BOB WATSON PASSED AWAY

Sad story, but one that needs to be reported because this guy was so instrumental in not only baseball, but with the New York Yankees as their General Manager.  Bob Watson has passed away at the age of 74.

ABC 13 writes:

"Bob Watson, a two-time All-Star as a player who later became the first black general manager to win a World Series with the New York Yankees in 1996, has died. He was 74.

The Houston Astros, for whom Watson played his first 14 major league seasons, announced the death Thursday night. Watson died from kidney disease, according to his son."

And the Associated Press writes after his days as a player:

"After retiring from playing, Watson began coaching and helped the 1988 Oakland Athletics win the American League pennant as the hitting coach for the likes of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. He became the second black general manager in major league history — after Atlanta’s Bill Lucas (1976-79) — when he was hired by the Astros in 1993. 

Watson became the Yankees’ GM in 1995, and made the then-highly criticized decision to hire Joe Torre as New York’s manager. Watson, along with Torre leading the team on the field, helped put together the World Series-winning squad in 1996. 

He retired from the Yankees after the 1997 season, and Brian Cashman replaced him as New York’s GM. Watson later served as Major League Baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline and vice president of rules and on-field operations and worked in the league offices until 2010."

Very impressive man.  May he rest in peace. Prayers to his family.