Here lies George Halas – better known as “Papa Bear.” He is the founder of the Chicago Bears, its longest tenured owner and coach, and arguably one of the more important figures in the history of professional football. So why are we talking about him on a baseball history website? Because before George Halas made … Continue reading Grave Story: George Halas (1895-1983)
RIP to Vin Scully, the greatest broadcaster in the history of baseball -- if not all of professional sports. In a career that spanned 67 years, Scully's voice was a constant in Dodgers history, from Jackie Robinson to Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers announced that Scully died on August 2 at the age of 94. "We … Continue reading Obituary: Vin Scully (1927-2022)
RIP to Dutch pitcher Win Remmerswaal, one of only 11 major-leaguers ever born in The Netherlands and the first European-trained ballplayer to reach the majors. Remmerswaal, who had been in a care facility following a stroke in 1997, died on July 24 at the age of 68. Remmerswaal played for the Boston Red Sox in … Continue reading Obituary: Win Remmerswaal (1954-2022)
RIP to Julio Valdez, an infielder for the Red Sox and a manager in the Dominican Summer League for several years. Journalist Hector Gomez reported on July 24 that Gomez passed away from cancer at the age of 66. Valdez played for the Boston Red Sox from 1980-83. Julio Julian Castillo Valdez was born in … Continue reading Obituary: Julio Valdez (1956-2022)
RIP to Bill Burbach, the first player ever taken by the Yankees in the first-ever Amateur Draft in 1965. He died on July 20 from natural causes in the Sycamore Shoals Hospital in Elizabethton, Tenn. Burbach, a Johnson City resident, was 74 years old. He pitched for the New York Yankees from 1969-71. Prior to … Continue reading Obituary: Bill Burbach (1947-2022)
RIP to Dwight Smith, a Rookie of the Year runner-up in 1989 and a sparkplug of one on the best Cubs teams of the last half century. The Atlanta Braves, with whom he won a World Series championship in 1995, reported that he died on July 22 at the age of 58. Legacy.com has stated … Continue reading Obituary: Dwight Smith (1963-2022)
RIP to Dick Schofield, a one-time “bonus baby” and part of a long baseball family dynasty. He died on July 11, at 10:30am, at his residence in Springfield, Ill. He was 87 years old. Schofield played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1953-58, 1968, 1971), Pittsburgh Pirates (1958-1965), San Francisco Giants (1965-66), New York Yankees (1966), … Continue reading Obituary: Dick Schofield (1935-2022)
RIP to Ed Bauta, a Cuban pitcher who played for five seasons in the major leagues in the 1960s. He also holds a unique place in New York Mets history. He died on July 6 (the 62nd anniversary of his MLB debut) at the Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, N.J. He was 87 years … Continue reading Obituary: Ed Bauta (1935-2022)
RIP to George Elder, who played in 41 games for the St. Louis Browns in 1949. He was the oldest living baseball player until his death on July 7 in Fruita, Colo. He was 101 years old. He had been the oldest living player since the death of Eddie Robinson on October 4, 2021. With … Continue reading Obituary: George Elder (1921-2022)
Here lies George Gerken, who was known for his strong hitting and base-stealing expertise in the minors but never really got a chance to show off his skills in the big leagues. Gerken played for the Cleveland Indians as an outfielder in 1927 and ’28. George Herbert Gerken was born in Chicago on July 28, … Continue reading Grave Story: George Gerkin (1903-1977)
RIP Baseball 