Colin Gittens

When Hank Gathers collapsedon court during a college basketball game against Portland State on March 4, 1990, and later died, the event both jolted the national consciousness and set into motion changes in the athletic preparticipation screening process. Although another collapse had occurred just 4 months before, and an irregular heartbeat was detected at that time, Gathers was not compliant with the prescribed beta blocker and continued to play. An autopsy revealed that the 23-year-old Gathers suffered from cardiomyopathy.