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Geoff Baker covers the Mariners for The Seattle Times. He provides daily coverage of the team throughout spring training, and during the season.

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May 1, 2008 3:28 PM

Buzzie Bavasi: 1914-2008

Posted by Geoff Baker

Sad news given us moments ago that Emil Joseph "Buzzie'' Bavasi has passed away in California after a short illness. He was 93.

Bavasi was, of course, the father of Mariners GM Bill Bavasi and patriarch of a multi-generational baseball family. Not to mention a reader of this blog. Bavasi would email myself and Larry Stone from time to time. I once had a lengthy email exchange with the longtime Brookyln and Los Angeles Dodgers GM about his years spent in my hometown of Montreal in the 1940s, where the Dodgers had their Class AAA farm club, the Royals, during the Jackie Robinson era right on through to the 1960s. Bavasi played a key role in Robinson's integration into the major leagues in 1947, after he'd played for the Royals in 1946. It was great to see a guy in his 90s, obviously an "old school'' baseball guy, working a computer as often as Bavasi did.

Bavasi's clubs won eight NL pennants and four World Series titles during his 17 years at the helm from 1951-68. He built their only championship team in Brooklyn in 1955.

Later on, he was part-owner of the San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1977 and executive vice-president of the California Angels from 1978 to 1984.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Evit, and four sons, Peter (a former Toronto Blue Jays founding president and the guy who gave Pat Gillick his first big front office job), Chris, Bob and Bill. Bill Bavasi was here in Cleveland today, but caught the first flight he could back out to California to be with his family.

I can say that Buzzie was truly proud of his son's work as a GM and fiercely loyal in standing up for him. Never discussed their relationship with Bill, but it could not have been easy trying to live up to the standard set by his father's legacy. Part of me is truly sad, today, that Buzzie will never get to see his son win that division title he was so close to in Anaheim back in 1995. And that Bill will never get to do have his father see him do it either. But as I said, the father was truly proud of his son and would say it in emails, even when he was imploring me to "go easy on him'' -- tongue half-planted in his cheek.

This game has plenty of superstars. But it's when the characters depart, the ones who have stood the test of time and helped shape the game's history, that it's time to pause and remember. He'll be missed.

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Posted by Beniitec

3:39 PM, May 01, 2008

Condolences Mr. Bavasi. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Posted by K-Man

3:40 PM, May 01, 2008

Truly sad news, entirely unexpected. My thoughts and prayers are with the Bavasi family. I'll bet Buzzie, Jackie and Branch are having a "Govenor's Cup" of heavenly brew.

Posted by Faceplant

3:41 PM, May 01, 2008

I don't know if Bill Bavasi reads this blog at all, and I know we are hard on him often. We may not agree on a lot with Bill, but when something like this happens it reminds you what is truly important in life. My condolences to Bill and his entire family.

Posted by Chris from Bothell

3:43 PM, May 01, 2008

What Faceplant said. Best wishes to Bill and his family.

Posted by Patrick from Kent

3:46 PM, May 01, 2008

My haert and prayers are with you and your family Bill! The game of baseball will miss your father dearly!

Posted by Mark in Kirkland

3:48 PM, May 01, 2008

Despite mine and others' criticism, I certainly want Bill Bavasi to succeed in Seattle. If he does it will allow us to warm up to him a bit more and appreciate having a member of Baseball Royalty in our organization.

My heartfelt condolences to the Bavasi family and the entire sports world.

Posted by Mike

3:51 PM, May 01, 2008

My heartfelt condolences to the Bavasi family.

Posted by Robert J. Green

3:57 PM, May 01, 2008

I know I'm pretty hard on our GM, too. But my thoughts & prayers are with Bill & his family.

Stay strong.

Posted by ChicoV

4:00 PM, May 01, 2008

Condolences to the Bavasi family and may Buzz rest in peace.

Posted by Adam

4:06 PM, May 01, 2008

My condolences to the Bavasi family. I'm sure it was cool for Bill to grow up with a dad in baseball, and to follow in his footsteps.

Posted by macdoubter

4:07 PM, May 01, 2008

It's not easy losing a parent. I lost one of mine in December. Take care Bill.

Posted by Mr. X

4:36 PM, May 01, 2008

My family and I will be praying for the Bavasi Family. Being able to live 94 long and fulfilling years with a loving, sucessful family is a wonderful thing.

Posted by Donovan

4:40 PM, May 01, 2008

Sadly, mortality is one of the things that unites us all. Condolences to the Bavasi family. I only hope to be as engaged with the world for as long as Buzzie was.

Posted by dx

6:18 PM, May 01, 2008

I've mostly been hard on Bill B as a GM, but NEVER as a person.

My sincerest condolences to the Bavasi family, and may Buzzie play ball with the immortals above.

Posted by mike

7:20 PM, May 01, 2008

walks are killing us. hernandez against oakland started his one bad inning with a walk. yesterday washburn started his worst inning with a walk. today jj walks one too many. anyway our pitchers have issued too many walks.

Posted by mike

7:31 PM, May 01, 2008

without the old jj we have no chance this season. cmon lowe throw a f##### strike. time to start sending some of these relievers to tacoma, maybe down there they can learn to throw strikes.

Posted by mike

7:38 PM, May 01, 2008

WTF Lowe you SUCK!!!!! our bullpen sucks. how many games have we blown with our F##%%% bullpen? how many close games have they come into and made it a blowout for the other team?

Posted by mike

7:41 PM, May 01, 2008

we should have sent lowe down and kept norton.

Posted by mike

7:44 PM, May 01, 2008

I'm tired of these white players giving up free passes and getting a free pass because they're white!!! lets get rid of them!!!

Posted by mike

8:02 PM, May 01, 2008

This is for Aaron who thought that our asian "players" not player were getting a free pass because they were asian. I know jojima has sucked this year but how can anyone say ichiro is getting a free pass. Hey Aaron if you want to know who has sucked the most or who is getting a free pass its the WHITE pitchers. Count how many games the white pitchers have blown for us already.

Posted by disgusting

8:03 PM, May 01, 2008

Mr. X,

Someone should pray for you for all of the disgusting and pathetic bath house references you have made about the Bavasi family. You are truely vile.