Tony Taylor, Phillies All-Star, Dead at 84

Tony Taylor, a former infielder and coach for the Philadelphia Phillies, died on Thursday. He was 84. According to the Phillies, Taylor died from complications from a stroke he suffered last year. He was named an All-Star in 1960 and to the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2002.

“The Player community is attended by the loss of Tony Taylor, a dynamic infielder and popular teammate who spent 15 of his 19 major league seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies,” the Major League Baseball Players Association said in a statement. The MLBPA extends its sympathies to Tony’s family, friends and his many fans in Philadelphia and his native Cuba.” Taylor also spent time as a coach for the Phillies from 1977 to 1979 and again from 1988 to 1989. Taylor was also a coach for the Florida Marlins from 1999 to 2001, and again in 2004.

“Tony was undeniably one of the most popular Phillies of his or any generation,” Phillies managing partner John Middleton said in a statement. “His baseball talent was second only to his warm and engaging personality, as he would always make time to talk with fans when he would visit Philadelphia for Alumni Weekend … On behalf of Leigh and myself and the entire Phillies organization, we send out deepest condolences to Clara and all of Tony’s family and friends.”

Taylor is arguably one of the best players in Phillies history. In his 15 seasons with the club, Taylor, who was known as “TT,” batted .261 with 219 doubles, 63 triples, 51 home runs, 461 RBIs, 737 runs, 169 stolen bases and .322 on-base percentage in 1,669 games. He is only one of 12 players to record 1,5000 hits as a Phillie. He ranks among the top five players in games and seventh in at-bats (5,799). Taylor also recorded 54 pinch hits, which ranks second all-time in team history.

Taylor started his baseball career with the Chicago Cubs in 1958 until he was traded to the Phillies in 1960. He was traded to the Detroit Tigers 1971 but returned to the Phillies in 1976. He finished his baseball playing career after the 1976 season. For his entire career in MLB, Taylor recorded 2,007 hits 75 home runs, and 598 RBIs with a .261 batting average. He was inducted into the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.