I know boxers are occasionally killed inside the ring. Football players have been severely injured, and some have even died on the field of play.
Sports deaths happen.
But they seem to happen most often in auto racing, a sport I do not pretend to understand but one I do respect. I realize the millions and millions of people who fill up these huge racing venues week after week cannot all be wrong. The appeal of the sport is undeniable. However, when another driver dies, especially a driver as revered as Dale Earnhardt, I question whether racing automobiles around an oval track at speeds approaching 190 mph is sane. I spoke about Earnhardt, who was killed during the final lap of Sunday's Daytona 500 after smashing into a retaining wall, with three race fans Sunday night.