On July 22, 1979, St. Louis Cardinals tight end J.V. Cain died during a workout at Lindenwood College. It was his 28th birthday. The cause of death was later to determined to be congenital heart failure. Here is how columnist Tom Barnidge reflected on Cain's death.
He was a deep and thoughtful man, wise beyond his 28 years.
He had found strength through adversity and purpose in the path before him.
With his foot in a cast, with his body supported by crutches, J.V. Cain looked down on Big Red practice sessions last year and explained that life was not fickle, only those who lived it were.