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Phillies mourn loss of Dallas Green's granddaughter in Arizona shooting

Her smiling infant photo in a 2002 book about 9/11 babies, like the terrible irony of her short life's span, is now almost too painful to contemplate.

Christina Taylor Green, (inset), the granddaughter of former Phillies manager Dallas Green, was among those killed in the shooting in Arizona. (AP photos)
Christina Taylor Green, (inset), the granddaughter of former Phillies manager Dallas Green, was among those killed in the shooting in Arizona. (AP photos)Read more

Her smiling infant photo in a 2002 book about 9/11 babies, like the terrible irony of her short life's span, is now almost too painful to contemplate.

Christina Taylor Green, the dark-eyed, energetic granddaughter of former Phillies manager Dallas Green, existed in the brief interlude between two great American tragedies.

Born just hours after the horrific attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the 9-year-old was killed Saturday in the Arizona massacre in which a congresswoman was critically injured and five others, including a federal judge, were slain.

"She liked having that birthday," her mother, Roxanna, recalled in a Sunday telephone interview. "She thought it was a holiday when she was little. We had to set her straight."

In Faces of Hope: Babies Born on 9-11, a book by Pennsylvanian Christine Pisera Naman that spotlighted one child from each state, a wishful quote accompanied the black-and-white photo of the then-tiny girl. "I hope," it read, "you see rainbows."

The youngest of two children of Green's son, John, she was among 20 people shot by a lone gunman at a Tucson shopping-center meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D., Ariz.).

Giffords is in critical condition but expected to survive.

The third grader at Mesa Verde Elementary School had gone to the event with a neighbor because she had recently been elected to the student council and already had an interest in politics, authorities said. The neighbor was shot four times but survived.

"It seemed like such a good idea," her mother said. "We never imagined anything like this could happen."

According to the Pima County Sheriff's Department, the girl died shortly after she was transported to University Medical Center.

Roxanna Green said in a Fox television interview that she learned of the injury from her neighbor's husband and at first thought there had been an auto accident. But when she arrived as the hospital, she was told Christina had been shot in the chest.

Federal authorities have charged Jared Lee Loughner, an apparently disturbed 22-year-old Arizonan who never finished high school, was expelled from a Tucson-area college, and was rejected by the military.

"All this hate," said Roxanna Green, "it needs to stop."

Christina's shooting quickly became a flash point for some of the sorrow and anger that followed the latest gun-related horror. Internet chat rooms were abuzz with talk of the child's death, and at least three Facebook pages honoring Green were created, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and countless expressions of condolence.

"The earth is a sadder place and weeps for the loss of this young girl and the promise she could have brought to this world. Rest in peace," read a typical message posted by someone who was identified as Candy Coupon.

Not surprisingly, given her pedigree, the death of the 9-year-old who was born in Maryland also was felt in the baseball community.

Her grandfather, still a senior adviser for the team, is a baseball lifer who guided the Phillies to their first world championship in 1980. Her father, meanwhile, is the Los Angeles Dodgers' East Coast scouting supervisor.

The elder Green, 76, who lives in West Grove, was en route to Arizona and released a statement.

"This is such a tough time for Sylvia and I, and for John and Roxanna and little Dallas," Green said. "We thank everybody from the bottom of our hearts for their friendship, thoughts, and prayers, especially the Phillies and our extended family in baseball.

"Somehow we will get through this, but right now our little 9-year-old granddaughter is not here, and we're having a hard time with that."

Green told the New York Daily News that he learned of his granddaughter's fate when, after seeing news of the shooting on TV, his wife phoned their son.

Known for his booming voice and a willingness to confront players, Green also managed the New York Mets and Yankees. He began his baseball career as a pitcher with the Phillies, compiling a 20-22 record in eight mediocre big-league seasons, including six with the Phils.

He then took a job in the organization; became GM Paul Owens' most trusted aide; and, when Danny Ozark was fired in 1979, took over as manager.

Green left to become the Chicago Cubs' general manager after the 1981 season, but after unsuccessful managerial stints with the two New York clubs, returned to work again in the Phillies' front office, where he now serves as a senior adviser to GM Ruben Amaro Jr.

"I have a terribly heavy heart," Amaro said Sunday.

In a statement, Phillies president David Montgomery said: "The Phillies organization expresses our heartfelt condolences to Dallas and Sylvia and the entire Green family on the senseless, tragic loss of Christina's life. She was a talented young girl with a bright promising future. Her untimely death weighs heavily on our hearts. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected by yesterday's horrific shooting."

Similar sentiments came from the Dodgers.

"We lost a member of the Dodgers' family today," said owner Frank McCourt in a statement. "The entire Dodgers organization is mourning the death of John's daughter, Christina, and will do everything we can to support John, his wife, Roxana, and their son, Dallas, in the aftermath of this senseless tragedy."

In keeping with the family heritage, Christina had played baseball, too, as a second baseman and the only girl on her Little League team, according to an uncle, Greg Segalini.

Segalini said the youngster, whose older brother, Dallas, is 11, also took ballet lessons, loved pets, and was an excellent student. She recently made her first communion, he said; already was planning to attend Penn State; and hoped to be able "to help people in some way."

President Obama has called for a moment of silence Monday at 11 a.m. "to honor the innocent victims of the senseless tragedy," and he signed a proclamation calling for flags to be flown at half-staff.