Brady injury invokes painful times of Boston

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Over the past couple of years, Boston has had its share of good sports fortune. The Red Sox have won a couple of World Series. The Patriots have become a team for the ages with three Super Bowl championships. And the Celtics returned to glory with an NBA title last season.But then came last Sunday, when Pats quarterback Tom Brady was lost for the season with a knee injury. As the Boston Globe pointed out last week, Beantown has had its share of game-time misfortune. Boston has seen legends Bobby Orr (knee), Larry Bird (back), Cam Neely (hip) and Gord Kluzak (knee) have their careers cut short by injuries.Here's a look at some of the other misfortunate events that have left their mark on Boston sports.-- Tony ConigliaroThe young Red Sox slugger was beaned in the face in 1967 and suffered a broken cheekbone and retina damage to his left eye. He ultimately resumed his career, but permanent damage to his eye forced him to retire at age 30 early in 1975.-- Darryl StingleyThe Patriots wide receiver was paralyzed in a 1978 preseason game by a hit delivered by the Raiders' Jack Tatum. Stingley spent the rest of his life as a quadriplegic and died in 2007 at 55.-- Travis RoyThe Boston University hockey player was 11 seconds into his college career when he crashed headfirst into the boards in 1995 and suffered a spinal injury. A quadriplegic, Roy now is a motivational speaker and raises money for those with spinal cord injuries.-- Normand LeveilleA 19-year-old player for the Bruins, Leveille suffered a brain aneurysm during in 1982 game and was in a coma for three weeks. He survived but hasn't fully regained speech.-- Bryce FlorieThe Red Sox pitcher suffered one of the more gruesome baseball injuries in recent memory when he was hit in the face by a line drive off the bat of the Yankees' Ryan Thompson in a game near the end of the 2000 season. He did return but didn't pitch in the majors after 2001.-- Ted Williams The Red Sox great fractured his elbow making a catch in the 1950 All-Star Game and was limited to 89 games. The Red Sox lost the pennant by a mere four games.-- Jim RiceIn 1975, the rookie slugger, who would finish third in the MVP voting, had his left hand broken by a pitch during the last week of the regular season and missed the American League Championship Series and the classic World Series that the Sox lost in seven games to the Reds.-- Bill LeeKnown as "Spaceman,'' the Red Sox left-hander separated his left shoulder in a brawl with the Yankees in a 1976 game. He was coming off three straight 17-win seasons, but would win more than 10 games only once after his injury.And of course, these injuries pale compared to two of Boston's greatest tragedies.Len Bias, Maryland's All-American forward who was supposed to take the figurative Celtics torch from Larry Bird, died less than 48 hours after being taken second in the 1986 NBA draft. Bias suffered a fatal cardiac arrhythmia, the result of a cocaine overdose.Seven years later, Reggie Lewis was 27 and was coming off consecutive seasons averaging more than 20 points when he went into cardiac arrest and died during an offseason practice.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)