Damion Baker ‘19

Area college notebook: Holy Cross mourns death of former cornerback Damion Baker

Jennifer Toland

Telegram & Gazette

Former Holy Cross defensive back Damion Baker is being mourned by coaches and teammates after his passing.
The Holy Cross football program is mourning the death of Damion Baker, a former Crusaders cornerback and 2019 HC graduate.
Baker was killed in a double shooting early Sunday morning in St. Louis, his hometown. He was 25.
“He was just a bright, intelligent football player and a good young man overall,” said Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney, who took over at HC before Baker’s senior season.

Baker’s death was part of a violent Fourth of July weekend across the country. According to a CBS News report, more than 220 were shot and killed in U.S. gun violence over the holiday weekend.
“It was a senseless act, obviously,” Chesney said, “and it leaves so many people empty and sad and wishing that was not the moment or world we live in.”
Chesney said he spoke with Akeem Walcott, also a former Holy Cross defensive back and one of Baker’s classmates, and several other of Baker’s HC teammates.
“They’re really struggling with it,” Chesney said. “It’s the first time they’ve gone through something like this with someone so close. The collective group of them is searching for ‘whys,’ and there are not many that are easy to find.”

At Holy Cross, Baker played in 41 games and recorded 98 tackles, 15 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions. Baker helped lead his high school, Christian Brothers College in St. Louis, to an undefeated season and state championship during his senior year.