The Cardinals offer condolences to the family of Oscar Taveras, the 22-year-old Cardinals outfielder who was killed in an automobile accident in the Dominican Republic. All fans are invited to use this guestbook blog to share their condolences and memories of Oscar as well.
“We are all stunned and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of the youngest members of the Cardinals family,” Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said. “Oscar was an amazing talent with a bright future who was taken from us well before his time. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends tonight.”
“I simply can’t believe it,” said John Mozeliak, Sr. VP & GM of the Cardinals. “I first met Oscar when he was sixteen years old and will forever remember him as a wonderful young man who was a gifted athlete with an infectious love for life who lived every day to the fullest.”
The team will provide additional information on funeral arrangements at a later time. Please share your condolences and memories in the comments below.
Remembering Oscar 
I remember the day he was called up and seeing him hit his homerun as the rain came down. Cardinal nation knew at that moment he was even more special than we thought. We were fortunate enough to be at game 2 of the NLCS and saw his game tying homerun. What a great moment for him! His huge smile and passion for the game will be missed. Thank you for everything you brought to the game Oscar! Rest in peace.
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Rest in peace, Oscar. We will miss you. Words can’t describe our shock and sadness at this time.
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In April, I traveled to Nashville to scout Oscar Taveras for my website. In game two of the series, I was behind home plate watching him face off against an inferior relief pitcher with the bases loaded. After falling behind in the count, he worked it back to 3-2 and I remember sitting there knowing with 100% certainty Taveras would win the battle because the pitcher just wasn’t good enough to make him swing-and-miss. The result: Taveras hit a soft single to the outfield, scoring two base runners and breaking the game open. He was a great young player and taken far too soon…
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When I saw the news, I screamed in my room for 5 minutes. My mom thought I got shot in the leg. My mind is still running a mile a minute approximately 12 hours later! I’ve been thinking about Oscar. I followed him and looked up his Minor League Stats daily for the last 3 years and I got to watch his first home run this year. The 2014 playoffs were a turning point in his career. We lost a young man that loved the game of baseball. He was always the first teammate to congratulate a Home Run or something dramatic. Im
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RIP Oscar! My prayers go out to his family and loved ones. This is just tragic and he was taken away from us way to soon. As a 23 year old my self it is just crazy to think about. I will never forget his first home run and his home run in this years NLCS this year both against the Giants. As a cardinals fan in the Bay Area in California It was awesome. He will be missed and never forgotten. This is a sad day in baseball.
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Just incredibly sad at the tragic loss of two young lives….My enduring memory of Oscar will be that first epic home run in the rain. Oscar will forever be a Cardinal. Thoughts and prayers for his family and Edilia’s family, may God shower them with His boundless love, peace and comfort.
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Some stars are so bright that they only belong to the sky. Just unbelievable. I was there when Taveras literally made it rain with a HR in his debut in STL. He was electrifying. So sad to have to mourn another player lost. #RIPOT18 #Kile #Hancock
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Mang Ts & Ps, St Louis…
Crazy thing is if the Cardinals would have beaten the Giants, Oscar would be in the World Series, and still alive.
Go Royals!!
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I went to school in Springfield where Oscar played at AA. One night in a bar I went up to him and told him I believed he would one day when the batting title.
I’m so crushed. For his family and friends, obviously, but also for all baseball fans because we will miss out on a true talent. And we will never see if he wins a batting title.
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I can’t believe Oscar is dead, I just saw him go deep 2 weeks ago, it’s gonna. Be tough getting over this one… My thoughts and prayers are with he and his girlfriend’s families and the cardinals origination. What a tragedy losing such a talented player, and a great guy.
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Oscar and Stan the Man make for a dynamic duo in Heavens line-up. We’ll always wonder what could have been.
RIP El Fenomeno
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I’ll never forget when I was in the green seats and he was the last one in the dugout after the game walking with his head down and I screamed oscar! And waved and he looked at me and when into the tunnel. Then he came back out 2 seconds later and did this exact same thing to me. It was so cool. My favorite player since
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I bleed cardinal red and blue, so I always keep a close eye on our young prospects. Been following OT since he was 18 in 2010 and man… Just what could’ve been. And what’s gonna be left unanswered. Just glad I can say I got to see the legend play live in Miami this year. Forever in our hearts, OT. Cardinal nation.
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Oscar was my favorite baseball player. I had traveled to see him in Quad Cities and another in Des Moines earlier this year. I loved his swing, I loved his domination of the minors and was looking forward to what he could do in the majors. I am so glad he had the opportunity to play in the majors this year and show the glimpse of his future potential.
Oscar, you will be missed, I can’t even put in to words how crushing this is, it feels like I lost a family member.
RIP Oscar
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My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the Taveras family. He will be missed throughout all of baseball.
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Very very sad right now. Lives taken way too soon. We will miss you Oscar.
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I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras I was looking forward to seeing him play in 2015 and beyond and see his career develop. I enjoyed watching him play that great swing and that great smile. My condolences to his and his girlfriends families on their loss. I will always remember him. My deepest condolences to the Cardinal organization and all the players and everyone in the organization. He will be missed by all.
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I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras I was looking forward to seeing him play in 2015 and beyond and see his career develop. I enjoyed watching him play that great swing and that great smile. My condolences to his and his girlfriends families on their loss. I will always remember him. RIP
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I truly believe he would have been the STL Cards newest “superstar.” So so sad and so young. Our deepest sympathy to Oscar’s and his girlfriend’s families. He will truly be missed in St. Louis. We had just gotten to know him and he had just become part of the St. Louis Cardinal family. Life is not fair. 😦
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So sad; so young. He had so much promise, and did give Cardinal Nation some real thrills. Sincere condolences to Oscar’s family. RIP OT.
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I can’t even begin to express how shocked, hurt and devastated I am about this news. Let’s see if I can explain . I’m a longtime baseball fan, cardinals fan since I was a kid. I got super interested in minor league baseball 3 years ago. The first minor league game i attended was to see the Springfield cardinals play the Arkansas travelers as a birthday present. I had been reading about the cards farm system for a while, and was excited to see their young talent. I was very aware of one oscar taveras who had the highest batting average in forty years the year before in the Midwest league. Well, my luck, he didn’t start the game that night, but in the ninth with Springfield losing and the bases loaded , they brought him in to pinch hit. Oscar smacked a two run double, but the next batter grounded out to end the game. It was still magical, as I think Oscar heard me yelling his name while he was in the on deck circle, as it made me so happy to see him at last hit once. After the game, I yelled to him asking for a signature, and he waved me towards the third base line where he shook my hand and signed a score card. He was really a nice guy. Sometimes, you don’t know what to expect from players, but I was amazed at his big smile and niceness. He really made my day that night on my birthday. That wasn’t the last I saw of him though. We went to tulsa that year for the AA all star game, and watched him win the mvp of the game. You have to remember, towards the beginning of 2012 , alot of people still didn’t know of him yet. He started the year ranked in the 80s in baseball America’s top 100 , but by the end of the year had jumped considerably to the top 3. I still remember one night waiting after a game for him to sign as he walked to the locker room, my gf and I were the last two there. He stopped and signed all we had for him and even told us to have a good night. I was just blown away by the fact he took time to not only sign multiple items when he was the last player to the locker room ( and many other great player prospects dont sign much), but to be thoughtful enough to tell us to have a good night. You have to understand that most players aren’t very talkative or sometimes even that nice. Oscar was such a gem. Being I’m a cardinals fan, he was their best prospect and this was my first taste of not only minor league ball, but getting autographs and being so close to the players, it made this engraved memory that can never be topped. I felt like I was there to see him grow as a player and a man. That I was part of that journey. That this was the first, my introduction, that would always be the best experience for me in my new love of minor league ball. It felt like more than rooting for a prospect from your favorite team. It was rooting for someone who you talked to and were invested in emotionally, hoping they could reach their potential and see the show some day. Because of this, Oscar was my favorite. I wanted him to do well so much in the majors. He really deserved it. I’m only writing my experiences as a way to cope, and offer sympathy to others who are as hurt as me. My condolences go out to his family, friends and anyone who had the honor of knowing him. You will be missed, but not forgotten. R.I.P.
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Would have been one of the greats. Our deepest sympathies to his family and that of his girlfriend’s family.
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The St. Louis Cardinals and Cardinals Nation have lost a very bright and talented star that had a very good future and baseball career ahead of him.He had already shown us so much talent.It is not fair that he was taken from this earth so soon and young.Oscar was such a gift to baseball.I am a lifelong diehard loyal Cardinals fan and the Cardinals players are like family to me and I love them if they win and I love them if they lose. I am very sad about Oscar’s death. I send my sympathy to the family and friends of Oscar and his girlfriend and also to Mike Matheny , the players , the whole Cardinals organization , and to Cardinals Nation . Oscar gave us special memories and some spectacular moments that we will never forget. God bless you and rest in peace Oscar .
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On behalf of my fellow Mid-Atlantic baseball fans who follow both the Nationals & Orioles, I want to offer my heartfelt prayers & emotions to the families, friends, team-mates & fans of Oscar Tavares & his girlfriend, Stay strong Cardinals Nation & may God’s love be with all of you at this time of profound grief.
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Please forgive me for not mentioning his girlfriend.
My sadness goes out to her friends/family equally.
A sad day for some of us, a happy day for others………
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As a Cardinals fan living in Hawaii watching our
own boys grow, it saddens all of us out here.
Things happen of which none of us have any
control, we’re glad young Oscar Tavares worked
hard enough to get into the majors and make
an impact so soon.
We look at him as “their” Kolten Wong, and we
love all of them for it. (Dominican)
So very sad
RIP Oscar Tavares
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I was there for Oscars first game and his last at busch stadium. There was a certain electric feeling in the air when he came up to bat, like you knew something special was gonna happen. And in that first home game May 21st I was able to witness his first game winning Homerun and then again in game 2 of the NLCS his pinch hit tying homer in the 7th. Being a fellow 22 year old, it makes you put life in perspective. The hard part is losing such a young human being, and never knowing what he was going to accomplish. #ripOscar #OT18
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I have been really upset over this horrible news about Oscar. I had the privilege to meet Oscar this year when the Memphis Redbirds opened the minor league season in Des Moines, Iowa against the Iowa Cubs. I was a huge fan of Oscar prior to my meeting and an even bigger fan afterwards. I was so excited to see him overcome his ankle issues and make it to St. Louis this year to contribute to the big club. It is just so hard to grasp that he was finally getting an opportunity to showcase his talents on the biggest level and yet is is gone in an instance. I can only imagine how difficult this news this must be everybody that Oscar has impacted along the way. I am very grateful for the moments I spent with him getting my 8×10 photo of him signed. Heads high Cardinal nation Oscar will always be there in spirit.
R.I.P – Oscar
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Oscar Taveras was on pace to become one of the premier hitters in the game, to be mentioned in the same breath as Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols. His death came too sudden and far too soon. Today, the whole world mourns for Taveras’ family. 26/10/2014 will always be a significant and tragic day in my heart.
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Another tragic loss of a young player. Prayers are with the entire Taveras family, and the StLCardinals nation! #SeaofRed equals #SeaofSorrow
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My deepest condolences to the family friends and the cardinals organization. Being a life time cincinnati reds fan I grew up hating the cardinals! But this guy played with a passion and love for the game that I love so much it was actually a joy to see a kid so young not play for the money but you play for the love of the game and I can respect that being a baseball lover myself. He was taken from the baseball family way too young. Rest in peace oscar Tavaras you deserve it just for the way you respected our game! Hope there are more of you out there! Sad day f
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Oscar was a special young player. He had so much potential, I believed in the next few years it was about to be realized. He really was a terror in the minors obviously, he would have been the same in the Majors with experience behind him. Baseball, St. Louis, and any decent baseball fan will miss Oscar, his time was too short. I am sure the Cardinals will pay him a special homage to him this year and for many years to come, well deserved.
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Oscar provided Cardinals nation with a promising buzz for the future of the franchise. His electric bat speed, the way the ball flew off his bat, and potential as a base thief. He drew comparisons to Vladmir Guerrero and hope for our future when Albert left. I am grateful for the promise he showed us and disappointed that we won’t see his full potential for this great franchise and for the game of baseball. May you be greeted by Stan and rest in peace.
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I cannot believe this sad news, my partner and I were in St. Louis on holiday from the UK and were at the game when he hit his first big league homer! Amazing!
RIP Oscar, gone but will never be forgotten.
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When this was announced on the TV during WS game 5, I let out a shocking sound. I watched him play with the fantastic AAA Memphis Redbirds and was looking forward to seeing him develop his career with the Cardinals…HIs smile was a winner as well. My condolences to the Cardinal family and his family and friends in his home country. The last time I felt like this was when I learned of the plane crash that took the life of Thurman Munson who was another fantastic player. Gone but not forgotten to play in the big league in the sky…
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At a complete loss for words.. Thank you Oscar
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Condolences to our Cardinal team and family. Stay strong and positive memories about Oscar T. And the Times you shared together. R.I.P. GOD BLESS EVERYONE.
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Shocking and terrible news, my friend called me and asked if I had heard about Oscar. My first thought was oh no we traded him away. Unfortunately, the news was worse, he was gone forever. My heart sank. This was a player I have followed as a fan since 2011.
Watching his rise through the minor league ranks, checking his stats daily, dominating every level he was at. Finally he got called up, I couldn’t have been more excited. I will always remember his MLB debut against the Giants in the rain, all the pressure of his phenom status on his shoulders and Oscar hitting a absolute bomb over the right field wall with that beautiful swing and getting his first Cardinal curtain call. I thought to myself this is the first of many “Oscar” moments for him and Cardinal Nation.
Unfortunately, the legend was cut short. Rest in peace Oscar, you were a joy to watch. Thanks for the memories.
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Always saddened when someone passes away. He was a member of our Cardinal family. Thanks for sharing your young life with us. We will remember you and miss you. Thoughts to your family and friends. Thoughts and sympathy to your girlfriends family.
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Oscar hitting a homerun in his major league debut in the rain is a memory I’ll never forget. Unfortunately, we were cheated out of all the memories I’m sure this future super star would have produced and worst of all two young lives were cut way too short. Gone much too soon. My heart goes out to his friends, family and team mates. He will be missed.
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I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of young Oscar Tavares. He had such a bright future ahead of him. It is always especially hard when one so young is taken from us but we can be comforted by the fact that he is happy at home with our Heavenly Father and will be in our hearts forever. My deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of Oscar and his girlfriend.
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Growing up a die-hard Cardinals fan, watching every game and keeping track of all prospects and I keep hearing about OF Oscar Taveras. Like every other Cardinals fan, I fell in love with him, raving about him to all my friends and family, so much that they could sick of me talking about him. I just started counting the days until, as Jim Hayes called it, Oscarfest. Finally when I heard the news that he would be called up, there was nothing else for me to do but buy tickets in RF and watch the much anticipated debut of Oscar. Found first row tickets in RF, made a 4 hour drive just to see “Oscarfest”. Oscar surely didn’t disappoint. Here I am, a 21 year old guy, watery eyed and yelling following the majestic homer he hit that day. Even when he was struggling, I just knew “man, when he figures it out, when it clicks, when the light bulb flicks on, it’s going to be fun”. Even when he was struggling, I didn’t care, I was going to watch his ABs at all cost. My condolences to everyone this affected, his family, friends, teammates, Edilia Arvelo family and friends and Cardinal Nation. Thank you, Oscar.
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As a die hard Astros fan and therefore a respectful admirer of the mighty St Louis Cardinals I send my condolences to the loved ones of Oscar Taveras, his partners family and the wider family of the Cardinals.
Swing for the stars Oscar, you will be missed.
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Rest in Peace to Oscar and his girlfriend Edilia. My thoughts and prayers go out to their families, friends and teamates. It is so hard to lose someone with such promise so young and sad that he and his girlfriend will not be able to fulfill their dreams.
From a concerned and respectful lifelong San Francisco Giants Fan.
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I remember the day he came up. I told my husband, “He better be good. We need some offense.” Then Taveras hit his HR. One could tell this rookie would become very special to the Cardinals and Cardinals Nation. He has. He played his way into our hearts during the season and post season and now he remains as our hearts are breaking and making a place for him forever. My prayers for his family and that of Edilia Arvelo as well as for his teammates, friends and our Cardinals Nation. May God heal hearts and give His peace and comfort.
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Rest in Peace, Oscar. A truly sad day for Cardinals Nation – a player who had such promise, hopes and dreams. My condolences to his family, teammates, and close friends.
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Gone way too soon! Gonna miss you Oscar was looking forward to the bright career you had ahead of you. RIH
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So sad. To think of what he could have become. Thoughts and prayers to the families and to the Redbird organization..
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Guy had the best swing ever. RIP
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Always thought he was a great kid, but also a superstar. Really hurt for his family. Rest in peace, superstar.
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