Terrible, terrible, terrible news.  Mick's passion, energy and quirky humour was an integral part to this site and it's an awful feeling to know that he's gone.

This is very sad. Mick's unique voice will be missed.

very sad indeed. it was just the other day i was thinking that there hadn't been a hall of names entry in a while. my condolences to all those affected by mick's passing.

Awful news. It was unusual to have a Texas resident, and Yankee fan, active on Da Box but Mick fit right in. Mick would always write a Yankee preview back when we used to do team by team previews and he was generally optimistic, until 2011. Mick could give the outsiders perspective to us Blue Jay fans.

I am not sure how Mick ended up here, possibly because of getting to know coach on rec.sports.baseball.

My condolences to his family. I too had noticed Mick had been missing here recently, now we know the sad reason.

In my mind, Mick was the go-to authority on any dumb Texas-related point I might have in mind, like "It's really hot there, right?" Naturally, I regarded him as the ultimate arbiter of "True Yankee-dom", whenever such judgements were called for. And someone to tease and mock whenever the evil empire seemed to be losing its way.

Just way, way, way too young for this.

Very sad news. I started posting on this site not long after it started up. Roster members have come and gone during that time, but Mick was the one constant. The Cabal will never be the same. Rest in peace, Mick.

Very sad news. Not long after I found this wonderful site I ran across a hall of names post. Now I had found something right up my alley. Someone else with a passion for names. For years I eagerly awaited the next one. I almost always tried to contribute and once or twice had my idea for a hall of names used. The last few years they didn't happen very often and now they are but a very fond memory. I'm feeling sad tonight.
R.I.P. Mick. We all miss you!

My condolences to Mick, his family and friends. I gave Mick a hard time about being a Yankees fan but he took it in stride. He didn't hold it against me because he added me on LinkedIn.

My favourite story of Mick involved me writing a roster e-mail not that long ago saying "Merry Christmas everyone, even you, Mick!" He wrote back to me saying "Next year, you will write Merry Christmas everyone, especially you Mick". I will miss that sense of humour.

It won't be the same without him here. Rest in peace, Mick!

Mick was always one of my favourites here.  He is the one who formally invited me to be a roster member and his compliments back then really meant a lot to me.  Funny to see he was less than 3 years older than me... price of getting older is seeing people you care about start to pass away although I always thought it would take longer than this.  His last comment mentioned he wouldn't talk about the Rangers anymore...who knew how accurate that sadly would be.  A great writer with a good sense of humour, a shame I didn't get to know him 'in real life'.

Btw, if anyone knows if his family wants donations to a certain charity please post it as I'm sure a few of us would donate in his memory.

Very sorry to hear about this, especially at his young age. His humor and wit were always a highlight of this site.

I'm very sorry to read of Mick's passing. I've always enjoyed his posts and threads. He will be missed for sure.

I am so terribly shocked and saddened. To echo some of Gerry's thoughts, Mick was an unlikely roster member at Batter's Box but he was always indispensable around here.

I was a roster member in the early- to mid-2000s and let me tell you, Mick had big -- BIG -- plans for Batter's Box. The proliferation of other sites and the rise of social media set things on a different trajectory, but Mick's persona was that combination of "starry-eyed optimist," "enthusiastic dreamer" and 'unpretentious open book" that made him simply impossible not to like.

Offline roster discussions could get heated, either at each other or at something that bugged all of us. Mick was the voice of calm and of humour. He was a consummate team player, encouraging and spirited. He was also so damn prolific in his e-mails and Batter's Box comments that I felt I got to know him well, despite never meeting him face-to-face.

This is such sad and unfair news. I hope his friends and family stumble across Thomas's article and these comments so they know that their Mick meant something to this little corner of the internet.

That is much too young to go. He will be missed.

I've been around here for about ten years and have had the privilege of enjoying Mick's topics and comments. I couldn't believe my eyes when I logged in just now, very sad news.

Personally, I will miss Mick and his creations here at DaBox. He showed a singular pursuit of what interested him - often he'd write quite extensively on whatever fancy his agile mind would be following at that moment. Unusually for a Yankee fan he showed a human side most of us thought Yankee fan were devoid of.

I already miss him - but - as long as I'm around (and my mind is still functioning with even a modicum of efficiency) he will not be forgotten. He will continue to live on this earth - at the very least in my thoughts - as long as I continue.

Mick - I shall make a toast to you this evening with my nightly wee dram (single malt of course). To Mick, the world's loss - eternity's gain.

Mick undoubtedly found a home at BB. We all share an interest in baseball, but I always thought that a deeper interest in words, language and articulately sharing ideas imbued Mick's ontology. Condolences to family and friends.

Terrible news. Hard to imagine that something like this happens to someone so young.

Here's a link to his obituary: http://www.sent-trib.com/obituaries/michael-mick-doherty-jr

Heartfelt condolences to Mick’s loved ones. Many of us who never actually met him are saddened; it is difficult to imagine their loss.

Mick was my “colleague” on ESPN.com back in 2001 as the Yankees and Blue Jays fantasy correspondents. Scott Lucas covered the Rangers and I was delighted when both added their voices to Batter’s Box, long before anyone thought of calling us a Roster. Mick’s initial skepticism about my relationship with a certain Yankees owner and GM turned to good-natured ribbing in one of his very first posts on DaBox, as he dubbed it. Despite occasional squabbles about things like Roy Halladay’s greatness, our shared love of baseball and language forged a long-distance friendship.

Such a shame. Mick was a genuinely good man and a wonderful writer, gone much too soon.

I am saddened and shocked to hear this.  My condolences to his family.

Mick was to all of us here light-hearted and maybe a little sentimental.  He was also a fine writer.  I appreciated all of these qualities, and though I only spoke with him on the telephone once, I will miss him. 

Truly sad news. While I didn't know Mick the way many of you did, I have very much enjoyed reading his contributions here over the last ten years. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Things just won't be the same around here without him.

My condolences to Mick's family & friends - he was a unique voice at Da Box & will be missed - He was so young!

I am sorry to hear of Mick's passing. I never met him in person, but I got to know his writing through Da Box. We eventually became Facebook friends; every now and again, he offered up some good-natured ribbing when his Yankees did well, especially at the expense of the Blue Jays. It's what baseball fans do, and that's what he was. He was also a writer, and a good one.

He brought a lot to this site, and he will be missed. (I can't imagine what his parents are going through - the Sentinel-Tribune article states that they have now buried two of their children. Life can be so cruel.)

Just sad, awful news. Back in my lurker days on Battersbox I always enjoyed every new Hall of Names that would come out. I used to wonder how Mick never quite ran out of ideas for it because he wrote so many of them over the years. Just a remarkably prolific, creative writer. His good natured humour (and love for the Yankees) will sorely be missed around here. My condolences to his friends and family.

I too am terribly saddened at this news.  While I only knew Mick from his postings, his humour, good nature and intelligence were obvious.  Peace, love and respect to his friends and family. 

Sad news. He will be missed. It would be great if all the Hall of Names posts could be collected in one set of links somewhere...

Dave, I saw that too. Cannot imagine how hard that must be. My sister died not that long ago (2 1/2 years...hard to believe it has been that long) and my Dad was saying something to the effect of how he couldn't handle it a second time, implying to take care of my health.  Mick being under 50 and his sibling who passed must've been young as well. Just too much pain for a family. Hopefully since it wasn't a totally unexpected situation (ie: they had time to say goodbye) helped a bit but it is just terrible.

Btw, interesting that the box was mentioned in the obituary. I never expected to see that.

All the Hall of Names are available via http://www.battersbox.ca/index.php?topic=hallofnames which is a permanent link on the left side of the side.

Wow, quite a shock. Condolences to friend and family. I can't say I knew Mick outside of his posts here, but it's always sad to lose a fan, and an intelligent and gentle one at that. Definitely not the stereo-typical Yankees fan. RIP, Mick.

As someone who has regularly visited this site over the past 10 years I also must express my shock and sadness regarding Mick's untimely passing. Perhaps this is a opportune time to express my thanks to the many who write and comment on the site. We may not know each other in person, but even for us lurkers it feels like a community.

Could I humbly suggest that in Mick's honour a "Mick" Hall of Names entry be posted?

Very sad news.  Thoughts and prayers to his family. 

Mick was always incredibly friendly and welcoming. I have nothing but the highest regards and fondest memories of him despite having only read his written words. What a treat he must have been to talk ball with. My condolences to his family.

Could I humbly suggest that in Mick's honour a "Mick" Hall of Names entry be posted?

Mick's handle was "mickwrites".  In his memory, I am working on a "Wright" Hall of Names.  I don't know yet whether it ought to be called "The Wright Stuff",  "Bats Wright, Throws Wright", or "The Kids are All Wright".  I am leaning to the second one. 

Wonderful guy, pal & buddy. I too will toast you Mick.

Just awful.  Requiescat in pace.

Terrible news. His contributions and personality will be missed.

Horrible news. My condolences to his family. I enjoyed Mick's contributions to the box tremendously.

Aw, crap. Peace to Mick and Mick's family. He is missed.

Here, Mick turned an off-hand comment by me into a fun article. Admirable creativity.

http://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20040809015040999

This is not about Mick; it’s about this thread, and others like it -- as for example, the one when John Cerutti died.  There was an outpouring of sentiment for him on Da Box that made me, at least, queasy.  Almost no one posting had actually met Cerutti.  Yet they spoke as if he was an old “friend”, with whom they were on personal--even intimate--terms.   It was reminiscent of the lamentations over Lady Di when she was killed.  Strange behaviour to one of my generation, for whom personal grief was private, except when expressed in the usual formal ways, of course.   The boundaries between the public and the personal have really shifted, however.  Facebook and its attendant values now rule, it seems.  Intimacy lite.

The article below discusses the interesting matter of how we now express loss.  Many bauxites might enjoy it. 

Spring 2012   The American Scholar     Death by Treacle By Pamela Haag
http://theamericanscholar.org/death-by-treacle/

Hi everyone - I am Mick's sister. I joined Batter's Box today so that I could express my deep gratitude for this outpouring of beautiful sentiments about my brother. I know how much he enjoyed being part of your community, and how much fun he had with the name teams. (For those of you who wondered what happened, Mick passed away on October 8, after a long struggle with diabetes-related complications.) My parents wrote his obituary - and included a mention of Batter's Box in the obit, given just how much Mick loved this forum. Be well, everyone....and thanks again. Eileen Doherty-Sil

Thanks for sharing this Eileen.  I recently lost my brother and I know how hard things must be for you and your family.  My condolences in this difficult time. 

Hi everyone - I am Mick's sister.

Great to hear from you Eileen and also to know that you and some of your family got to read that Mick was an important part of this site. Sometimes baseball can seem so darn important but occasionally you get reminders that it really isn't at all.  I think mostly it's an excuse to be a part of something bigger than yourself and to find ways to share it with others.  Mick was really good at that -- and it seems to me that by joining us, you are too.