Steven Scott Bechler was an American professional baseball player. A pitcher, Bechler played in Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles. After starring for the South Medford High School baseball team, the Orioles selected Bechler in the third round of the 1998 MLB Draft. Following five seasons in Minor League Baseball, Bechler made his major league debut with the Orioles in 2002. Attending spring training in 2003, he died of heat stroke while participating in conditioning drills. A medical examiner found that Bechler's use of ephedra as a weight-loss supplement contributed to his death. Following this revelation, the Food and Drug Administration opened an inquiry, which resulted in the banning of ephedra products in the United States. [More at Wikipedia]

November 18th, 1979 in Medford  /  Died:   Feb 17th, 2003