Baseball Obituaries & Deaths in 2004

JANUARY

• 1 -- John Stoneham -- 10 games in major leagues
• 2 -- Paul Hopkins-- Baseball's oldest living player
• 2 -- Danny Whelen -- One-time trainer for Pirates
• 2 -- Lynn Cartwright -- In "League of their Own"
• 3 -- Leon Wagner -- Power hitter for expansion Angels
• 3 -- Taylor Duncan -- Played in parts of 2 seasons
• 5 -- Tug McGraw-- Mets & Phillies reliever
• 10 -- Ewald Pyle -- Pitched for parts of five seasons
• 12 -- V.J. Lovero -- Photographer for Angels
• 13 -- Robert Holbrook -- Former beat writer for Boston
• 14 -- Mike Goliat -- Member of Phillies' Whiz Kids
• 15 -- Gus Suhr -- Drove in 818 runs in 11-year career
• 15 -- Arthur Anderson -- Founder of San Antonio Black Sox
• 15 -- Jim Devlin -- Single at-bat in the major leagues
• 17 -- Harry Brecheen -- 3-0 in 1946 World Series
• 17 -- Hersh Freeman -- Won 30 games in majors
• 19 -- Tom Glaviano -- Played for Cards and Phillies
• 20 -- Marie Wegman -- Four seasons in AAGPBL
• 20 -- Lloyd Merriman -- Played in parts of five seasons
• 21 -- Johnny Blatnik -- Hit 6 home runs in his career
• 27 -- Curtis Johnson -- Played in Negro Leagues
• 31 -- Ernest Burke -- Played for Baltimore Elite Giants

FEBRUARY

• 1 -- Joel Rubenstein -- Former VP of Marketing for MLB
• 3 -- Richard Powell -- Negro League executive
• 8 -- Jim Russo -- Former scout for Orioles
• 9 -- Adriana Orsulak -- Wife of former Orioles outfielder
• 10 -- Hub Kittle -- Pitched coach for Cards in 1982
• 13 -- Ted Tappe -- Hit home run in first at-bat
• 15 -- Lawrence Ritter -- Wrote "The Glory of their Times"
• 16 -- Charlie Fox -- Former Manager and Player
• 22 -- Andy Seminick -- Catcher for Whiz Kids
• 24 -- Pete Cera -- Longtime Phillies Clubhouse Assistant
• 26 -- Bartman Ball -- Cubs baseball blown to bits

MARCH

• 1 -- Marvin Moran -- Sang National Anthem for Braves
• 2 -- Marge Schott -- Outspoken Reds owner
• 6 -- John Henry Williams -- Son of Hall of Famer Ted Williams
• 6 -- Gene Karst -- Set up Press Office for Rickey's Cardinals
• 14 -- Roxie Campanella -- Widow of HOFer Roy Campanella
• 15 -- Vedie Himsl -- One of Cubs' College of Coaches
• 18 -- Gene Bearden -- 20-7 for Indians in 1948
• 22 -- Jim "Pig" Harris -- A Catcher in Negro Leagues
• 27 -- Bob Cremins -- Pitched for Red Sox in 1927
• 29 -- Al Cuccinello -- Played for Giants in 1935

APRIL

• 4 -- George Bamberger -- Former pitcher, coach and manager
• 6 -- Lou Berberet -- Seven seasons in MLB
• 6 -- Ken Johnson -- Pitched for parts of six seasons
• 19 -- Sam Nahem -- Debuted for Dodgers in 1938
• 24 -- Frank Seward -- Pitched for Giants for two seasons
• 28 -- Floyd Giebell -- Won pennant-clincher in 1940
• 30 -- Lou Chapman -- Longtime Milwaukee baseball writer

MAY

• 2 -- Moe Burtschy -- Pitched five seasons for As
• 3 -- Darrell Johnson -- Former Manager and Player
• 6 -- Joe Lafata -- Debuted with Giants in 1947
• 8 -- Wayne McLeland -- Pitched for Tigers in 1950s
• 14 -- Rip Coleman -- Pitched for parts of five seasons
• 14 -- Bill Hoffman -- Pitched six innings in 1939
• 17 -- Buster Narum -- Pitched five seasons in majors
• 20 -- Doug Pappas -- Baseball writer and researcher

JUNE

• 4 -- Wilmer Fields -- Played and Pitched in Negro Leagues
• 3 -- Joseph Cleary -- Pitched a third of an inning
• 5 -- Ronald Reagan -- Former president announced baseball games
• 7 -- Chris Kitsos -- Played one game in majors
• 8 -- Mack Jones -- Outfielder for Braves, Reds & Expos
• 13 -- Ralph Wiley -- Coined phrase "Billy Ball"
• 14 -- Rob Derkson -- Baltimore Scout and Greece's Olympic Coach
• 16 -- George Hausmann -- Played for Giants in 1940s
• 28 -- Hal Toenes -- Pitched for Washington in 1947

JULY

• 9 -- Tony Lupien -- Debuted at first base for Red Sox
• 10 -- Art Rebel -- Played in 33 games in majors
• 19 -- Roger Marquis -- Hitless in a single at-bat
• 22 -- Sou Bridgeforth -- Last surviving Negro League team owner
• 26 -- Ruben Gomez -- Won 76 games in the Major Leagues
• 30 -- Randy Waddill -- Scout with San Francisco

AUGUST

• 2 -- Mike Schultz -- Pitched single game in majors
• 3 -- Bob Murphy -- Original voice of New York Mets
• 8 -- Pete Center -- Won 7 games for the Indians
• 11 -- Joe Falls -- Baseball writer in Detroit
• 20 -- Pat Patterson -- Spent 11 seasons in Negro Leagues
• 21 -- Madeline English -- Played in AAGPBL
• 21 -- William Powell -- Pitched in the Negro Leagues
• 22 -- Jim Nelson -- Won last game at Forbes Field
• 23 -- Hank Borowy -- Won 108 games in major league career
• 26 -- Hal Epps -- Played in 125 games in four seasons
• 27 -- Willie Crawford -- Debuted at 17 with Dodgers

SEPTEMBER

• 3 -- Frenchy Uhalt -- Legend in PCL
• 7 -- Bob Boyd -- "The Rope" died at 84
• 7 -- Hal Reniff -- Reliever for the Yankees
• 9 -- Rose Gacioch -- Played for Rockford Peaches
• 15 -- Mike Yastrzemski -- Son of Hall of Famer
• 22 -- Cy Block -- Hit .302 in 17 games
• 26 -- Victor Cruz -- Major League reliever
• 29 -- Gertie Dunn -- Played in the AAGPBL

OCTOBER

• 3 -- John Cerutti -- Former Jays pitcher and broadcaster
• 3 -- Ken Brondell -- Pitched in 1944
• 6 -- Norm Schlueter -- Played in 118 games in majors
• 8 -- Johnny Sturm -- Played for Yankees in 1941
• 8 -- Tony Giuliani -- Former catcher and MLB scout
• 10 -- Ken Caminiti -- National League MVP in 1996
• 13 -- Mike Blyzka -- Pitched for parts of two seasons
• 17 -- Ray Boone -- First of three generations of major leaguers
• 20 -- Chuck Hiller -- Hit slam in 1962 World Series
• 21 -- James Bucher -- Hit 17 home runs in his career
• 26 -- Bobby Avila -- A three-time All-Star in the AL
• 26 -- Russ Derry -- Hit 13 home runs in 1945

NOVEMBER

• 1 -- Philip C. Sahara -- Scout for Dodgers
• 4 -- Damon Phillips -- 59 RBIs in major league career
• 14 -- Jesse Gonder -- Catcher spent 8 seasons in MLB
• 16 -- Floyd Baker -- Hit 1 home run in 13-year career
• 18 -- Ray Miller -- Played in the Negro Leagues
• 18 -- Frank Baldwin -- Brief career in majors
• 18 -- Spencer Gettys -- Catcher in Negro Leagues
• 19 -- Brian Traxler -- Played in 9 games for Dodgers
• 24 -- Tom Haller -- Former Catcher and Giants GM
• 28 -- Connie Johnson -- Pitched in Negro Leagues & MLB
• 29 -- Harry Danning -- 10 years as catcher for Giants

DECEMBER

• 1 -- Sleepy Chatman -- Played in Negro Leagues
• 10 -- Ed Sudol -- Umpire for Aaron's 715th Home Run
• 13 -- Andre Rodgers -- Bahamian played 11 seasons in MLB
• 14 -- Danny Doyle -- Player and MLB Scout
• 14 -- Rod Kanehl -- Hit first grand slam for Mets
• 15 -- Larry Ponza -- Inventor of pitching machines
• 16 -- Bobby Mattick -- Former Player & Manager
• 16 -- Ted Abernathy -- Recorded 148 saves in majors
• 18 -- Glenn Vaughan -- Played for Houston in 1963
• 22 -- Doug Ault -- Hit first home run for Blue Jays
• 23 -- Wilmer Harris -- Pitched in Negro Leagues
• 24 -- Johnny Oates -- Former Texas & Baltimore Manager
• 26 -- Eddie Layton -- Organist for Yankees and MSG
• 27 -- Ernest Groth -- Pitched in six major league games
• 29 -- Ken Burkhart -- Threw and called strikes in MLB
• 29 -- Gus Niarhos -- Catcher played for nine seasons
• 30 -- Rex Bowen -- Scout who signed Mazeroski
• 31 -- Charlie Cozart -- Pitched five games in majors
• 31 -- Joseph Durso -- Longtime New York sports writer

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