[ad_1]
Today, as we approach the end of 2023, we take a look back at the baseball figures who passed away this year. Deceased persons are listed alphabetically by last name, with year of birth shown in parentheses. Without them, baseball is in decline.
Sal Bando (1944)
A member of all three of the A’s championship teams in the 1970s, Bando finished in the top five in MVP voting each year. He later served as general manager of the Brewers and finished his career with that team.
Vida Blue (1949)
Pete Rose said that Blue pitched harder than anyone he had ever faced, but batters could never understand him.he won the Cy Young Award and He won MVP in 1971, was named to six All-Star teams, and won three World Series with the Athletics. He remains the youngest pitcher to pitch a no-hitter in the live ball era. Later in his career, he would join another team as a reliever.
Nate Colbert (1946)
Colbert, the first star of the Padres expansion team, appeared in three All-Star Games with the Padres. He once hit five home runs and scored 13 runs in a doubleheader. He’s only 25 behind Manny Machado, but he’s still the Padres’ all-time home run leader (163).
Roger Craig (1930)
A master of the split-finger fastball, Craig was a four-time World Series champion. He played as a player three times and once as a pitching coach, a position he held for 14 years.
Don Denkinger (1936)
He was chosen to umpire four World Series games during his career (1974, 1980, 1985, 1991), and future Hall of Famers Jack Morris and John Smoltz played Game 7 in the fall of 1991. The umpire who stood behind home plate during the legendary pitcher’s game. Unfortunately, he was most widely known for his miscall in Game 6 of his 1985 World Series.
Dick Groat (1930)
One of only 13 players to be a collegiate All-American in both baseball and basketball, Groat played 16 seasons at shortstop and made a name for himself in Pittsburgh, most notably as Bill Mazeroski’s double-play hitting partner. . He also played one season in the NBA and served as a radio analyst for the University of Pittsburgh basketball team for 40 years.
Frank Howard (1936)
At 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds, Hondo was probably one of the biggest players in baseball today. Imagine what he looked like compared to people in the 50s and 60s. He won Rookie of the Year in 1960, led the AL in home runs twice, and was named to the All-Star team four times. He then spent his four-plus decades touring all over the majors as a widely beloved manager and coach.
Ted Lerner (1925)
Mr. Lerner, who served as majority owner and managing principal partner of the Washington Nationals for 15 years, spent his childhood as an usher at Griffith Stadium, watching his beloved Washington Senators, and joining the rapidly growing franchise in a new city. Ultimately, he oversaw the team’s evolution. ,champion. The Nationals won the National League East title four times under Lerner’s ownership, and won their first World Series in 2019. “They say good things come to those who wait,” Lerner said at the Nationals’ victory parade. “They say good things come to those who wait. 95 years is a long time to wait. But let me tell you this is worth the wait.”
Tim McCarver (1941)
McCarver, who was Bob Gibson’s catcher for 10 years in St. Louis, won two World Series with the Cardinals and once finished second in MVP voting. Despite his excellence behind the plate, he will forever be best known for working in the broadcast booth for over 40 years, including serving as his analyst on television for his 24th World Series. Probably.
Gary Peters (1937)
A member of the White Sox’s All-Century Team, he was one of the best hitting pitchers of all time, winning Rookie of the Year awards, twice leading the AL in ERA, and hitting 19 career home runs.
Brooks Robinson (1937)
Mr. Oriol was the greatest defensive third baseman to ever play the game, much to the amazement of fellow Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, who said: “Wow!” I thought. Brooks Robinson was such a prince of men that he may have been admired just as much off the field as he was on it. He won the World Series twice, the Gold Glove Award 16 times, and was selected as an All-Star 18 times.
Mike Shannon (1939)
Moonman was a beloved member of the St. Louis Cardinal, won two World Series with the team, and later served as Jack Buck’s broadcast partner and analyst for the team for more than 50 years. He was famous for his malaprop “Shannonisms” that only he could come up with. His personal favorite is “Right-handed pitcher throwing up in the bullpen.”
Peter Seidler (1960)
Seidler, the grandson of Walter O’Malley, who led the Dodgers to Los Angeles, wanted nothing more than to see his beloved Padres win the World Series, and he was willing to spend money to make it happen. Seidler dreamed of bringing San Diego its “first championship parade,” and although he never achieved it during his lifetime, the success the team had under his leadership was nearly unprecedented for the franchise. . Seidler was also a passionate philanthropist and tireless advocate and fundraiser for San Diego’s homeless population.
Frank Thomas (1929)
The outgoing Thomas, who was the best player on the 1962 Mets, one of the worst teams in history, worked for the team for many years and always enjoyed being known as “the other Frank Thomas.” there was. While attending Big Hurt’s Hall of Fame induction in 2014, he said, “My name will always be in the Hall of Fame.”
Tim Wakefield (1966)
The knuckleballer had the third-most wins in Red Sox history (186) behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens, and pitched for the team for 17 seasons before his 45th birthday. (Wakefield was, of course, one of his key members of the 2004 World Series champion Red Sox.) Roberto, who won his Clemente Award, was deeply loved off the field, and in the spring of 2012 After retiring, he served as the team’s announcer.
Jesus Aru (1942): Two-time World Series Champion, brother of Felipe and Matty, uncle of Moises and Luis Rojas.
Pat Corrales (1941): He coached three teams for 10 years and became the first Mexican-American manager in history.
Abbey Pearson (1934): He won Rookie of the Year with the Washington Senators in 1958.
Joe Pepitone (1940): A former Yankee All-Star and Gold Glover, he later became one of the nation’s best professional slow-pitch softball players.
[ad_2]
Source link
