Longtime pitcher and former San Francisco Giants coach Roger Craig died Sunday, the Giants announced.
He was 93 years old.
“We have lost a legendary member of our Giants family,” Giants president Larry Baer said in a statement. “Roger was loved by the players, coaches, reception staff and fans. He was a father figure to many and his optimism and wisdom in some of the most memorable seasons in our history. Our deepest condolences go to his wife, Carolyn, his four children, Sherri Paschelke, Roger Craig Jr., Teresa Hanvey and Vikki Dancan, his seven grandchildren, his 14 great-grandchildren as well as his extended family and friends.
Craig spent 12 seasons pitching in MLB, first for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers before short stints with the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies . He won two World Series titles with the Dodgers, first in 1955 and again in 1959, then won a third with the Cardinals in 1964.
He retired after the 1966 season with a 3.83 ERA in 368 appearances and 186 starts. He held a record of 74-98.
Craig quickly became a coach after his playing career. He was hired as the first pitching coach in San Diego Padres history in 1969. Almost a decade later, in 1978, he was named the team’s next coach.
Craig stayed in San Diego for two seasons and went 152-171. The Giants hired Craig after the 1985 season, and he quickly transformed the franchise. In his second year in San Francisco, just two years after a 100-game losing streak, Craig led the club to an NL West title, its first in 16 years. He took the Giants to the World Series in 1989, their first appearance in nearly three decades, although they were swept that year by the Oakland A’s.
Craig was fired after the 1992 season and finished with an overall record of 586-566. His 586 wins are the sixth in franchise history and the third by a manager since the team moved to San Francisco.