A college football player died this week after being struck by a semitruck in a wrong-way crash in Missouri, according to reports and law enforcement. 

The Culver-Stockton College community was mourning the death of 18-year-old Antoni Wrobel, a freshman quarterback for the Wildcats, after he died late Tuesday night in a wrong-way crash in Lewis County. 

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Freshman QB Tony Wrobel,” the school said in a statement on social media. 

“He was a unique and outgoing spirit who had a passionate love for his teammates, football, and life itself. Please keep his family, teammates, and our community in your thoughts and prayers at this time.”

Citing a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, KDSK reported that Wrobel was driving southbound in the northbound lane of U.S. 61 at around 11:30 p.m. when he struck a semitruck driven by  a 35-year-old. 

ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER, 14, DIED FROM HEART CONDITION, AUTOPSY REVEALS

Wrobel was pronounced dead at the crash site, according to the crash report. It was not immediately clear why he was on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash. Police could not immediately be reached for comment. 

Wrobel, who appears to go by the name Tony, committed to Culver-Stockton in February. He previously played for the Warsaw Eagles, an American football team that plays in the Polish Football League.

Wrobel committed to Culver-Stockton College in February  (David Madison/Getty Images)

The team also shared a message on Instagram after Wrobel’s death. 

“This wasn’t how your American adventure was supposed to end. It lasted too short,” a translation of the statement said. 

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Twelve years later, the chants hadn’t changed.

Back in 2012, Luis Cruz became a cult hero around Dodger Stadium. He arrived as an under-the-radar journeyman, a Mexican-born utility player signed to a minor league contract in the 2011 offseason. Then he emerged as an unexpected fan favorite on the Dodgers’ second-place 2012 team, batting .297 with 20 doubles, 40 RBIs and a signature reception from the crowd whenever he came to the plate.

“Cruuuuuz!”

Three months ago, Cruz heard those chants again.

Though he never replicated the highs of his 2012 season, and was out of both the Dodgers organization and the major leagues entirely by the end of 2013, Cruz has remained a beloved figure at Chavez Ravine over the decade since.

So much so that, when he was one of several dozen former Dodgers welcomed back for the club’s player alumni weekend in August, it was the 40-year-old who played just 123 total games for the team that received one of the louder ovations, with pockets of the crowd chanting “Cruuuuz!” as if he’d never left.

“I was like, ‘Wow, this is unbelievable,’” Cruz said. “Because they still remembered. I played there in 2012. It’s been 12 years. But they made me feel welcome. The true Dodger fans, they remember everything.”

This week, the Dodgers officially welcomed Cruz back as a member of the organization, hiring him as a color analyst for the team’s Spanish-language radio broadcasts alongside Pepe Yñiguez and José Mota.

“The level of excitement these couple days have been really, really high,” Cruz said in a phone interview Thursday from Mexico, where he was finishing his playing career in his native country’s winter baseball league. “Like in 2012, [the Dodgers have] embraced me and made me feel welcome. As soon as they announced it, the first call I got was Pepe and José welcoming me to the team.”

The social media response blew Cruz away, too.

“My Instagram was crazy,” Cruz said with a laugh. “A lot of fans saying ‘Cruuuz, welcome back!’ It was so many messages that I’m like, ‘Wow, it’s been 12 years.’ But those are true fans.”

Cruz’s arrival with the Dodgers as a player in 2012 was memorable, setting the stage for the best run of Cruz’s extended professional career (which included a four-season stint in Japan from 2014 to 2017, then seven seasons in Mexico’s winter league since).

After being called up in early July that season, Cruz quickly became the Dodgers’ everyday third baseman. In 73 starts, he collected two or more hits 23 times. On a team that remained in the playoff hunt until the season’s final weeks, only Matt Kemp posted a higher batting average.

“For me, it was like a dream come true,” Cruz said. “Being Mexican, and going to the States, and making it to the big leagues and getting to the Dodgers, it’s a big deal … When I got the chance to play in Los Angeles, that’s when I really felt like I was in the big leagues. It was my shot.”

One of Cruz’s most important mentors that year: late Dodgers pitching great, and then Spanish-language broadcaster, Fernando Valenzuela.

Long before Cruz got to Los Angeles, he had family connections with the Dodgers icon. Cruz is from Navojoa, Mexico, where Valenzuela first began his professional career in the late ‘70s. Cruz’s father played with Valenzuela back in those days, becoming such good friends with the left-handed pitcher that Valenzuela would occasionally join the Cruz family for meals at their home. Cruz himself had been double-A teammates with Valenzuela’s son in the San Diego Padres system in 2006.

So, when Cruz showed up in the Dodgers clubhouse in 2012, Valenzuela became one of his biggest backers, offering him daily doses of encouragement and support.

“He was a big part for me in 2012,” Cruz said. “We always talked about: ‘Hey, stay concentrated. Just pretend like you’re playing in Navojoa. Pretend like you’re playing in the backyard. Just relax.’”

Cruz will try to take the same mindset into the beginning of his broadcasting career, joining a Spanish-language booth still reeling from Valenzuela’s death last month.

“Fernando was Fernando, and I’m not trying to take anybody’s place,” Cruz said. “He’s always gonna be remembered as one of the greatest pitchers for the Dodgers. And for me, I’m just trying to do my job and learn … I know it’s big shoes to fill. But I’m just looking for an opportunity for me to do my best.”

In Los Angeles, he’ll do so with a fan base that never forgot Cruz’s 2012 contributions, welcoming him back to the Dodgers with open arms and throwback chants.

“Maybe they were little kids [back in 2012], or maybe they were young guys and now they’re older like me,” Cruz said. “And they just — I don’t know — made me feel really good, welcoming me that way.”

The Tampa Bay Rays, for the first time in their history, will actually play their home games in Tampa. The team’s home slate will take place at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees.

Tropicana Field, the Rays’ home facility, was “significantly damaged” during Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, with the roof being ripped off. The Rays selected Steinbrenner Field because it was the “best-prepared facility in the Tampa Bay region,” according to a news release.

“We deeply appreciate that the Yankees have graciously allowed us to play at Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 season,’’ Rays owner Stu Sternberg said in the statement. “The hurricane damage to Tropicana Field has forced us to take some extraordinary steps.”

“We are happy to extend our hand to the Rays and their fans by providing a major-league quality facility for them to utilize this season,’’ Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. “… We understand how meaningful it is for Rays players, employees and fans to have their 2025 home games take place within 30 minutes of Tropicana Field.”

There has been no determination yet as to how the change will impact the Tampa Tarpons, the Yankees’ Single-A affiliate and Steinbrenner Field’s normal regular-season occupant.

The Rays also talked extensively to the Philadelphia Phillies about using the Phillies’ spring training complex in nearby Clearwater, which offered advantages because it’s also located in Pinellas County. However, the Rays opted for Tampa for several reasons. One is that Steinbrenner Field seats upward of 2,000 more fans, which could translate into significantly more revenue over 81 games.

Another is that the Yankees’ facility was viewed by the club as having facilities – particularly in and around the clubhouse – that are more suitable to housing a major league team over six months, as opposed to six weeks.

A third is that ultimately, the Rays preferred the central location offered by a stadium in Tampa, as opposed to Clearwater, which is a longer drive for much of their fan base.

A damage assessment report released earlier this week estimated that Tropicana Field would not be ready before 2026, and would cost around $55.7 million in repairs. It is possible much of the damage could have been avoided if the team had replaced its roof in the years prior.

With the team hoping to move into a new St. Petersburg venue in 2028, it is unclear what the long-term plan for the Rays will be beyond 2025. Steinbrenner Field has a capacity of 11,000 and notably does not have a roof given the rainy weather typical for the region throughout the summer. It has, however, recently undergone renovations to expand clubhouse space, improve the lighting and upgrade the facilities writ large.

The Rays will be the second MLB team playing in a minor-league stadium in 2025, with the Athletics planning to spend the next three seasons at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif., ahead of their move to Las Vegas in 2028.

The Rays and league prioritized playing the team’s home games in the region, rather than moving to a larger or domed facility. It’s also not the first time regular-season games will be played at a Tampa-area spring training site. The Toronto Blue Jays opened the 2021 season with home games at their spring training site in Dunedin.

“Given the significant challenges caused by Hurricane Milton, I appreciate the hard work and collaboration between the two teams,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in the release. “This outcome meets Major League Baseball’s goals that Rays’ fans will see their team play next season in their home market and that their players can remain home without disruption to their families.”

Additional reporting by Chris Kirschner.
(Top photo of Steinbrenner Field in 2017: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)