A retired Major League Basketball player turned police officer died in a car accident on September 11. According to sources, Officer Varvaro was on his way to an assignment at a NYC World Trade Center memorial service for the victims of 9/11, when he was involved in a wrong-way car crash. 

Varvaro was only 37-years-old. He had been a police officer for about six years, working for the Port Authority of New Jersey and New York. He left behind a wife and four children.

Before joining the law enforcement profession, Varvaro was a pitcher for three well known teams –  the Seattle Mariners, the Boston Red Sox, and the Atlanta Braves, all of which paid homage to the deceased player. He retired from baseball in 2016 and decided to join the police force. Most athletes relax or invest in a business after retirement. Officer Varvaro wanted to help and serve his community. 

Videos and photos of the crash were not released. Funeral services were held on September 13. 

Varvaro was a baseball player in his college days at St. John’s university in New York before starting his career as a major league baseball player. St John’s head coach, Ed Blankmeyer, stated in a tribute by the university, “His baseball exploits speak for themselves, one of the best pitchers in Saint John’s history. He was a quiet leader, a fierce competitor and a great teammate. He had an arm like a fire bolt but a heart of gold, however, Anthony was much more than an athlete, he was a man of service, a tremendous father and a family man.” 

Many former teammates and fellow law enforcement officials have expressed their grief on their social media accounts.

Anthony’s former Boston Red Sox teammate, pitcher Pat Light, tweeted, “Pour one out today for my former teammate Anthony Varvaro, one of my favorite teammates, RIP my friend.”