Tony Phillips, a veteran infielder and outfielder whose final defensive play sealed the Oakland Athletics’ sweep the San Francisco Giants in 1989 in a World Series that was interrupted for 11 days by a powerful earthquake, died on Wednesday in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 56.
The cause was apparently a heart attack, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.
In an 18-year major league career, Phillips spent half of it with the A’s and experienced World Series glory with them when he scooped up a ground ball hit by Brett Butler and tossed it to pitcher Dennis Eckersley at first base to complete a four-game sweep of the Giants — the first Series sweep since the Cincinnati Reds swept the Yankees in 1976.