Phillies’ Longtime Coach Dies

John Vukovich, a Phillies coach from 1988 to 2004 who also played with the team, died this morning from complications related to brain cancer. He was 59.

This story, in Paul Hagen’s very nice Daily News obit of Vuke, relates this story that is awesome because Vuke is making fun of Curt Schilling:

“One time we were playing Pittsburgh,” remembered righthander Curt Schilling, who always went over the hitters with Vukovich before his starts. “Vuke wanted me to throw Jason Kendall curve balls. So I threw him a curve first time up and he hit it out for a home run. I couldn’t wait to hear what he would say when I got back to the dugout. And he said, ‘I didn’t tell you to throw a hanging curve ball, I told you to throw him a curve ball.’”

When he coached here, I always wanted to do a fan club called “Being John Vukovich.” There’s a bunch more remembrances on this KYW 1060 page, which has quotes from every person who has ever known John Vukovich, it appears.

Longtime Phillies coach Vukovich dies [Daily News]
Longtime Phillies’ Player-Coach John Vukovich Dead at 59 [KYW 1060]

The Following Obit Headline Presented Without Comment

Thomas Caputa Sr., 84, a fan of flea markets [Bucks County Courier Times]