptors and Alexei Kovalev of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens.

The dean of licensed pilots among professional athletes might be 77-year-old Arnold Palmer. Pilots on the PGA Tour include Nick Price, Shaun Micheel, and Phil Mickelson.

NASCAR drivers rank among the most active air pilots, according to the FAA. The NASCAR air corps includes Rusty Wallace, Ricky Rudd, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, and Bill Elliott.

While the PGA players sometimes rely on their piloting skills to shuttle to Tour events, most licensed pilots among professional athletes fly recreationally. Montgomery said he identified with Lidle's recent statement that he considered flying a way to escape the stress of everyday life and see the world from a different perspective.

Montgomery recalled flying for business only when he was commuting between the minor league cities of Louisville, Ky., and Nashville near the end of his career.

``There's a certain amount of peace and freedom you experience when you're up there," he said. ``It's just a nice feeling."