UPDATE: LU professor struck by baseball before collapsing

Updated 12:13 p.m. April 29, 2009:

Liberty University Professor Jeff Taylor Sr. was struck with a baseball before collapsing on Lynchburg College’s Fox Field Tuesday afternoon, according to an e-mail sent to LC faculty, staff and students this morning.

“Jeff Taylor Sr. was pitching when a line drive struck him in the lower jaw or neck,” states the e-mail from John G. Eccles, vice president and dean for student development. “Mr. Taylor fell down, indicated he was okay, but then collapsed.”

The 44-year-old professor was at Fox Field around 3:30 p.m. with five members of LC’s baseball team, including his son, Jeff Taylor Jr.

Two members were playing catch in the outfield, one was hitting the balls that Taylor Sr. pitched, one was fielding and another was standing to the side.

The college’s EMS squad was the first on the scene, Eccles said, and emergency crews administered to the unresponsive Taylor Sr.

Lynchburg emergency crews transported him to Lynchburg General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“Lynchburg College sends its deepest condolences to the Taylor family in the wake of this accident,” the e-mail said, adding that counseling is available to the LC community.

Jerry Falwell Jr., chancellor of Liberty University, told students at LU’s convocation service this morning that the school had lost a “great professor.”

“We just need to remember that family in our prayers,” he said.

--Christa Desrets

Earlier:

A Liberty University professor died in an accident at a Lynchburg College athletic field Tuesday afternoon, according to Liberty Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr.

Officials with Lynchburg College did not release the victim’s name, but Falwell confirmed that Jeff Taylor, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, died in the accident.

Taylor is the father of Jeff Taylor, a utility player on Lynchburg College’s baseball team.

John Eccles, LC’s vice president and dean for student development, released a statement Tuesday night that confirmed the accident happened at Fox Field, the field used by the men’s baseball team.

“The entire campus community joins me in extending our deepest sympathy to the family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time,” Eccles’ statement said. “We are unable to make a further statement out of respect for the family.”

Falwell said he heard about the accident via a phone call from Lynchburg College President Kenneth Garren, who was at the hospital with Taylor’s family.

Falwell could not confirm any details of the accident.

He said the elder Taylor was well loved on campus.

“I’ve gotten some e-mails from students who say that he was an excellent professor,” Falwell said, “and I had several students tell me how he had been the one that influenced them to choose the career that they had chosen.”

Falwell said Taylor was also the sponsor for the student club known as the “LUnatics,” a group known for their enthusiasm at college sporting events.

“Our prayers go out to the family, the whole Liberty community,” Falwell said.

“He’ll be greatly missed. It’s a sad day.”

Lynchburg emergency officials would not comment on the incident and referred inquiries to Lynchburg College. Shannon Brennan, the school’s director of media relations, declined to provide any more details, including how the accident took place.

--Dave Thompson