RIP Don Zimmer

[Brewer Andy]

Legendary ambassador passed away today. Don's son reported he went peacefully. Gonna miss this guy

 

[MrMet]

Just heard this on the Mets game broadcast...first ever Mets third baseman. He will be missed.

 

[joey12508]

Sad RIP


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[A_Pharis]

Man! I just picked up one of his autos (2014 archives) and got it int he mail yesterday. RIP Don.

 

[Brewer Andy]

I'm sure Brad can share an awesome story/photo/card or 3. Zim saw it all.

Someone mentioned he met Bane Ruth, played with Jackie Robinson, and coached Jeter.

 

[Brewer Andy]

Someone posted this as well, classic

 

[zach]

 

[MaineMule]

Always bothered me that he took the heat for the Sox collapse in '78- I usually blame players over managers. He was around the game a long time as was mentioned. While I loved Pedro, no matter what Zim said to him, he did not need to throw him to the ground. RIP Zim!

 

[SINFULONE]

Always bothered me that he took the heat for the Sox collapse in '78- I usually blame players over managers. He was around the game a long time as was mentioned. While I loved Pedro, no matter what Zim said to him, he did not need to throw him to the ground. RIP Zim!

I immediately thought of him getting tossed to the ground in the ALCS years ago.That was one of the more shocking incidents in the playoffs I've ever seen.

 

[21ccl]

RIP

 

[BiggioBrooks755]

RIP Zim

 

[jbhofmann]

ESPNs Jeremy Schapp wondered if Zimmer was the longest IN UNIFORM figure in baseball history.

 

[BiggioBrooks755]

ESPNs Jeremy Schapp wondered if Zimmer was the longest IN UNIFORM figure in baseball history.

Only persons in baseball thats even close (non-player) would be Vin Scully or Bob Uecker I think....

 

[Sig40cal]

R.I.P. Zim. A truly priceless treasure of baseball history was lost today.

 

[SINFULONE]

Was he still a coach with Rays?

 

[TNP777]

Heard Vin Scully talk about Zim for a half inning early in tonight's Doyer game. I love listening to Vin tell stories.

 

[gracecollector]

It's late and I just got the news and am very saddened by it. Zim's whole life was baseball. Although official records in early years weren't kept, it's thought that Zim recently passed Casey Stengel for most years spent IN UNIFORM (player, coach, manager) of anyone in baseball history. Zim started his professional career in 1949 and was still in uniform as a Rays' coach this year 2014. That's 65 years employeed in pro ball. Zim saw it all and fought back from two beanballs to the head that both almost killed him. Zim had recently been on kidney dialysis and in ill health. The Rays have been very classy this year, and in a recent game everyone wore his number to celebrate him. Glad they did it when they did, he saw it from his hospital room.

I think I probably have the most complete Don Zimmer card collection in the world. I could repost things here, but instead invite everyone to remember Zim, learn more about him, by checking out my website: CollectingZim I loved collecting Zim because he had items to pursue continually from the 1950's through 2010's.

Most everyone knows Don from his later years as manager of the Cubs, bench coach of the Yankees. It's hard to picture Don as a youngster, but he was a three sport star in high school (football, basketball and baseball). Here's photos from his high school yearbook...

And a picture of Zim and I when he signed that yearbook for me...

 

[u2me57]

Sad to hear about this. Bet he could tell some great old baseball stories. R.I.P. Zim

 

[Juan Gris]

I didn't hear about Zim's passing until I turned on Mike and Mike in my car driving to work and they were playing an interview with Derek Jeter after last night's game. He said they heard the news in the dugout halfway through the game. Tough stuff. RIP

That yearbook is really cool, [MENTION=1845]gracecollector[/MENTION]. What was his reaction when you presented it to him?

 

[gracecollector]

That yearbook is really cool, @<a href="http://www.freedomcardboard.com/forum/member.php?u=1845" target="_blank">gracecollector</a>. What was his reaction when you presented it to him?

He first looked at that team photo of his American Legion club that won the 1947 National Championship, and pointed out his friend Jim Frey and his brother to me. I asked him why next to his class picture his nickname was "Rats." I had never heard anyone call him that before. He said it was because he lived in a house along the Cincinnati River, and his buddies called him the "River Rat," or "Rats" for short. He started thumbing through the student section, stopped on a page, and got a big smile. He turned the book around, pointed to a girl's photo, and said "There she is, the prettiest girl in the whole school." He was pointing to his future wife, Jean, whom he'd marry on a minor league diamond in 1951 and spend the rest of his life. She was the love of his life.