RIP to Bill Bartholomay, the former owner of the Braves who moved the team to Atlanta. He died on March 25 after a brief illness at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Doctors, according to the Atlanta Constitution-Journal, reported that he suffered from a respiratory infection that was not the coronavirus COVID-19. He was 91 years old. The … Continue reading Obituary: Bill Bartholomay (1928-2020)
RIP to Jim Wynn, the first great slugger in Houston Astros history. Nicknamed "The Toy Cannon" for his 5'9" height and massive power, Wynn died on Wednesday, March 26 at the age of 78. A three-time All-Star in his 15-year career, Wynn played for the Astros (1963-73), Los Angeles Dodgers (1974-75), Atlanta Braves (1976), New … Continue reading Obituary: Jim Wynn (1942-2020)
Here lies Ernie Johnson, a beloved member of the Atlanta Braves family. In his playing days, he was a pretty good relief pitcher. However, he made his fame as an announcer for the Atlanta Braves for decades, taking Braves fandom nationwide thanks to the TBS superstation. Johnson played for the Boston/Milwaukee Braves (1950, 1952-58) and … Continue reading Grave Story: Ernie Johnson (1924-2011)
Here lies Hank Small, a record-setting slugger in college whose Major League Baseball career was limited to one game. Small played for the 1978 Atlanta Braves. George Henry Small was born in Atlanta on July 31, 1953. He grew up in an area of Atlanta called the Golden Ghetto – a rough neighborhood surrounded by … Continue reading Grave Story: Hank Small (1953-2010)
RIP to Bob "Rocky" Johnson, an infielder and standout pinch-hitter who played for a decade in the majors in the 1960s. Former teammate Jim Palmer reported on Twitter that Johnson, 83, died in Minnesota. Wikipedia notes that Johnson died on November 12 from Parkinson's disease. Johnson played for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics (1960, 1969-70), Washington … Continue reading Obituary: Bob Johnson (1936-2019)
Here lies Billy Hitchcock, whose life in baseball included stints as a player, coach, manager and minor-league executive. As an infielder, Hitchcock played for the Detroit Tigers (1942, 1946, 1953), Washington Senators (1946), St. Louis Browns (1947), Boston Red Sox (1948-1949) and Philadelphia Athletics (1950-1952). He also served as a manager for the Tigers (1960), … Continue reading Grave Story: Billy Hitchcock (1916-2006)
R.I.P. to Jim Bouton, who went from an All-Star pitcher to a bestselling author to a baseball pariah to entertainment personality to a beloved and respected baseball figure. He died on July 10, at the age of 80. The ex-pitcher had suffered a severe stroke in 2012, which led to cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a disease … Continue reading Obituary: Jim Bouton (1939-2019)
R.I.P. to Aubrey Gatewood, who pitched in parts of four seasons in the 1960s and '70s. He died on June 5 at the age of 80 in his hometown of North Little Rock, Ark. Gatewood played for the Los Angeles/California Angels (1963-65) and Atlanta Braves (1970). Aubrey Gatewood was born in North Little Rock on … Continue reading Obituary: Aubrey Gatewood (1938-2019)
RIP to Freddie Velázquez, the first Dominican catcher to play in the major leagues. He died on May 21 at the age of 81. His death was originally reported by the Leones del Escogido, a professional baseball team from Santo Domingo. Velázquez was a part of four of their championship teams (1957-8, 1959-60, 1960-1 and … Continue reading Obituary: Freddie Velázquez (1937-2019)
R.I.P. to Tommy "T-Bone" Giordano, a second baseman who played in 11 games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1953. That was the start of a long career spent as a scout and executive for several teams. He died on February 14 at the age of 93 from a blood infection. Up until last year, he … Continue reading Obituary: Tommy Giordano (1925-2019)
