Memorial Day

Earlier today, Wrigley Wax posted a list of the 1365 players, managers, coaches, and umpires who were veterans of World War II.

Thanks to WW's research, here is my small contribution to today's remembrance:  40 of those veterans.

RIP - Frank Quilici

Former Twins' utility infielder and manager Frank Quilici passed away on May 14, 2018 at age 79.

Quilici was a Twins' farmhand from 1961-67, and also played for Minnesota during the 2nd half of 1965, 2 dozen games in 1967, and all of 1968-70. In 1965 he took over the starting 2nd base job in mid-September, and played in all 7 World Series games that year.

After retiring following the 1970 season, he became a major-league coach for the Twins in 1971, and by mid-1972 was promoted to manager - less than 2 years after his playing career. He managed the team through the 1975 season, his teams finishing in 3rd place 3 times and 4th place once. It was his only stint as a big-league manager.

He was also a Twins' broadcaster in the 1970s and 1980s.

Minneapolis Star-Tribune obituary

TwinCities.com obituary
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RIP - Al Stanek

Al Stanek, a pitcher for the 1963 Giants, passed away on May 8, 2018 at age 74.

Stanek's career consisted of 11 games for the Giants in 1963 (as a 20-year-old). He pitched for various Giants' farm teams from 1962-1967, and despite not pitching for San Francisco after September 1963, he managed to score cards in the '64, '65, and '66 Topps sets.

A high school baseball star from western Massachusetts, he compiled a 37-5 record as a high school pitcher, and was also quite a hitter, collecting 29 RBI in 21 games as a senior. He was inducted into the Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.

MassLive.com obituary