A week after throwing the ceremonial first pitch before Game 7 of the 2011 World Series, St. Louis Cardinals great Bob Forsch dies suddenly at 61. He is the third winningest pitcher in Cards history, with 163 wins, pitched two no-hitters for the team and played in three World Series, including the 1982 World Champions.
The “Duke of Flatbush”, Hall of Famer Duke Snider dies in Escondido, CA at age 84. Snider was a power-hitting centerfielder for the great Brooklyn Dodgers teams of the 1950s and is immortalized in Terry Cashman’s song “Willie, Mickey and the Duke”.
Hall of Famer Bob Feller, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, dies at age 92. “Rapid Robert” made his major league debut at 17 and had the best fastball of his generation. He lost a good part of his prime years while serving with great distinction in the US Navy during World War II and spent his entire career with the Cleveland Indians, for whom he posted six 20-win seasons and pitched three no-hitters. He led the Indians to their last World Championship in 1948.
Former major league third baseman Ron Santo dies in an Arizona hospital from complications of bladder cancer and diabetes. The 70 year-old, considered one of the best players in Cubs history, rejoined the team in 1990 as the team’s WGN radio announcer, enamoring his listeners with his devotion to the lovable losers and gaining their admiration for his continued failure to gain induction into the Hall of Fame, an honor he will receive posthumously in 2012.
Rockies president Keli McGregor, while on a business trip for the club, is found dead in his hotel room in downtown Salt Lake City. The 48 year-old baseball executive, believed to have died of natural causes, spent 17 years with Colorado.
Bill Werber, the oldest ex-major leaguer and last living teammate of Babe Ruth, dies at the age of 100. The former infielder, who played for the Yankees, Red Sox, A’s, Reds, and Giants, became the first player to appear in a televised game when he batted leadoff for Cincinnati in a contest played against the Dodgers at Ebbets Field on August 26, 1939.
Preston Gomez, the Astros’ first minority manager, dies in Fullerton, CA at age 85. The Cuban native had been in failing health since being hit by a pickup truck while walking across the street nine months before. Gomez spent less than two years at the helm of the Astros, leading them to an 81-81 record in 1974 and a 47-80 record in 1975 before he was replaced by Bill Virdon. Gomez also managed the Padres and Cubs then served over 20 years as an assistant with the Angels.
Lefthander Dave Roberts dies of lung cancer in Morgantown, WV at age 64. Roberts pitched for four seasons (1972-1975) with the Astros as part of a 13-year big league career. His best season with Houston is 1973 when he tosses a 17-11 record with a 2.85 ERA.
2007 – Utilityman Jim Beauchamp passes away from leukemia at age 68 in Atlanta. He started in left field for the first National League game played indoors. Jim hit .179 with three homers during three partial seasons (1964, 1965, 1970) as an Astro.
On June 23, 2007, former relief pitcher Rod Beck died at the age of 38 in his home in Phoenix, Arizona. Beck saved 286 games in a 13-year career spent with the Giants, Cubs, Red Sox, and Padres. He saved 48 games for the Giants in 1993, and 51 for the Cubs in 1999.
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