RIP to Ed FitzGerald, who had a 12-year career as a backup catcher in the 1940s and '50s. He died on June 14 at the age of 96. FitzGerald played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1948-53), Washington Senators (1953-59) and Cleveland Indians (1959). The surname is a bit unusual, as most players with his last name … Continue reading Obituary: Ed FitzGerald (1924-2020)
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 Ken Retzer, a catcher for four seasons in the early 1960s. He died on May 17 at his home in Sun City, Ariz. He was 86 years old. Retzer played for the Washington Senators from 1961-64. Ken Retzer was born on April 30, 1934, in Wood River, Ill., which is right on the … Continue reading Obituary: Ken Retzer (1934-2020)
Here lies Joe Kuhel, a slugging first baseman who had an 18-year career as a player and a couple years as a manager. Kuhel played for the Washington Senators (1930-37, 1944-46) and Chicago White Sox (1938-43, 1946-47). Joe Kuhel was born in Cleveland on June 25, 1906. A story about him from 1932 said that … Continue reading Grave Story: Joe Kuhel (1906-1984)
RIP to Dick Hyde, a relief pitcher whose best season earned him the AL Sophomore of the Year Award. He died on April 15, 2020 at Bickford of Champaign Memory Care in Champaign, Ill. He was 91 years old. Hyde pitched for the Washington Senators (1955, 1957-60) and Baltimore Orioles (1961). Dick Hyde was born … Continue reading Obituary: Dick Hyde (1928-2020)
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)
Here lies Jim Delahanty, a well-traveled infielder whose penchant for troublemaking may have gotten him banned from baseball – unofficially, of course. He played for the Chicago Orphans (1901), New York Giants (1902), Boston Beaneaters (1904-05), Cincinnati Reds (1906), St. Louis Browns (1907), Washington Senators (1907-1909), and Detroit Tigers (1909-1912), as well as the Brooklyn … Continue reading Grave Story: Jim Delahanty (1879-1953)
RIP to Gil Coan, an outfielder who spent parts of 11 seasons in the major leagues in the 1940s and '50s. He died on February 4 in Hendersonville, N.C., at the age of 94. At the time of his death, he was one of the oldest living baseball players and the oldest surviving New York … Continue reading Obituary: Gil Coan (1922-2020)
Here lies Ed Delahanty, a two-time batting champ, home run king, .400 hitter, part of one of the great baseball families and member of the Hall of Fame. And if he’s remembered these days for anything, it’s for the spectacular way he died – falling to his death at Niagara Falls. It is possibly the … Continue reading Grave Story: Ed Delahanty (1867-1903)
RIP to Jim Coates, a pitcher on several of the New York Yankees' championship teams of the early 1960s. He died on November 14 at the age of 87. Coates played for the Yankees (1956, 1959-62), Washington Senators (1963), Cincinnati Reds (1963) and California Angels (1965-67). Jim Coates was born in Famham, Va., on August … Continue reading Obituary: Jim Coates (1932-2019)
