Former San Diego Padres catcher Chris Cannizzaro—who was the organization's first All-Star in the 1969 season—died Thursday night, according to Kirk Kenney of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
He had lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
"He taught me a lot about pitching and how to be a professional baseball player," pitcher Randy Jones, Cannizzaro's former teammate, told Kenney. "He was hard-nosed, old-school. He fit me perfectly, to tell you the truth."
Jones added:
He wasn’t afraid to take charge. Like young (pitchers) could be stubborn, might say, ‘My curveball’s my best pitch.