THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Former San Francisco Giants shortstop Jose Uribe was killed early yesterday in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic.
The Dominican National Police said the 47-year-old Uribe's sport utility vehicle crashed about 3 a.m. on a highway about 30miles west of the capital, Santo Domingo. Police said the cause of the crash was under investigation.
Uribe owned a hardware store and other businesses in his hometown of Juan Baron in recent years, and ran unsuccessfully for mayor earlier this year.
Police said he was driving to his hometown, in San Cristobal province, at the time of the crash. Uribe played in the major leagues from 1984-93, mostly with the Giants. He began his career with one season in St. Louis, and ended it with one in Houston. He had a career batting average of .241 and a fielding percentage of .969. Uribe's death prompted an outpouring of grief in his hometown, where Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero led thousands of mourners through the streets. Guerrero blasted music out of a van as the group marched from the Uribe family home to the town's baseball field. Among the mourners was Chicago White Sox shortstop Juan Uribe, a second cousin of Jose Uribe from the same town.
