PHOENIX — Joe Garagiola, who turned a modest major league catching career into a 57-year run as a popular broadcaster in the sports world and beyond, died today. He was 90.
The Arizona Diamondbacks announced his death before their exhibition game against San Francisco, and there were murmurs of shock and sadness at the ballpark. Mr. Garagiola had been in ill health in recent years.
Growing up in the Hill neighborhood of St. Louis not far from future Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, Mr. Garagiola went on to hit .257 during nine years in the majors. His highlight came early, getting a four-hit game in the 1946 World Series and helping the hometown Cardinals win the championship as a 20-year-old rookie.