When he takes the field for Boston College this fall, linebacker Mark Herzlich will undoubtedly need a few weeks to shake off the rust. But he has an unexpected ally in his attempt to come back from cancer: precedent. A look at the historical record reveals that a cancer survivor like Herzlich or a severely injured star like Angels first baseman Kendry Morales, who fractured his left leg in May, has a better shot of returning in full force than someone coming back from retirement or a long suspension.
This may sound hard to believe, considering that players returning from off-field issues are physically intact, but consider these examples:
