RIP to Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry, who won more than 300 games with more than 3,500 strikeouts and won a Cy Young Award in each league. And yes, he is probably the most famous spitball pitcher who ever lived, though his repertoire went well beyond saliva. Perry died in his home in Gaffney, … Continue reading Obituary: Gaylord Perry (1938-2022)
Here lies Tommy Hanson, a power pitcher and a Rookie of the Year contender in 2009. He won 10+ games in four of his five big-league season before injuries and family tragedy curtailed his career. Hanson played for the Atlanta Braves (2009-2012) and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2013). Thomas J Hanson was born in … Continue reading Grave Story: Tommy Hanson (1986-2015)
Here lies Pete Van Wieren, aka “The Professor,” who was one-third of one of the most influential broadcast booths in baseball history. He, along with Ernie Johnson Sr. and Skip Caray, were the voices of the Atlanta Braves during their time on TBS. Between his work on television and radio, Van Wieren called Braves games … Continue reading Grave Story: Pete Van Wieren (1944-2014)
RIP to Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame pitcher and one of the pioneering relievers who made the role of closer so important. He died on Thursday, October 13, in hospice in Cartersville, Ga. He was 69 years old and had recently been diagnosed with cancer, according to statements from his family. Sutter played for … Continue reading Obituary: Bruce Sutter (1953-2022)
RIP to Marv Staehle, who played for parts of 7 seasons in the major leagues -- and hit over .400 in three of them! He died in Lake Geneva, Wis., on September 30, at the age of 80. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease around 2015. Staehle played for the Chicago White Sox (1964-67), … Continue reading Obituary: Marv Staehle (1942-2022)
RIP to Tommy Boggs, the head baseball coach at Concordia University Texas and a former major-league pitcher. He died of cancer on October 5 at the age of 66. Boggs pitched for the Texas Rangers (1976-77, 1985) and Atlanta Braves (1978-83). He had been the coach at Concordia since 2009. Thomas Winton Boggs was born … Continue reading Obituary: Tommy Boggs (1955-2022)
RIP to Anthony Varvaro, a reliever who pitched for 6 seasons in the 2010s. He retired from baseball in 2016 in order to become a policeman with the New York Port Authority. Varvaro, 37, was killed on September 11 while driving to a memorial event in Lower Manhattan for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. … Continue reading Obituary: Anthony Varvaro (1984-2022)
RIP to Lee Thomas, who was an All-Star as a ballplayer and the architect of a pennant-winning team as a baseball executive. He died on August 31 at the age of 86 in his home in Chesterfield, Mo. He had been on hospice care following a long illness. Thomas played for the New York Yankees … Continue reading Obituary: Lee Thomas (1936-2022)
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 Odalis Pérez, an All-Star left-handed pitcher who spent 10 years in the majors. He died at his home in the Dominican Republic on March 10. The initial reports started that he had fallen off a ladder and suffered a head injury. However, journalist Héctor Gómez reported that Pérez had suffered a heart attack, … Continue reading Obituary: Odalis Pérez (1977-2022)
RIP Baseball 