The Strange Death of Len Koenecke

[Buythatcard]

I just came across this article about Len Koenecke.

After being sent home from a road trip, Koenecke caught a commercial flight for New York City. During the flight, he drank a quart of whiskey and became very drunk. After Koenecke had harassed other passengers and struck a stewardess, the pilot had to sit on him to restrain him as he was shackled to his seat. He was removed unconscious from the flight in Detroit. After sleeping on a chair in the airport, he chartered a flight to Toronto in the hopes of rejoining the Bisons. While flying over Canada, he had a disagreement with the pilot and a passenger, and attempted to take control of the aircraft.

In order to avoid a crash, Koenecke was hit over the head with a fire extinguisher by both the pilot, who had left his controls, and the other passenger. After an emergency landing at Long Branch Racetrack in Toronto, it was found that Koenecke had died of a cerebral hemorrhage. The two men were charged with manslaughter but were found not liable by a coroner's jury soon after.

If he didn't die so young, he might have had a decent career.


There appears to be only 1 card of him. It was the 1932 NY Giants Schedule Postcard