Aussie sport in mourning as baseball star Adam Burton dies aged just 53

Australian shot large Adam 'Hollywood' Burton has died, aged 53.

Burton, who died connected Monday, began his shot vocation with Waverley, successful Victoria, rising done the inferior ranks to gain a spot connected the club's archetypal Australian Baseball League (ABL) roster successful 1990 astatine conscionable 17 years of age.

After playing professionally successful the United States with the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves, Burton returned to Australia and led Waverly to the 1995 nationalist title. 

Though wounded struck astatine the 2000 Olympics successful Sydney, helium continued to correspond Australia astatine the Baseball World Cup.

'He was brash, cocky, entertaining with a 'can't instrumentality your eyes disconnected him' talent. He was dynamic, explosive and had an intrinsic emotion of the spotlight,' Waverley wrote successful a moving tribute. 

'He had style. He had charisma. He would airy up a room, clasp tribunal with a catalogue of stories, immoderate with a wide dollop of mayonnaise, but that is however helium rolled. 

'Hollywood carried an impish glint successful his eye, determination was a hint of mischief ever lurking. He was idiosyncratic whose institution was compelling. 

'Hollywood had the 3 Ps – pazazz, property and performance. Many could speech the talk, but "Hollywood" walked the walk.

'He was destined for baseball's biggest signifier from the clip helium called Napier Park and Waverley Baseball Club location arsenic a inferior successful the mid 1980s.'

Blackburn, different of Burton's clubs, said helium was a 'baseball genius and talented teacher of the game'. 

'His demeanour successful the dugout and astir the nine was worldly of legend, often borrowing a cap, loop oregon socks disconnected a seconds subordinate earlier nonchalantly taking the field,' the nine wrote. 

Scott Kerr wrote connected the Waverley Baseball Club Facebook page: 'I’m atrocious to perceive the news. He ever had clip to halt and person a drawback up erstwhile I would spot him. Many fond memories from our inferior days astatine Waverley Baseball Club. Condolences to the his galore mates and the Burton Family.'