Remembering Baseball Legends Who Died in 2007: Phil Rizzuto to Bowie Kuhn

According to the Baseball Reference website, baseball suffered some major losses from its fraternity in 2007, one of them being the death of a beloved Hall of Fame player and announcer, Phil Rizzuto. A pair of celebrated pitchers from many decades ago left us, as did a former commissioner, along with a man who played on many of the Yankee championship teams and guided the Orioles to one of their own. A big-time closer that had recently retired, a star third baseman from the 1960s, and a duo of young, active pitchers also met their ends in 2007.

Phil Rizzuto was deemed too small to play Major League Baseball by none other than Casey Stengel, who chased him from a tryout before the Yankees discovered him. Rizzuto proved Stengel wrong, anchoring the infield at short for nine pennant-winning New York clubs, winning seven titles. A slick fielder and wonderful bunter, Rizzuto did all the little things that helped the team prosper. He was the American League MVP in 1950 when he had his best campaign, batting .324, more than 50 points over his career average of .273. Rizzuto became the Yankees' play-by-play man after his career on the field was done, endearing himself to his viewers and listeners for years, finally stopping in 1996. Phil was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994; he died in August of natural causes at 89 years old.

Joe Nuxhall was only 15 years old when he made his debut in relief with the Reds in June of 1944. The rosters of the pro ranks had been depleted by the war; Nuxhall got two men out before giving up fine runs. He would not pitch in the Majors again until 1952, but became an All-Star in 1955 and again in 1956. His record for his 16 seasons was 135-117, with an earned run average of 3.90. Like Rizzuto, Nuxhall became an announcer, calling Cincinnati contests for many years. He died from cancer at 79 on November 16th, calling a few games for the Reds as late as this year.

Lew Burdette died last February at 80, an integral part of the Milwaukee Braves only world title team. The Yankees were baffled by Burdette's right-handed offerings in the 1957 World Series, as Lew threw a trio of complete game wins, including the clinching seventh game by a 5-0 score. The following year the Braves held a 3-1 edge on the Bronx Bombers in the Series, and Burdette suggested that New York would be a second division club in the National League. But the Yankees finally figured Burdette out just in time, beating him twice in the last three tilts to take the championship. Lew was a 20 game winner twice on his way to 204 lifetime victories, 33 of those via the shutout.

Bowie Kuhn was Major League Baseball's commissioner from 1969 until 1984, one of the sports most tumultuous periods. Three labor stoppages, free agency, and suspensions of big names such as Denny McLain, Willie Mays, and Mickey Mantle marked his term in office. Kuhn was a lawyer with extensive experience in the sport's inner workings and baseball enjoyed unprecedented growth during his three terms. Kuhn was only 42 when he became baseball's top man, the youngest commissioner ever; he died on March 15th.

Hank Bauer was a stalwart outfielder on the Yankee teams of the 1950s. The rugged Bauer had enlisted in the Marines and earned two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts, the second coming in Okinawa. Back in the states, Bauer joined the Yankees in 1948 and was a key part of their successes, putting together a still-record 17 game hitting streak in World Series affairs. After he retred with the A's in 1961, Bauer became a manager. He led the Baltimore Orioles to a four game sweep of the Dodgers in 1966, but when the team faltered badly in 1967, he was fired in 1968. Bauer succumbed to lung cancer in February at 84.

Joe Kennedy was a left-handed pitcher who toiled for the Devil Rays, Rockies, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, and A's over 7 seasons. Joe was just 28 when he was found dead in Florida while there to attend his best friend's wedding in November. A heart attack or brain aneurysm may have been the culprit. Josh Hancock was only 29 when the Cardinals' reliever got behind the wheel of his truck in late April and crashed. It was determined that Hancock, who had stints with the Red Sox, Reds, and Phillies, was drunk at the time of the fatal collision.

Rod Beck was found dead in his Phoenix home on June 23rd. Beck was 38, gone from baseball since 2004. At one time he was one of the game's premier closers, once saving 51 games for the 1998 Cubbies. Clete Boyer was a sure-handed third sacker who played for the Athletics, Yankees, and Braves. His best year was 1967, when he clobbered 26 home runs for Atlanta. He hit a home run in Game Seven of the 1964 Series for New York, but the Yankees still lost to St. Louis, as his brother Ken belted a grand slam for the Redbirds. Boyer passed away from a brain hemorrhage at 70 in June.