Former Giant Dusty Rhodes dead at 82

[Kadie]

Former Giant Dusty Rhodes dead at 82

Thursday, June 18, 2009

(06-18) 10:26 PDT LAS VEGAS (AP) --

Dusty Rhodes, who helped the Giants win their last World Series title in 1954, has died. He was 82.

Rhodes died Wednesday of cardiopulmonary arrest at Valley Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas, the Clark County coroner's office said Thursday. He lived in Henderson.

Rhodes had heart trouble and was on the way to his doctor for a checkup, according to Frank Turco, a cousin of Rhodes' wife, Gloria.

Born James Lamar Rhodes in Mathews, Ala., Rhodes played with the New York Giants from 1952-57, then appeared in 54 games for the San Francisco Giants in 1959. He had a .253 career average, 54 homers and 207 RBIs.

"He didn't miss a beat in life. He had good times. He liked to live," Turco said. "And the results of those things take a toll on you. But he was a happy guy until the day he died."

Rhodes was 4 for 6 with two home runs in the 1954 World Series, when the Giants swept the Cleveland Indians.

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/18/sports/s100146D13.DTL&tsp=1

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Doesn't being dead sort of imply "former?"

[brendan120678]

2. I guess, but...

he was a "former Giant" for the past 50 years as well.

[zbdent]

3. For a moment there, I thought Virgil Runnels

had ballooned in weight ...

[Oeditpus Rex]

4. Aw, man

Dusty was a character. He had a friend from the Navy he called Ack-Ack and said the two of them once lost their ship in Shanghai. He broke up audiences on the '54 winter banquet trail with a story about a game in which Leo Durocher sent him to left field to replace Monte Irvin "for late-inning defense." (Dusty wasn't made to wear a glove, and he knew it and joked about it.)

I'm sure Willie Mays, among others, is sad today. :(





Mays and Rhodes after game 1 of the 1954 World Series.
Rhodes hit a three-run homer off Cleveland's Bob Lemon
in the 10th inning to win it for the Giants.

[Kingofalldems]

5. I had a baseball card of him back then

RIP Dusty.

[El Supremo]

6. He was Topps No. 1 in 1955. >>

[ProfessorGAC]

7. He Was Quite The Character

Had he played in the 70's or 80's he would have been a superstar, just on the force of his personality, quirkiness, and interviews.

He was a cool guy.

RIP, Dusty.
GAC