During the decade of the 1970s, Vida Blue was one of the most electric and successful pitchers in baseball. He won 3 World Series titles, an MVP Award and a Cy Young Award, and he is also the answer to a couple of outstanding baseball trivia questions -- Who was the first pitcher to start … Continue reading Obituary: Vida Blue (1949-2023)
RIP to catcher Hobie Landrith, who played for seven teams in a 14-year major-league career. In his time, he was known for being one of the smallest catchers in baseball and for having one of the biggest voices. The New York Mets announced his death on April 6; he was 93 years old. Landrith played … Continue reading Obituary: Hobie Landrith (1930-2023)
RIP to Jesús Alou, the youngest of the three Alou Brothers and part of an extensive baseball family. He died on March 10 at the age of 80, just two weeks before his birthday. Alou played for the San Francisco Giants (1963-68), Houston Astros (1969-73, 1978-79), Oakland Athletics (1973-74) and New York Mets (1975). Jesús … Continue reading Obituary: Jesús Alou (1942-2023)
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)
RIP to Pete Burnside, who pitched for four different teams over 8 seasons in the 1950s and '60s. He died on August 26 at the age of 92, with his family by his side. He was married to his wife, Suzette, for 58 years, and they had three children -- Beth, Jim and John. Burnside … Continue reading Obituary: Pete Burnside (1930-2022)
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 Joe Pignatano, who won a World Series with the Dodgers as a backup catcher. He also had a long coaching career and was the last surviving coach of the 1969 "Miracle Mets" team. He died on May 23 in Naples, Fla., at the age of 92. He had been suffering from dementia. Pignatano … Continue reading Obituary: Joe Pignatano (1929-2022)
RIP to John Cumberland, who spent nearly 40 years in professional baseball as a pitcher and a coach. He died at his home in Lutz, Fla., on April 5, at the age of 74. Cumberland played for the New York Yankees (1968-70), San Francisco Giants (1970-72), St. Louis Cardinals (1972) and California Angels (1974).. He … Continue reading Obituary: John Cumberland (1947-2022)
For a period of about six years in the 1980s, the most dominant closer in baseball wasn’t a hulking fireballer like Goose Gossage or Lee Smith. It was a submarine-throwing soft-tosser with an endless supply of quotes and quips. Dan Quisenberry was one of those rare players who enhanced the game by his mere existence, … Continue reading Grave Story: Dan Quisenberry (1953-1998)
RIP to David Green, part of the 1982 World Champion Cardinals teams and the first major-league Nicaraguan position player.. He died on January 25 at the age of 61. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that he died of respiratory failure in Christian Northeast Hospital in St. Louis. He suffered from a choking incident about a … Continue reading Obituary: David Green (1960-2022)
RIP Baseball 