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Ex-Yankees World Series title-winning GM Bob Watson dead at 74
Former Yankees player and general manager Bob Watson died at the age of 74 in his Houston home on Thursday night after a long battle with kidney disease, according to the Astros. Watson was the Yankees general manager from 1995-1998, a tenure which included leading the Bombers to a World Series title in 1996, their …
Former Yankees player and general manager Bob Watson died at the age of 74 in his Houston home on Thursday night after a long battle with kidney disease, according to the Astros.
Watson was the Yankees general manager from 1995-1998, a tenure which included leading the Bombers to a World Series title in 1996, their first championship since 1978. He also played for the Bombers for three seasons from 1980-82.
Watson was primarily a first baseman and left fielder throughout his 19-year major league career which began in 1969, including the first 14 with the Astros.
The two-time All-Star, who retired in 1984, also posted solid offensive numbers during his career. Watson, who played for the Braves in his final three seasons, was a career .295 hitter with 184 homers and 989 RBIs. He also banged out 1,826 hits.
Watson also was a clutch postseason performer, hitting .371 in 17 career postseason games. With the Astros, he hit .297 with 139 homers and 782 RBIs.
After he retired, 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. Watson, whose career in baseball spanned more than six decades, was named general manager of the Astros in 1993, becoming the first African-American to hold the title of GM in the major leagues.
“This is a very sad day for the Astros and for all of baseball, the Astros said in a statement. “Bob Watson enjoyed a unique and remarkable career in Major League Baseball that spanned six decades, reaching success at many different levels, including as a player, coach, general manager and MLB executive.”
Watson later worked for Major League Baseball as the vice president overseeing discipline and rules and on-field operations before retiring in 2010.
He is survived by his wife, Carol, his daughter Kelley and his son, Keith.
