RIP Baseball

Every ballplayer has a story worth telling. Baseball researcher, obit writer, grave finder, @SABR & @IBWAA member. All tweets by @samgazdziak.

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

If you’re leaving Twitter/X and want to follow me elsewhere, all my social media channels can be below. This account isn’t going to be used for more than posting new stories when they go online. I really like 🧵and will post more regularly there.

https://t.co/art2XrTXPX

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Joe T just bought me a coffee on Ko-fi! https://t.co/j88zFoQZpD

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

RIP to pitcher Jim Todd, who pitched in nearly 300 games in the 1970s. The Lancaster County, PA, native died on February 3 at the age of 77. Todd played for the Chicago Cubs (1974, 1977) Oakland Athletics (1975-76, 1979) and Seattle Mariners (1978).

https://t.co/I3N7eHRIWv

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

RIP Baseball has featured stories about several one-game wonders who had one game in the big leagues. Jim Lawrence fared a little better than that. He appeared in 2 major-league games, though he never had an at-bat. Lawrence died on Jan. 8 at age 85.

https://t.co/tjyI5oRdjk

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Outfielder Felipe Montemayor was a Hall of Famer in his native Mexico and appeared in the majors in 1953 & '55 with the #Pirates. He was one of the first Latin ballplayers to join the Pirates. Montemayor died on Feb. 4 at age 96.

https://t.co/GURzoGChft

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

RIP to Angel Torres, who reached the major leagues in 1977 as a pitcher for Cincinnati. He died on February 1 at the age of 72. Torres played for the Cincinnati Reds in 5 games as part of a 10-year career in professional baseball.

https://t.co/j4bkbXHDbi

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

RIP to Don Secrist, who pitched in 28 games for the #WhiteSox in 1969-70. He died on January 30 at age 80. Secrist had some problems with the home run ball, but he ended his major-league career by striking out a future Hall of Famer -- Bert Blyleven.

https://t.co/ERvWcMDUPK

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Finding the gravesites of ballplayers can be challenging at times, particularly those from the 19th Century. Consider Sam Shaw, who pitched for Baltimore in 1888 and Chicago in 1893, died in 1947 and was lost for more than 70 years.

https://t.co/y150T55aZF

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

For nearly a decade, Rich Dauer anchored second base for the Baltimore Orioles, starting his career with Brooks Robinson and Mike Cuellar as teammates and ending it with Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray. Dauer died on February 3 at the age of 72.

https://t.co/su5Err7IRq

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Bobby Cuellar's playing career lasted for just 4 games with the 1977 #Rangers, but that's a minuscule part of a decades-long baseball career. Cuellar was a well-respected pitching coach who tutored 3 Cy Young Award winners. He died on Jan. 20 at age 72.

https://t.co/EeyQybRwb0

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Jeff Torborg spent 10 years as a major-league catcher & 11 as a manager. He won the AL Manager of the Year Award in 1990 for leading the White Sox from 7th to 2nd place. Torborg, who had been battling Parkinson's disease, died Jan. 19 at the age of 83.

https://t.co/Sul9PCYvZl

[Gene Gomes @genegeauxmes]

@rip_mlb Tommy Brown was only 16 when he hit his first homer. He was one of the few living former players who appeared in the classic 1952 Topps baseball set ⚾️

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

“Bald Billy” Barnie was born on this date in 1853. He was a catcher/outfielder in the National Association & American Association and then managed until the day he died. That day came on July 15, 1900, when he was 47 years old.

https://t.co/Sh0Y9F1ubB

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Tommy Brown was 16 years, 241 days old when he made his major-league debut in 1944, making him the youngest position player in baseball's Modern Era. Brown played for 9 years in the majors with the Dodgers, Phillies & Cubs. He died on Jan. 15 at age 97.

https://t.co/pL1wpfdIrw

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Felix Mantilla won a World Series with the Braves as a utility player and was an All-Star with the Red Sox as a starting 2B. He also integrated the South Atlantic League in 1953 & founded a little league in Milwaukee after retiring. Mantilla died Jan. 10.

https://t.co/N3FORFBn7K

[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ @baseballhall]

The Hall of Fame remembers 1965 World Series champion and 1990 AL Manager of the Year Jeff Torborg, who passed away Sunday morning.

A 10-year veteran of the Dodgers and Angels, Torborg caught Sandy Koufax's perfect game, Bill Singer's no-hitter and Nolan Ryan's first no-hitter.

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Early in his career, Bob Uecker was so frustrated by a lack of playing time that he was thinking of retiring for a career in the savings & loan industry. Fortunately, he found a different career path and became the most famous .200 hitters of all time.

https://t.co/kscaRzNhXl

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Mark Littell (1953-2022)was born on this date. He was an early closer for the Royals & Cardinals from 1973-1982. Littell was a pioneer in the arenas of closer entrance music AND protective cups. Read more about the man known as “Captain Ramrod.”

https://t.co/4XeIsSPOkF

[Milwaukee Brewers @Brewers]

We are heartbroken to announce that Brewers icon & Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Uecker passed away today at the age of 90

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

For a time in the 1960s, Bob Veale was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, right up there with Koufax, Marichal and Gibson. Veale, the 1964 NL strikeout leader & long-time Pirates ace, died on January 7 at the age of 89.

https://t.co/mMGtzYfPvG

[RIP Baseball @rip_mlb]

Brian Matusz came to the majors as a highly touted starting pitcher and found his greatest success as a lefty reliever for the Orioles. Matusz was a Roberto Clemente Award nominee, and possibly nobody appreciated being a major-leaguer more than he did.

https://t.co/XyxTVxNNDs