RIP - Felix Mantilla

 

Felix Mantilla, who played for the Braves, Red Sox, and others from 1956-66, passed away on January 10, 2025 at age 90.

Mantilla was a backup middle infielder for the Braves from 1956-61.

 

In 1962 he started half the games at 3B for the expansion Mets. 

 

Mantilla played for the Red Sox from 1963-65. His best year was 1965, his only year as a full-time starter (2B) and his only All-Star appearance. 

 

He finished his career with the Astros in 1966. Although he appears as a Cub on his 1967 card, he never played for them, having been injured in spring training, then released after coming off the DL.  

 

Milwaukee Journal Sentinal obituary 

   

RIP - Bob Veale

 

Long-time Pirates' starting pitcher Bob Veale passed away on January 5, 2025 at age 89.

                                  (best glasses this side of Arnold Earley) 

 

Veale pitched for the Bucs from 1962-72, and was a member of the starting rotation from late-1963 to 1970. Always among the league leaders in strikeouts, in 1964 he led the NL with 250 strikeouts.

 

He switched to a bullpen role in 1971, and was released in May 1972. The Red Sox signed him later that season, and he finished up his career with Boston in 1974. 

 

MLB obituary  

 

CBS Sports obituary 

  

RIP - Bob Uecker

 

Bob Uecker (a/k/a "Mr. Baseball") passed away today, January 16, 2025 at age 90. He's the 2nd 90-year-old former player to have passed this week (with Felix Mantilla 6 days ago).

Uecker played for the Braves, Cardinals, and Phillies from 1962-67. 

 

Above is my first Bob Uecker card, which I got in 1967. About a month after I started following the Phillies in May 1967, he was traded back to the Braves, and finished his playing career that season. 

 

Uecker's last yearbook appearance

 

After his playing days, he was a broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1971-2024. He appeared in the 1985-90 TV series "Mr. Belvedere", and 3 movies in the "Major League" franchise. He was also on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" about 100 times. 

 

MLB.com obituary  

 

ESPN obituary 

  

2024 Re-cap

 

1960s' baseball players who left us in 2024:

And from outside the baseball world (centenarians in bold):

David Soul
Glynis Johns
Joyce Randolph
Charles Osgood
Melanie
Carl Weathers
Don Murray
Toby Keith
Richard Lewis
Steve Lawrence
Eric Carmen
M. Emmet Walsh
Joe Lieberman
Louis Gossett Jr.
Barbara Rush
Joe Flaherty
O.J. Simpson
Robert McNeil
Dickie Betts
Duane Eddy
Roger Corman
Dabney Coleman
Darryl Hickman
Bill Walton
Janis Paige
Parnelli Jones
Tony Lo Bianco
Jerry West
Anouk Aimee
Donald Sutherland
Martin Mull
Dave Loggins
Shelley Duvall
Ruth Westheimer
Richard Simmons
Shannen Doherty
James B. Sikking
Bob Newhart
Lou Dobbs
John Mayall
Greg Kihn
Wally Amos
Gena Rowlands
Peter Marshall
Phil Donohue
John Amos
James Darren
Sergio Mendes
James Earl Jones
Tito Jackson
Kathryn Crosby
Maggie Smith
Kris Kristofferson
Dikembe Mutombo
Cissy Houston
Ethel Kennedy
Mitzi Gaynor
Jack Jones
Phil Lesh
Teri Garr
Quincy Jones
Bela Karolyi
Chuck Woolery
Earl Holliman
Michael Cole
Kreskin
Greg Gumbel
Dayle Haddon
Olivia Hussey
Jimmy Carter
Linda Lavin

 

Football deaths in 2024