The origin of 2-4-12 came from communications that were exchanged between the Overland Park Police and the Blue Valley High School Administrators on the day of the accident.
In April of 1998 there was an accident on Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park, Kansas between 159th and 151st Streets. At that time Metcalf was a two lane paved county road with ditches on both sides of the road and a narrow gravel shoulder between the pavement and the ditches. There were five passengers in the convertible when it drifted off the pavement to the right. In an attempt to return to the pavement there was an immediate correction to the left but it was more than what was needed. This resulted in the convertible crossing the center lane dividing line which resulted in a head on collision with a One-Ton Van. The driver was killed on contact. The passenger in the front seat had her seat belt on, as a result she survived. The three players in the back seat were ejected from the vehicle. One would survive while the other two would die from head trauma and internal injuries.
As these events unfolded and emergency personnel arrive at the scene they communicated what they knew to the administrators at the school. One piece of information they had that was considered 100 percent accurate and reliable were the numbers on the back of each players jersey. Using this information they were able to communicate to the Administrators what number the driver was wearing, what number the passenger in the front seat was wearing and what numbers the three players who were ejected from the car were wearing. With these jersey numbers the School Administrators were able to identify each player.
In the end two players survived and three players died. The three players who died were identified as 2-4-12. As the days, weeks and months passed the players continued to refer to their teammates and friends who died that day, as 2-4-12. This was done as a reminder of what had happened that day. A reminder that they were identified by their numbers.
So 2-4-12 became a Memorial and is a Memorial even to this very day.
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“Coach, thank you for offering me an early read into this book. I honestly had forgotten about some of these stories from my senior year. Of course, the accident is something that I still think about, to this day. And as my children get older, my daughter is now practicing on the BVHS Softball Field. In fact, she had a practice there today – very surreal. The field is a constant reminder. In addition to the field, there is a 2-4-12 Plaque on the brick shed next to the fields. For 8 to 9 months out of the year, I see it weekly.”
– Casey (Reiff) Striegel
Lead Player Captain 2000