RIP to Ken Holtzman, a 4-time World Series Champ, an All-Star, the author of two no-hitters and one of the most successful Jewish pitchers in baseball history. He died on April 14 in St. Louis, at the age of 78. Holtzman played for the Chicago Cubs (1965-71, 1978-79), Oakland Athletics (1972-75), Baltimore Orioles (1976) and New York Yankees (1976-78). Kenneth Dale Holtzman was born on November 3, 1945, in St. Louis. Before the rest of the country found out about his pitching skills, he was winning championships and striking out batters in junior legion leagues around town. He did the same as ..read more

RIP to Kevin Batiste, an outfielder in professional baseball whose 6-year career included 6 games for the 1989 Toronto Blue Jays. He died on April 2 at HCA Healthcare Hospital in Tomball, TX. He was 57 years old. Kevin Wade Batiste was born in Galveston, TX, on October 21, 1966. The two main sports he played throughout his youth were baseball and football, and he was highly skilled at both. He played multiple positions in baseball and threw a no-hitter in 1981 while playing for his Galveston Pony League team. He frequently helped his own cause on the mound with his heavy hitting, and when he w ..read more

RIP to Odell Jones, a well-traveled pitcher whose pro career of nearly 20 years included multiple stints at the major-league level. It was reported on Pittsburgh Baseball Now that he died on March 20 at the age of 71. Neither the cause of death nor the location were immediately available. Jones played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1975, 1977-78, 1981), Seattle Mariners (1979), Texas Rangers (1983-84), Baltimore Orioles (1986) and Milwaukee Brewers (1988). Odell Jones Jr. was born in Tulare, CA, on January 13, 1953. As a little leaguer in Compton, he was part of what may be one of the greatest yo ..read more

Fritz Peterson should be remembered as a 20-game winner for the Yankees and a staff ace through some down times in the franchise. It must also be noted that he was part of one of baseball’s most notorious scandals, too. Peterson died on April 11 at the age of 82; he had been ill with Alzheimer’s disease. Peterson played for the New York Yankees (1966-74), Cleveland Indians (1974-76) and Texas Rangers (1976). Fred Ingles Peterson was born in Arlington Heights, IL, on February 8, 1942. Even as a student at Arlington Heights High School, he was going by “Fritz.” There have been nearly 30 ballplay ..read more

RIP to La Schelle Tarver, a speedy outfielder who played 13 games with the Boston Red Sox in 1986. He died on March 20 at the age of 65. Tarver had a long career with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department after his baseball days came to an end. La Schelle Tarver was born in Modesto, CA, on January 30, 1959. According to his family-placed obituary, he joined Madera High School’s varsity baseball team as a sophomore and spent three seasons as one of Northern California’s fastest high school ballplayers. He could do more than run, too; he was a first baseman on the 1977 All-NorCal team with a .5 ..read more

RIP to one of the greatest Mets’ catchers ever, Jerry Grote. The member of the 1969 Miracle Mets team died on April 7 at the age of 81. According to a Facebook post from his wife, Cheryl, he suffered respiratory failure after undergoing a heart procedure. Grote played for the Houston Colt .45s (1963-64), New York Mets (1966-77), Los Angeles Dodgers (1977-78, 1981) and Kansas City Royals (1981). Gerald Wayne Grote was born in San Antonio, TX, on October 6, 1942. As a high school student at MacArthur High School in San Antonio and youth leagues, he was primarily a pitcher. He was talented enough ..read more

RIP to pitcher Pat Zachry, the 1976 NL Rookie of the Year and part of one of the biggest trades of the decade the very next year. He died on April 4, according to a post from former teammate Johnny Bench on X (formerly Twitter). Yahoo Sports added that Zachry, 71, died after a lengthy illness. During his 10-year major-league career, Zachry pitched for the Cincinnati Reds (1976-77), New York Mets (1977-82), Los Angeles Dodgers (1983-95) and Philadelphia Phillies (1985). One of the great characters and an unbelievable teammate passed yesterday! #PatZachry was ROY in 1976, had 2 successful star ..read more

RIP to Peter Angelos, a Baltimore trial lawyer who owned the Baltimore Orioles for more than 30 years. He died on March 23, just days before the Angelos family was due to sell the team to its new ownership group, headed by businessman David M. Rubenstein. Angelos, 94, had been in poor health for several years before his death at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson. “I offer my deepest condolences to the Angelos family on the passing of Peter Angelos,” Rubenstein said in a statement. “Peter made an indelible mark first in business and then in baseball. The city of Baltimore owes him ..read more

RIP to pitcher Chuck Seelbach, who enjoyed a brief but successful run as a closer for the Tigers in the early 1970s before injuries shortened his career. He died on March 22 at the Hospice of the Western Reserve in Cleveland, two days after his 76th birthday. Seelbach played for the Detroit Tigers from 1971 to 1974. Charles Frederick Seelbach was born in Lakewood, OH, on March 20, 1948. He was the youngest child of Charles, a plant manager at an iron foundry, and Jane Seelbach. He grew up in Rocky River and was considered to be the best all-around athlete in his class at University High School ..read more

RIP to pitcher Jim McAndrew, a member of the 1969 World Champion Mets. He died on March 14, in Scottsdale, AZ, at the age of 80. McAndrew, father of former Brewers pitcher Jamie McAndrew, played for the New York Mets (1968-73) and San Diego Padres (1974) during his 7-year career in the majors. James Clement McAndrew was born in Davenport, IA, on January 11, 1944, but he and his family lived in Lost Nation. Lost Nation is a town of about 450 residents located about 50 miles from the Quad Cities. According to the city’s website, the name comes from a Native American tribe that made the place its ..read more