Sad news arrived this past weekend when we learned of the death of former Pirates second baseman Phil "Scrap Iron" Garner at the age of 76.
It was in March of 1977 that Pirates GM Harding Peterson swung a nine player deal with the Charley Finley of the Oakland A's. The Pirates sent six players of Oakland, including pitchers Dave Guisti and Doc Medich, and received three in return, the most significant of whom was second baseman Garner, and yet another piece was put in place that would lead to a World Series Championship for the Pirates in 1979. Garner played five seasons for the Bucs, made the All-Star team twice, and during that 1979 postseason Garner hit .417 against the Reds in the NLCS and .500 (12 for 24) against the Orioles in the World Series. In noting Garner's passing on PTI yesterday, Michael Wilson noted that while Willie Stargell and Dave Parker were the stars of that Championship team, perhaps no one epitomized the grit and intensity in which that team played the game than Phil Garner, and in that regard his "Scrap Iron" nickname, bestowed upon him by Stargell, said it all.
Garner had a 16 year career as a player, and then went on to manage three different teams, the Brewers, Tigers, and Astros, for a total 15 seasons. In 2005, he managed the Astros, then the National League, to their first ever pennant. The following season, the All-Star Game was played in Pittsburgh, and Garner, as Manager of the NL team, named his 1979 Pirates manager Chuck Tanner as his Special Assistant in managing that squad. It was class move by Garner in tribute to his old manager and the home town fans in Pittsburgh.
"Scrap Iron"
He was a regular at Pirate Alumni events
Garner becomes the twelfth member, including skipper Chuck Tanner, of that World Series team to leave us. Fourteen members are still alive. You can see the list at the end of this post.
RIP Phil Garner.
1979 | ||
Pitchers | Jim Bibby | |
Bert Blyleven | ||
John Candelaria | ||
Grant Jackson | ||
Bruce Kison | ||
Dave Roberts | ||
Don Robinson | ||
Enrique Romo | ||
Jim Rooker | ||
Kent Tekulve | ||
Catchers | Steve Nicosia | |
Ed Ott | ||
Manny Sanguillen | ||
Infielders | Tim Foli | |
Phil Garner | ||
Bill Madlock | ||
Willie Stargell | ||
Rennie Stennett | ||
Outfielders | Matt Alexander | |
Omar Moreno | ||
Mike Easler | ||
Lee Lacy | ||
John Milner | ||
Dave Parker | ||
Bill Robinson | ||
Manager | Chuck Tanner | |
Deceased | 12 | |
Still With Us | 14 |
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