Michael Curtis Darr (March 21, 1976 – February 15, 2002) was a Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played from 1999 through 2001 for the San Diego Padres. He was the son of Mike Darr, Sr., who pitched in one game for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977. Darr batted left-handed but threw right-handed. Born and raised in Corona, California, Darr was a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers out of high school in 1994. Traded to the San Diego Padres before the 1997 season, he made his MLB debut with the team in 1999. After playing 58 games with the Padres in 2000, Darr was named the team's Opening Day right fielder in 2001, serving as the everyday player at that position until August. During 2002 spring training, Darr and a passenger were killed in a single-car accident in Peoria, Arizona. Darr, the driver, had a blood alcohol content over the legal limit and was not wearing a seat belt. He was buried at the Crestlawn Memorial Park in Riverside, California; the Padres wore a black patch with the number 26 on it on their uniforms for the rest of the 2002 season in tribute. Early life Michael Curtis Darr was born on March 21, 1976, in Corona, California, to parents Mike Sr. and Debbie. His father pitched in one game for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977. Darr also had a younger brother named Ryan who would be drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1996 and play minor league baseball for five years. Growing up, Darr was good friends with Darrin Chiaverini, a future National Football League player and coach, and with Duane Johnson, the son of UCLA assistant football coach Don Johnson. At Corona High School, Darr played on the baseball team and earned All-California Interscholastic Federation honors. However, during his time in high school, Darr also began to struggle with substance abuse. He went to live with the Johnson family, and Duane's father took Darr to counseling, which helped him overcome his drug addiction. Darr graduated from high school in 1994 and married his high school sweetheart, Natalie. Detroit Tigers organization (1994–96) In 1994, Darr was a second-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers. He began his professional career with the Bristol Tigers of the rookie-level Appalachian League, batting .275 with 23 runs scored, 41 hits, 1 home run, and 18 runs batted in