When former major leaguer Ryan Freel died from a self-inflicted gunshot last December at the young age of 36, his family immediately sought answers. Understanding Freel had sustained multiple hits to the head throughout his life — both on and off the field — and as many as 10 concussions according to former teammate Norris Hopper, they decided to donate his brain tissue to the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy.On Sunday, the results of those tests were released to the public for the first time when the family announced Freel had been suffering from Stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) . He becomes the first Major League Baseball player to be diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease that has also been linked to several professional football players who have committed suicide.
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