World Series champ Phil Garner dead at 76 after cancer battle

Phil Garner, a former MLB All-Star and World Series champion, has died, his family said on Sunday. He was 76.

Garner died Saturday after battling pancreatic cancer for more than two years, his family said.

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"Phil never lost his signature spark of life," Ty Garner, Phil’s son, said in a statement. "He was so well known for his love for baseball, which was with him until the end."

The Oakland Athletics selected Garner in the first round of the MLB Draft’s secondary phase in 1971. He was called up more than two years later, making his major league debut in September 1973.

Garner played four seasons with the A’s, earning his first All-Star selection in 1976 before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the offseason prior to the 1977 season. He was then traded to the Houston Astros in August 1981.

The versatile infielder earned two more All-Star selections while he was with the Pirates. He helped the team to a World Series title in 1979 against the Baltimore Orioles. He hit .500 in the seven-game series against Baltimore. He had four doubles and five RBI.

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"Phil Garner was a fierce competitor, a respected leader, and a cherished part of the Pirates family," Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement. "His contributions to the 1979 World Series championship team will forever be part of Pirates history. We always appreciated welcoming Phil back to Pittsburgh, and it was evident how deeply this city, this team, his teammates, and our fans meant to him.

"He will be remembered not only for the grit, passion, and heart he brought to the game, but also for the way he carried himself as a devoted family man and respected member of the baseball community."

He played part of the 1987 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and then played 15 games for the San Francisco Giants before his playing career was finished.

Garner was a lifetime .260 hitter with 109 home runs and 738 RBI.

He made his MLB managerial debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1992 and managed them until 1999. He then managed the Detroit Tigers from 2000 to 2002.

Garner had major success managing the Astros. He was their skipper from 2004 to 2007, guiding them to their first World Series appearance in 2005 – only to lose to the Chicago White Sox.

He was 985-1,054 as a manager.

"He was a very highly respected and beloved individual who was known for his caring nature, wisdom and sense of humor," the Brewers added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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