Braves special assistant Jim Fregosi, a former All-Star shortstop and manager known for his gregarious personality and baseball accumen, died early Friday in a Miami hospital after suffering multiple strokes four days earlier.
Fregosi, 71, was taken off life support night and sedated Thursday at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was flown to Miami from Grand Cayman on Wednesday, after falling ill Sunday during a major league baseball alumni cruise from the Cayman Islands. Doctors had kept him in a Grand Cayman hospital for a few days to stabilize his condition.
Fregosi died at 2:36 a.m. with his family by his side, son, Jim Fregosi Jr., told MLB.com’s Tracy Ringolsby.
After an 18-year playing career that included six All-Star seasons with the Angels, Fregosi managed parts of 15 seasons in the majors and had a 1,028-1,094 record with the Angels, White Sox, Phillies and Blue Jays. He guided the Phillies to a 97-65 record and 1993 World Series berth after rallying from a 2-1 deficit to beat the Braves in three straight in the National League Championship Series.
Fregosi’s outsized personality and sense of humor made him a perfect fit for that colorful “Macho Row” Philadelphia team that featured catcher Darren Daulton, first baseman John Kruk, center fielder Lenny Dykstra and pitchers Curt Schilling and closer Mitch Williams.
James Luis Fregosi was born April 4, 1942, in San Francisco, and raised in nearby San Mateo, where he was a four-sport high school star in football, basketball, baseball and track. He received multiple college football scholarship offers but opted to sign with the Red Sox for a $20,000 bonus.
After his first full minor league season, Fregosi was selected by Los Angeles Angels with the 31st pick in the 1960 expansion draft. He became the franchise’s first star for is still regarded as one of the Angels’ all-time best players.
Fregosi was a .265 career hitter with 78 triples, 151 homers and 706 RBIs in 1,902 games, including a league-leading 13 triples in 1968 and career-highs of 22 homers and 82 RBIs in 1970 – serious power numbers at the time for a middle infielder.
The full version of this story can be found on MyAJC.com.
