John McNamara, 1986 Red Sox manager, dies at 88

In this 1987 file photo, American League All-Star manager John McNamara of the Red Sox chats with National League counterpart Davey Johnson of the Mets between workouts in preparation for the upcoming All-Star Game in Oakland, Calif.BOSTON (AP) — John McNamara, who managed the Boston Red Sox to within one strike of a World Series victory in 1986 before an unprecedented collapse on the field extended the team’s championship drought into the new millennium, has died. He was 88.

McNamara died Tuesday at his home in Tennessee, his wife, Ellen, told The Associated Press. The death was unexpected and the cause was not yet known, she said.

A weak-hitting catcher who first signed with the St. Louis…