Former Baseball MVP Don Baylor Dies At Age 68

Don Baylor

Former baseball great Don Baylor has died at the age of 68 of cancer.  He passed away at Saint David's South Hospital overnight in Austin, Texas after a 14-year-battle with multiple myeloma .  Baylor played 19 season in the major leagues and was the 1979 American League MVP when he played for the California Angels.  He also won a World Series title with the Minnesota Twins in 1987.  After retiring as a player, Baylor served as the manager of the Colorado Rockies for their inaugural season in 1993.  He was the team's skipper for six seasons, leading the Rockies to their first-ever postseason appearance in 1995.  Baylor also managed the Chicago Cubs for three seasons, starting 2000.  

Born in Austin, Baylor graduated from Austin High School. After being one of three African-Americans to integrate Texas public schools when he was in junior high school, Baylor starred in baseball and football at Austin High, where he was the first African-American to play athletics, and was offered a scholarship to play football at The University of Texas by Longhorns coach Darrell Royal, which would have made him the first African American to play football at Texas. He opted to pursue a baseball career, enrolling at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas.

He is survived by his wife, his son and two granddaughters.

Photo: Getty Images



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