The Arizona Diamondbacks have announced the passing of former MLB player and broadcaster Joe Garagiola on Wednesday. The 90-year-old's cause of death remains unclear.
Garagiola, who is a Hall of Fame broadcaster and the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, was also an MLB catcher for nine seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and New York Giants before retiring after the 1954 season. He won a World Series with the Cardinals in 1946 as a 20-year-old rookie and batted .316 with four RBI in the five games he appeared in.
But it wasn't until after his baseball career that he really became a household name.
Garagiola spent 58 years in broadcasting before retiring in 2013 and being awarded the 2014 Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award. He spent six years alongside legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully as the two called the "Game of the Week," All-Star Game and World Series each season.
Those six years with Scully fell under a 30-year relationship with NBC during which he also worked with Curt Gowdy and Bob Wolff. He also served as a panelist on the Today Show and was a regular on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
The baseball legend leaves behind his wife Audrie, his children Steve, Gina and Joe Jr. as well as his eight grandchildren.
His son Joe Jr. also served as the general manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 1997-2005 and the team also hired Garagiola to serve as the team's part-time broadcaster from 1998-2012, which was his final stint in the business.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of this amazing man who was not just beloved by those of us in his family, but to generations of baseball fans who he impacted during his eight decades in the game," his family said in a statement. "Joe loved the game and passed that love onto family, his friends, his teammates, his listeners and everyone he came across as a player and broadcaster. His impact on the game, both on and off the field, will forever be felt."
