Don Baylor Is Dead

Sometimes you just assume certain people will live forever.  For me, that was Don Baylor.

I was saddened today to learn of Baylor’s passing.  He was one of the good ones when it came to him on the Yankees and in baseball in general. Everyone liked him. I always liked him.  Today, Don Baylor is dead.

The New York Daily News writes this:

“Strong, tough, honest, kind.

Don Baylor, who finally surrendered Monday to the bone cancer that came back to plague him in 2014, 11 years after he was first diagnosed with it, was the rare combination of all those attributes. There wasn’t a stronger man in all of baseball in the 45 years he graced the game as a premier slugger, manager and respected batting coach. Nor was there a tougher competitor, or a more honest and kinder person with the media.

Baylor’s death came a day after longtime Phillies All-Star catcher Darren Daulton also succumbed from a long battle with brain cancer.”

It’s true. Another pro passed away. That’s right, Darren Daulton… ‘Dutch’. A tough Phillies player and another piece of my childhood gone.  Crazy.

My favorite quote about Baylor though, comes from Stick Michael who said this of Don:

“This was back in the ‘70s when I was with the Yankees and Donny was with the Orioles. I was playing second base instead of shortstop when the ball was hit to (Graig) Nettles at third, who bobbled it, prompting a late throw to me. Here was Baylor barreling down on me and he slid right through me! I turned around he was about three feet past the bag but the umpire called him safe. So I took after him and tagged him out, only to have Donny grab my arm like a vice. He later said he thought I was coming after him to fight him, but I never felt a grip so strong.”

Everything I always heard about Baylor was he was strong as nails, but the nicest guy you’d ever meet.

It’s a bad day all together.  It’s pouring in the Northeast, my workday stunk on ice, and a great baseball player and New York Yankee has died.

Rest in Peace old friend.  Thanks for being part of my childhood.