Bud Harrelson, who played shortstop on the Mets' first two World Series teams and then managed the club for parts of the next two seasons, died Wednesday at his hospice home in East Northport, Long Island. Harrelson, 79, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016.
A good fielder and no-hitter, Harrelson spent 15 years in the major leagues, winning the 1969 World Championship, which defeated the Baltimore Orioles in October of the same year, and the 1973 National League pennant, which they lost in October of the same year. He played as the starting shortstop on both championship teams. He played in seven games against the Oakland Athletics in the 2016 World Series.
His death was announced by the Mets in a new release Thursday morning.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Mets Hall of Famer Buddy Harrelson,” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a release. “He was a skilled defender and a spark plug for the 1969 Miracle Mets. The Gold Glove shortstop played 13 years at Queen's, appearing in more games at shortstop than anyone in team history. He served as third base coach for the 1986 World Champions, becoming the only person to wear the uniform on both World Series winning teams. We extend our deepest condolences to his entire family.”
Starting in 2000, Harrelson played for the Long Island Ducks of the independent league. He was their first manager, a member of their coaching staff, and was vice president and co-owner at the time of his passing.
“It's the best thing I've ever done in baseball,” he said many times.
“Bud's impact on Long Island will be felt throughout Ducks baseball for as long as we play,” Ducks owner and CEO Frank Boulton said in a Thursday news release. Stated. “He was my partner in bringing professional baseball to Long Island after a standout playing career in MLB, and he left a mark on many through his philanthropy, appearances, and kindness. He is one of a kind. He was a human being and will be greatly missed.”
Mr. Harrelson, the third base coach of the 1986 World Championship Mets team who succeeded Ray Knight when Knight scored the improbable go-ahead run in the 10th inning of Game 6, was fired in 1990. He became the manager and coached the Mets as successor to Davey Johnson. He remained with the team until the end of the 1991 season, when he was also released. When he was fired in the final week of that season, his record as Mets manager was 145-129.
Harrelson first went public with his struggle in 2018, two years after his diagnosis. However, once successful, he became active in the fight against Alzheimer's disease, raising funds and awareness for him.
“I didn’t know what it was,” he said in 2018. “I understand now.”
Of course, Harrelson never backed down from the fight. Despite his size (5-foot-11, 160 pounds), Harrelson was a vigorous competitor, perhaps best remembered for his fight with Pete Rose in Game 3 of the 1973 NLCS. At the time, Harrelson took exception to the Cincinnati left fielder's hard slide to second base. fielder. A skirmish in the swirling infield dirt at Shea Stadium led to a scuffle that cleared the benches.
“Then I made a short stop in Cincinnati. [Game 2]'' Harrelson said. “The Reds made a stupid comment that looked like I was hitting. I didn't think it was that bad. I was being a little bit self-deprecating to myself, but at the same time I was being degrading to them. Then they… I heard that he was coming after me. …I thought it was right then and there, and when he hit me after I had already thrown the ball, I got pissed. And a little game too. He just picked me up a little bit and put me down and it was all over.”
Harrelson was traded to the Phillies in 1978. Rose joined the team as a free agent the following season, and the two became friends.
“I love that player,” Harrelson told the Post in 2018. “He's a really smart player who can beat you in a lot of ways, one of the best players in the game. He autographed the photo. [of the fight] “Thank you, buddy,” he wrote. You made me famous. ” ”
Derrell McKinley Harrelson was born on D-Day, June 6, 1944, in Niles, California, and grew up near Hayward. The nickname Bud was given to him when his older brother Dwayne couldn't pronounce Derrell and started calling him his brother, which evolved into Bud. He froze.
Harrelson was a three-sport star in football, basketball, and baseball despite weighing 97 pounds. He received little interest from major league teams, and although he enrolled at San Francisco State University on a basketball scholarship, all he played was baseball. He hit .430 in 30 games.
“I played a top-notch schedule against schools like Stanford, and immediately professional scouts started rushing me,” Harrelson said nearly 50 years later. “I decided it was time to take advantage of that and try professional baseball.”
The Yankees offered him the most money, but the Cubs and Cardinals also showed interest. But the Mets were finishing their first season with a 40-120 record, and Harrelson, no dummy, felt he had a great chance at promotion. The day after Harrelson turned 19, he signed with the Mets for just over $10,000.
After several seasons in the minor leagues, he made his debut with the Mets in September 1965, but the following year he met Tom Seaver in Triple-A Jacksonville. The two Northern California natives (Seaver was from Fresno) played together for the Mets from 1968 until Seaver was traded in 1977.
“We were perfect roommates,” Harrelson writes in his book Turning Two. “Tom read all the books and I told all the stories.''
Seaver passed away in August 2020 after battling dementia.
A career .236 hitter, Harrelson was twice named to the All-Star team (1970 and 1971). He was the shortstop in a 1971 game when his National League teammates included Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Willie McCovey, Johnny Bench, and Willie Stargell. He started as a starter.
“Before the game, I went out and wandered around and picked up some ground balls from the shortstop, but I didn't take batting practice,” Harrelson wrote. “I thought no one was going to come see me lay down three bunts and hit two loopers from Sakano when all those big hitters were throwing bombs.”
After being traded from the Mets, Harrelson spent two seasons with the Phillies before finishing his playing career with the Texas Rangers in 1980. He was a manager in the Mets organization after Bobby Valentine took over as manager of the Rangers until joining Johnson's major league staff midway through the 1985 season.
Harrelson is survived by his ex-wife Kim Battaglia, who remained his primary caregiver, his children Kimberly, Jessica, Timothy, Alexandra, Cassandra and Troy Joseph, and his grandchildren.
