The Pittsburgh Pirates family got some bad news, when it was announced that former Bucs outfielder/first baseman/coach and World Series champion Bob Skinner died at age 94 in San Diego. The cause was not released, but when you make it to 94, it could be just about anything.
Skinner spent 12 years in the MLB, including 9 seasons with the Pirates as well as spending time with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. He also spent some time later in his career as a manager with the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies.
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Skinner was a two-time All-Star who hit .277 for his career. He was never a big power guy, with his most homers in a year sitting at 20, but he did have four seasons in which he hit over .300.
He played with the Bucs in 1960 World Series, but he got hurt in Game 1 and only returned in Game 7, where he scored a late run to help lift the Bucs to the huge upset over the New York Yankees. He also won a World Series with the 1964 Cardinals, who also beat the Yankees for the title.
Skinner played until 1966 and then started managing the Phillies in 1968, but had a losing record in 1968 and 1969. He later became a hitting coach for the Pirates and was part of the 1979 World Series winners.
Pirates owner Bob Butting had this to say about the former Pirates star:
“Bob was an important part of one of the most beloved teams in our storied history and helped deliver a moment that will forever be woven into the fabric of our city. Bob was a talented player, a proud Pirate and a respected member of the baseball community.”
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