Here lies Waite Hoyt, who was a rarity in baseball – a teenage phenom who actually lived up to his potential. Hoyt’s 21-year career included stops with the New York Giants (1918, 1932), Boston Red Sox (1919-20), New York Yankees (1921-30), Detroit Tigers (1930-31), Philadelphia Athletics (1931), Brooklyn Dodgers (1932, 1937-38) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1933-37). … Continue reading Grave Story: Waite Hoyt (1899-1984)
RIP to Horace Clarke, a long-time second baseman and one of only 14 ballplayers to come from the U.S. Virgin Islands. He died on August 5 at the age of 81 at his home in Laurel, Md. Per the New York Times, Clarke died from complications of Alzheimer's disease. Clarke played for the New York … Continue reading Obituary: Horace Clarke (1939-2020)
Here lies Urban Shocker, a renowned spitball pitcher who was one of the top pitchers on the famed ’27 Yankees “Murderers Row” team. He did that while suffering from a heart ailment that would kill him less than a year later. Shocker pitched for the New York Yankees (1916-17, 1925-28) and St. Louis Browns (1918-24). … Continue reading Grave Story: Urban Shocker (1890-1928)
RIP to Mike McCormick, an All-Star pitcher and the first Cy Young Award winner in Giants history. He died on June 13 at his home in Cornelius, N.C. He was 81 years old and had been battling Parkinson's disease for several years. McCormick played for the New York/San Francisco Giants (1956-62, 1967-70), Baltimore Orioles (1963-64), … Continue reading Obituary: Mike McCormick (1938-2020)
RIP to former All-Star outfielder Claudell Washington, who died on June 10 at the age of 65. According to his former teammate John D'Acquisto and PastPros, a company that represented him for autographs, Washington died from prostate cancer. He went public with his battle in 2018, when he announced he had discontinued treatment. Washington played … Continue reading Obituary: Claudell Washington (1954-2020)
RIP to Bob Watson, a two-time All-Star, a World Series-winning coach and general manager, and a contributor to a foundation that helps former players in need. He packed an amazing amount of things into a 50+ year baseball career. Watson died on May 14 in Houston from kidney disease. He was 74 years old and … Continue reading Obituary: Bob Watson (1946-2020)
RIP to Larry Gowell, a pitcher who appeared in two major-league games. Despite the short career, he had one noteworthy accomplishment that makes him a unique part of baseball history. He died on May 11 at the age of 72 while playing golf, according to the posts his family and friends have left on Facebook. … Continue reading Obituary: Larry Gowell (1948-2020)
RIP to Matt Keough, a pitcher who was a part of Oakland's "Five Aces" pitching staff in the early '80s. He died on May 2 at the age of 64. Keough was part of a baseball family that included his father Marty Keough, his uncle Joe Keough, and his son Shane, who played in the … Continue reading Obituary: Matt Keough (1955-2020)
RIP to Bob Oliver, a slugging corner infielder/outfielder who played for five teams in the 1960s and '70s. His son, Darren Oliver, also had a 20-year career as a pitcher and works in the Texas Rangers front office. Bob Oliver died on April 19 in Rio Linda, Calif. He was 77 years old. Oliver played … Continue reading Obituary: Bob Oliver (1943-2020)
Here lies Steve Sundra, who had a pretty up-and-down career as a pitcher — except for the season when he was almost perfect. Sundra pitched for the New York Yankees (1936, 1938-40), Washington Senators (1941-42) and St. Louis Browns (1942-44, 1946). Steve Sundra was born in Luxor, Pa., on March 27, 1910. He had a … Continue reading Grave Story: Steve Sundra (1910-1952)
