RIP, Jose Pagan

[lone star scribe]

Didn't see this come up in the topics, but the former Giants and Pirates World Series hero died Tuesday from Alzheimer's disease at age 76.

Orlando Cepeda described the shortstop as the best .260 hitter he ever saw. Pagan was an iron man for the Giants' pennant-winning team in 1962, when he had a career year and played in all 164 games (the Giants had to play the Dodgers in a best-of-three playoff to go to the World Series). He even finished 11th in the MVP voting that year, ahead of teammates Felipe Alou and Cepeda, who had big years themselves.

Pagan hit .368 with a home run in the seven-game series against the Yankees in '62, and in the '71 World Series drove in the winning run in Game 7 for the Pirates against the Orioles.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110608&content_id=20209152&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

We felt badly about this on Wednesday:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/84260/

 

[SockPuppet]

How many times did sportscasters pronounce his last name "Pay-gun" (like pagan god) instead of "Pay-gone" which is how I believe it was supposed to be pronounced?

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

Puh-GAHN.

 

[dooley_womack1]

PAY-gun

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

Ronald RAY-gun.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I wonder if anyone will get my post above yours.

 

[2underpar]

Only foul ball i've ever caught at a game was at a winter league game in Puerto Rico, the batter? Jose Pagan.wow, I'm old.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I wonder if anyone will get my post above yours.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"Aw, don't ask him that question ..."

"It's 3:46 a.m."

"I swear, he lives for that kind of stuff."

 

[dooley_womack1]

"The virgin Connie Swale?"

(Arched eyebrows)

 

[Baron Scicluna]

It never fails to crack me up how he introduces her that way to his mother at the restaurant.