Bill “Moose” Skowron Passes Away at 81 from Congestive Heart Failure
April 27, 2012 · Kenny DeJohn · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Bill “Moose” Skowron, a Yankee fan favorite and constant in the great Yankee teams of the 1950s and ’60s, passed away early Friday morning.
He had been battling lung cancer for several years, and unfortunately passed due to congestive heart failure. He was 81 years old.
A five-time All-Star, Skowron was a hulking first baseman that played with several Yankee legends. One such legend was Mickey Mantle.
Skowron was a favorite at Old Timer’s Days, and there will be a gaping hole when this year’s event rolls around.
He was a five-time World Series Champion with the Yankees and Dodgers and remains the only player in baseball history to homer for one team in a World Series and then homer against that team in the following World Series.
That accomplishment came in 1963 with the Dodgers.
In 1,087 games as a Yankee, Skowron hit .294/.346/.496 with 165 home runs.
His World Series numbers show his true value. In 39 games over eight series, he compiled a .293 average with eight home runs and 39 RBI.
Skowron always had a powerful bat, but never played the outfield very well. So, the Yankees attempted to move him to first base.
With legends Johnny Mize and Joe Collins (both Hall of Famers) entrenched there at the time, the Yankees sent Skowron down to the minors to work on his footwork.
To do so, they enrolled him in the Fred Astaire dance school.
It turned out to be a good decision, as he was a consistent threat from 1955-1962 with the team.
Rest in peace, “Moose,” you will be truly missed.
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