Official Baseball In Memoriam Thread

Just saw on MLB Network, Don Zimmer died today, at age 83.

[revo]

Dr. Frank Jobe, pioneer of Tommy John surgery, died today at age 88.

[Don Quixote]

Jim Fregosi 71.

Was on a MLB Alumni cruise in the Cayman Islands when he had a stroke, was flown to Miami, but passed away this morning.

A very underrated player, even when he was the Angels' regular sole representative in the All-Star Game. An offense-first shortstop in a time with few of those. Unfairly remembered by the MSM as the guy the Mets traded Nolan Ryan to get, a deal that looked good for both sides at the time (Ryan then having little clue where that blazing fastball was going).

[Grinch]

Jim Fregosi, 71.

Was on a MLB Alumni cruise in the Cayman Islands when he had a stroke, was flown to Miami, but passed away this morning.

[Sharky]

RIP Ralph Kiner. Few players who accomplished as much as Kiner did as a player would have exhibited his humility as a broadcaster.

[Grinch]

Grew up listening to him, a wealth of knowlege and history, phenominal storyteller and always good for a 'did he just say that?' moment.

RIP Hall of Famer!

[Don Quixote]

Ralph Kiner age 91, former Hall of Famer player for the Pirates, Cubs, and Indians. And also a long time Mets TV and radio announcer.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/pit/...&vkey=news_pit

As a kid, i enjoyed watching him on the Mets TV broadcasts back in the late 70's and early 80's. RIP Mr Kiner.

Truly one of the kings of rambling dissertations, like Phil Rizzuto for the Yankees, Harry Caray for the Cubs, or Joe Nuxhall for the Reds. You could never be sure where he was going, but the ride was usually worth the price of admission.

RIP Ralph and "Kiner's Korner".

[madducks]

Ralph Kiner age 91, former Hall of Famer player for the Pirates, Cubs, and Indians. And also a long time Mets TV and radio announcer.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/pit/...&vkey=news_pit

As a kid, i enjoyed watching him on the Mets TV broadcasts back in the late 70's and early 80's. RIP Mr Kiner.

[Friarfan]

Very, very sad about the passing of Jerry Coleman. He truly was the voice of many San Diegan's summers. He began as the Padres lead announcer the year I was born (1972) and was there ever since. It'll be strange not hearing him anymore. Listening to his long-time broadcasting partner, Ted Leitner, announcing his passing on the radio yesterday brought tears. He was a good man and a hero to our country. He flew over 100 missions as a Marine Pilot (Lieutenant Colonel) in WWII and Korea.

All jokes aside about the Padre baseball franchise (and the wishy-washy, laid back, "hey, dude" fans), Jerry Coleman is as much an institution to this town as Jack Buck was to St Louis, Harry Carry to Chicago, etc.

RIP Mr. Coleman

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KFrhlvpVy74" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Don Quixote]

Padre HOF broadcaster and former Yankee 2B Jerry Coleman died today at age 89.

A legend in SD as a broadcaster, sometimes for losing his bearings on what the he** was going on in the game.

[revo]

Padre HOF broadcaster and former Yankee 2B Jerry Coleman died today at age 89.

[rhd]

Former Orioles All-Star CFer Paul Blair, who had a 17-year career and won 8 Gold Gloves, died yesterday at age 69.

AS a long-time O's fan, I'll always have fond memories of Blair. Considered one of the greatest CFers of all-time. He played shallower than practically anyone. And he seemed like a very amiable and all-around good guy. RIP Paul.

[Don Quixote]

Wow...he was incredibly well-liked in Milwaukee. Not only was he a good player, he was also a very good broadcaster.

If I remember right, he's the only modern-era ballplayer to both broadcast and be active for a game. He was on radio fro 3-4 innings, but I don't know if he actually played later in the game that he broadcast.

He didn't play in the game--

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK197307180.shtml

Jim Palmer outpitched Ken Holtzman, Merv Rettenmund of all people hit home runs in the first and second innings, and Baltimore beat the A's 5-2. Oakland, of course, had the last laugh, beating the the O's in the LCS and then the Mets to win the second of their three consecutive World Series titles.

Hegan, who had hit an extreme outlier .329 for the A's WS title team in 1972, wasn't around for the celebration in '73, as the A's sent him back to his original team, the Yankees, that August.

[revo]

Wow...he was incredibly well-liked in Milwaukee. Not only was he a good player, he was also a very good broadcaster.

If I remember right, he's the only modern-era ballplayer to both broadcast and be active for a game. He was on radio fro 3-4 innings, but I don't know if he actually played later in the game that he broadcast.

Nice one!

"But perhaps Hegan’s most unusual distinction in baseball came on July 18, 1973, when his playing and post-playing careers coincided. A reserve player for the Oakland A’s, he was told by his manager, Dick Williams, just before that day’s game against the Baltimore Orioles that one of the regular announcers was ill. Williams told him to change out of his uniform and report to the broadcast booth. Hegan did. He announced three innings of the game. Then he put his uniform back on and returned to the dugout."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/27/sports/baseball/mike-hegan-baseball-player-and-broadcaster-dies-at-71.html?_r=0

[chancellor]

and Mike Hegan, one of the Seattle Pilots, RIP

Wow...he was incredibly well-liked in Milwaukee. Not only was he a good player, he was also a very good broadcaster.

If I remember right, he's the only modern-era ballplayer to both broadcast and be active for a game. He was on radio fro 3-4 innings, but I don't know if he actually played later in the game that he broadcast.