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Robert E. Lee player collapses, dies

JACKSONVILLE -- A high school player died Wednesday after collapsing during practice.

Anthony Hilton, 16, a junior at Robert E. Lee, collapsed about 4 p.m. He was rushed to nearby St. Vincent's, but was pronounced dead at 4:50 p.m., hospital spokeswoman Candy Bowen said.

The Duval County Medical Examiner's Office said Thursday that the cause of death had not been determined.

Hilton, a running back, and his teammates were in their third day of practice when he collapsed. He was not wearing full pads because Florida High School Activities Association rules restrict teams to helmets and shorts for the first three practice days each season.

Hilton was in a conditioning or agility drill when he collapsed, Lt. Rick Graham of the Duval County Sheriff's Office said.

Graham said he interviewed Lee athletic director Gary Warner and was told the player had taken and passed a physical examination before he was allowed to participate in practice.

Hilton was a three-sport athlete at Lee. He was also a member of the track and wrestling teams, school officials said.

According to the latest report issued by the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, 23 deaths of high school students last year were directly or indirectly related to football.

The last death of a Jacksonville area player from a football-related cause was in 1987. Heath Christie, a defensive lineman at Ribault, collapsed after practice and died three days later of hyperthermia.

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