A tragic story slipped under the radar in America this week. An Australian cricketer named Phillip Hughes died on Thursday after he was hit in the neck with a ball earlier this week. Australian doctor Peter Brukner said the injury suffered by Hughes had only been reported 100 times. The 25-year old immediately underwent surgery and was placed into an induced coma before passing away.
As a tribute to Hughes’ life, which ended far too soon, cricket fans and cricketers across the world began to flood the hashtag #putoutyourbats with pictures of their cricket bats. The pictures are simple, yet moving.
https://twitter.com/Squizabilly/status/537844339389382658
I used this bat at Lords in 2010 against the West Indies and made 63* #putyourbatsout pic.twitter.com/AKcNQRH2Y6
— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) November 28, 2014
RIP Phillip Hughes, 63 not out forever. #putoutyourbats pic.twitter.com/06jHugy3l5
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 27, 2014
#putoutyourbats missing the little fella. #408forever pic.twitter.com/elDAKzFZ89
— Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) November 28, 2014
What happened to Hughes is a tragedy, an example of a young life gone far too soon. However, seeing the way that the cricketing world has united to pay tribute to his life is inspiring.
