Age, Biography, and Wiki
Birthdate: December 2, 1968
Place of Birth: Garden Grove, California, USA
Death Date: June 22, 2002
Age at Passing: 33 years old
Darryl Andrew Kile was a prominent MLB starting pitcher remembered for his dominant curveball and reliable presence on the mound. He began his professional career in 1991 with the Houston Astros after being drafted in 1987. Kile played for the Astros, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Cardinals, contributing significantly to each team’s pitching staff before his untimely death due to coronary artery disease in 2002.
| Occupation | Baseball Players |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 2 December 1968 |
| Age | 56 Years |
| Birth Place | Garden Grove, California, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 22 June, 2002 |
| Died Place | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Height, Weight & Measurements
- Height: 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm)
- Weight: 185 lbs (83 kg)
- Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Kile was selected by the Houston Astros in the 30th round of the 1987 Major League draft. Having been successful with the Tucson Toros, the Astros' AAA club in the Pacific Coast League, Kile entered the majors in 1991, going 7–11 in 22 starts. In his first major league start on April 24, 1991, Kile had a no-hitter going when he was lifted after six innings by manager Art Howe, who wanted to protect the 22-year-old rookie's arm. Kile's breakthrough year came in 1993 when he went 15–8 with a 3.51 earned run average and made the All-Star team. On September 8, Kile pitched a no-hitter against the New York Mets. He pitched seven seasons with the Astros, mostly as a starter. Another strong season was 1997, when he went 19–7, compiled a 2.57 ERA, made the All-Star team again, threw a career-high 255 2/3 innings, and pitched four shutouts. He finished fifth in voting for the NL Cy Young Award. Kile made his first postseason appearance in Game 1 of the 1997 National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, giving up only two hits but suffering a hard-luck 2–1 loss. Atlanta swept Houston in the best-of-five series.
Kile went 16–11 in 2001, and the Cardinals made the playoffs again, losing to the eventual world champion Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS. Kile was the starting pitcher for Game 3 and received a no-decision. Kile threw 227 1/3 innings and compiled a 3.09 ERA that season, despite having an injured shoulder which required surgery after the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs. He spent the offseason rehabilitating and was ready for the start of the 2002 season. In 12 seasons as a major league pitcher, Kile never went on the disabled list.
| Height | 6 feet 5 inches |
| Weight | 185 lbs |
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Dating & Relationship Status
Darryl Kile was married and had children. He was known for his close-knit family and was highly regarded for his character both on and off the field. Specific details about his relationships are generally private, reflecting his preference to keep personal life out of the public eye. At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Flynn, and their three children.
Kile proposed to his wife, Flynn, in 1991, when they were both 22 years old. They were married on January 11, 1992, and had three children. He and his family lived in Clayton, Missouri, during the baseball season. The family also owned a home in Englewood, Colorado, where they lived during the offseason, though at the time of Kile's death, the family was in the process of moving to San Diego for the offseasons.
On June 22, 2002, during pregame warmups for what would have been a day game in Chicago against the rival Cubs, team personnel noted Kile's absence. Hotel staff entered his room and discovered him in his bed, under the covers, dead of a heart attack. His death, which came four days after that of longtime Cardinal broadcaster Jack Buck, was ruled to be from natural causes; an autopsy found that Kile had an enlarged heart, two of his coronary arteries were 90% blocked, and there was a blood clot in one artery. Kile's father had died from a blood clot in 1993, aged 44.
In 2003, the Darryl Kile Good Guy Award was established and is presented annually to the Astros player and Cardinals player who best exemplify Kile's traits of "a good teammate, a great friend, a fine father and a humble man". The winners are selected, respectively, by the Houston and St. Louis chapters of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The first recipients of the award were Jeff Bagwell and Mike Matheny of the Astros and Cardinals, respectively.
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, any discussion of Darryl Kile’s net worth and salary pertains to his historical earnings and posthumous recognition, as he passed away in 2002.
- Active Career Earnings: During his MLB career, Kile earned several multi-year contracts, most notably with the Cardinals, who signed him to a multi-year deal prior to the 2000 season. Exact annual salaries are not always publicized for players of his era, but he was reported to have signed a contract worth $24 million over 3 years with the Cardinals.
- Net Worth at Death: Estimates at the time of his death suggested his net worth was in the range of $10–15 million, considering his contracts, bonuses, and endorsements.
- Posthumous Affairs: Kile’s estate would have included life insurance and continued earnings from MLB’s pension plan for his family.
Career, Business, and Investments
Baseball Career Highlights:
- Teams: Houston Astros (1991–1997), Colorado Rockies (1998–1999), St. Louis Cardinals (2000–2002)
- Wins-Losses: 133–119
- ERA: 4.12
- Strikeouts: 1,668
- Notable Accolades: Three-time All-Star (1993, 1997, 2000), threw a no-hitter in 1993.
In 1998, Kile signed with the Colorado Rockies as a free agent. Kile suffered control problems, allowing hitters to lay off his curveball. After two seasons in which he was a combined 21–30 and posted ERAs of 5.20 and 6.61, Kile was traded to the Cardinals. In his first season with St. Louis, Kile went 20–9, becoming the first Cardinal pitcher since John Tudor and Joaquín Andújar in 1985 to win 20 games in a season. He made his third All-Star team and again finished fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting. He earned the first playoff victory of his career in Game 2 of the 2000 NLDS against Atlanta, but suffered two losses in the NL Championship Series, which the Cardinals lost to the Mets in five games.
Social Network
Darryl Kile passed away before the rise of mainstream social media platforms. He does not have active official social media profiles. Memorial pages and fan communities exist on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where fans continue to celebrate his legacy.
Education
- High School: Not specified in available public records
- College: Chaffey College
Kile attended Chaffey College before being drafted by the Houston Astros in the 30th round (overall pick 781) of the 1987 MLB draft.
He attended Norco High School in Norco, California, where his awkward frame and low pitch velocity — his four-seam fastball topping out at 78 mph — meant that he was mostly overlooked by college recruiters and scouts. In 1987, after graduating from Norco, Kile enrolled at Chaffey Junior College in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and joined their college baseball team as a walk-on. Between his freshman and sophomore year of college, Kile underwent a growth spurt that took him from 6 ft to 6 ft, helped him gain 20 lbs, and added 13 mph to his fastball.
Summary
Darryl Kile’s legacy in baseball is defined by his talent, character, and the tragic end to his promising career. As of 2025, his net worth figures remain estimates from his playing days, with his family receiving the benefits of his contracts and MLB pension. Kile is remembered as a beloved teammate, family man, and one of the best pitchers of his era.
