[rad_1205]

Very sad news... We lost another baseball icon!

[DrMitchJ]

Just heard about Zim's passing. Very sad, indeed! The guy ate, slept and breathed baseball. He was there for most of the Yankees' successful years ... and his presence was probably the reason for most of their success. He'll be missed!

[zeprock]

Very sad news. The man never worked a day outside of baseball and was married on home plate.

I met him once.

In 1979, at age 19, I drove from Bangor, Maine to Winter Haven, Florida to see the Sox in spring training. George Scott hit a home run during the game and I outran everyone to get the ball. I hung around the clubhouse after the game for about two hours hoping to get someone's autograph. Lot's of future HOFers and stars on that team. Fisk, Rice, Yaz, Eckersley, Lynn and Evans all slipped out a side door, piled into a couple of waiting vehicles and laid rubber peeling out of the parking lot. Eventually George Scott came out and I asked him to sign and he said he wouldn't. I even told him it was the ball he'd hit for a home run and he brushed by me and said he didn't have time for that. I'd driven nearly 1400 miles and then waited about 5 hours through the game and afterward and was extremely disappointed in not getting an auto. Don Zimmer came out last and signed for the few of us still waiting and in hindsight, I guess I'd rather have Zimmer's auto than George Scott's.

[iconms]

Very sad news. The man never worked a day outside of baseball and was married on home plate.

I met him once.

In 1979, at age 19, I drove from Bangor, Maine to Winter Haven, Florida to see the Sox in spring training. George Scott hit a home run during the game and I outran everyone to get the ball. I hung around the clubhouse after the game for about two hours hoping to get someone's autograph. Lot's of future HOFers and stars on that team. Fisk, Rice, Yaz, Eckersley, Lynn and Evans all slipped out a side door, piled into a couple of waiting vehicles and laid rubber peeling out of the parking lot. Eventually George Scott came out and I asked him to sign and he said he wouldn't. I even told him it was the ball he'd hit for a home run and he brushed by me and said he didn't have time for that. I'd driven nearly 1400 miles and then waited about 5 hours through the game and afterward and was extremely disappointed in not getting an auto. Don Zimmer came out last and signed for the few of us still waiting and in hindsight, I guess I'd rather have Zimmer's auto than George Scott's.

Great story

Loved Zim, he will be missed!

[glassnickels]

Zimmer's Cubs teams were the reason I am a Cubs fan. When I moved to New York, there he was again with the Yankees. His love for the game was infectious. He will truly be missed.

I picked this up at a card show some time back. His first team: the Brooklyn Dodgers.

[bwackerlin]

Sad, sad day for me. I've collected Zim for several years, and probably have the most complete Don Zimmer collection of anyone. I first got to know Zim as manager of the 1988 Cubs, a team I loved dearly. Then, when you find out all the amazing facts of his life, he had a charmed career. He was employed in professional baseball from 1949 thru 2014, 65 consecutive years, which is most likely a record for being in uniform, passing Casey Stengel, although official records weren't kept.

I loved collecting Zim because he had cards from all those years. From his first card playing in Cuba winter leagues during his minor league days...



to his Dodger's rookie...


stops with Cubs, Mets, Reds and Senators...


a year in the Japanese League in 1966...


on to minor league Manager stops and then coaching, and finally big league manager in 1972 for the Padres...


Manager spots with Red Sox, Rangers and Cubs


His successful run as Joe Torre's bench coach in New York


And finally his role as an advisor to his hometown Tampa Bay Rays...


What a life he led! He shook hands with Babe Ruth, played with Jackie Robinson, won two world series rings as a player and four as a coach, played in Don Larsen's perfect game, coached third base when Carlton Fisk hit his WS homer, started the George Brett Pine Tar incident, and hundreds of other memorable moments.

I invite you all to remember Don by visiting my website today and learning more about this amazing baseball man. Collecting Zim

Here's Zim and I when he signed his 1948 High School Yearbook for me...

[dunnere]

I invite you all to remember Don by visiting my website today and learning more about this amazing baseball man. Collecting Zim

What a great post, and a cool website. I'm jealous that you have such a passion for Zim's life...awesome dedication.

My condolences to the family and friends of Don Zimmer...

[zeprock]

I invite you all to remember Don by visiting my website today and learning more about this amazing baseball man. Collecting Zim

Very nice site. I think I will head to my local library and pick up his books if they have them.

[y0gibear8]

So hard to find Zimmer card in a Yankees uniform & U have it all.