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Newsweek
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Former Orioles, Twins Pitcher, Cincinnati Native, Dies Unexpectedly at 54
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Scott Klingenbeck, a pitcher who appeared in 39 games for the Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins and Cincinnati Reds over parts of four major league seasons, died unexpectedly on May 20. He was 54. Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Scott Klingenbeck, sadly, who passed away Monday evening. Scott was a good friend, mentor and coach to many throughout his life. He was a multi-sport athlete (Baseball/Basketball) at Elder/Oak Hills, and experienced much success… — Oak Hills Boys Bball (@OakHillsMBB) May 21, 2025 The Cincinnati native also spent time in the Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations across nine professional seasons (1992-99). More news: Former Cubs, Braves, Indians Pitcher Passes Away Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati posted a heartfelt message in response to Klingenbeck's passing on its Facebook page Wednesday: "The Oak Hills Athletic Department is deeply saddened by the passing of 1989 alumnus Scott Klingenbeck. Scott was a proud Highlander whose legacy and spirit will always be remembered. Our thoughts andprayers are with his family, friends and all who knew and loved him during this difficult time." Klingenbeck was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles out of Ohio State in the fifth round of the 1992 MLB Draft. He debuted a mere two years later, as a replacement for injured starter Ben McDonald. Pitcher Scott Klingenbeck of the Texas Rangers in action during a spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at the Joker Merchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida on March 2, 1998. Pitcher Scott Klingenbeck of the Texas Rangers in action during a spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at the Joker Merchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida on March 2, 1998. Rick Stewart /Allspo Klingenbeck was the winning pitcher in the Orioles' win over the Detroit Tigers on June 2, 1994. But he had yet to make a name for himself — the Associated Press recap of the game story identified him as "Klingenbecker." More news: World Series Champion Pitcher, Coach, Dies at 60 McDonald returned to the O's rotation, and Klingenbeck returned to the minor leagues, after that game. After making six more major league appearances in 1995, Klingenbeck was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Scott Erickson, with the Twins in the midst of a long rebuild. Klingenbeck would make 28 appearances for the Twins over the 1995 and 1996 seasons, going 1-3 with an 8.30 ERA. More news: Former MLB Outfielder, World Series Series Champion, Dies From Brain Injury In April 1997, Klingenbeck was sent to the Cincinnati Reds as part of a conditional deal with the Twins. But Klingenbeck's first chance to pitch for his hometown team would have to wait. He spent all of 1997 (and most of 1998) in the minor leagues. Klingenbeck went 12-8 with a 3.96 ERA for Triple-A Indianapolis in 1997, and was 6-2 with a 2.86 ERA for the Reds' top farm team in 1998, when he got the call-up. More news: Two-Time American League All-Star Infielder Passes Away Klingenbeck went 1-3 with a 5.96 ERA in four starts for the Reds in June 1998. After the fourth game, he was outrighted to Triple-A and elected free agency. "I'm sad that I'm leaving," Klingenbeck told the Associated Press, after asking teammates to sign autographs for him in the Reds' clubhouse. "This is where I grew up. Now I've got to go on and at least get somewhere by the time the second half (of the season) starts and get back to the big leagues as quick as I can." More news: Three-Time American League All-Star, World Series Champion, Passes Away Although Klingenbeck needed only 12 days after his release to sign with the Pirates, he was not called up to the big leagues in Pittsburgh. In his final professional season, 1999, Klingenbeck went 4-4 with a 4.82 ERA at Indianapolis. Klingenbeck was active in local charities in Cincinnati following his retirement, including the David Iery Foundation, and coached youth baseball. More news: Hall of Fame Coach, Influential Mentor to Two MLB General Managers, Dies Klingenbeck is survived by his mother, three siblings, six nieces and nephews and four great-nieces and nephews. His nephews Kory and Kyle both play baseball collegiately. For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
World Series Champion Pitcher, Coach, Dies at 60
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Rod Nichols, who earned World Series rings as both a player and a coach, passed away on May 14. He was 60. Nichols spent the majority of his seven MLB seasons with the Cleveland Indians, who drafted him out of the University of New Mexico in the fifth round of the 1985 draft. More news: Former Cubs, Braves, Indians Pitcher Passes Away A native of Burlington, Iowa, Nichols played baseball at Albuquerque's Highland High School before starring at UNM. He was signed by scout Eddie Bane, who as the Angels' scouting director in 2009 would select high school outfielder Mike Trout. Objectively, Rod Nichols was one of the best prep base players to come out of ABQ in the last half century. 1982 Highland graduate. — James Yodice (@JamesDYodice) May 21, 2025 Nichols saw action in parts of four minor league seasons (1985-88) while climbing Cleveland's organizational ladder. He made his major league debut in Cleveland, starting on July 30, 1988 against the Minnesota Twins. A detail view of a hat and gloves during the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 29, 2013 in Atlanta. A detail view of a hat and gloves during the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 29, 2013 in Atlanta. Pouya Dianat/That was the first of Nichols' 91 games (48 starts) in an Indians uniform over the next five seasons (1988-92). In 1991, Nichols earned both a shutout win and a save in the same season, something no Cleveland pitcher would do again until 2014 (Carlos Carrasco). Nichols went 11-30 with a 4.39 ERA (93 ERA+) for Cleveland, and would make only nine major league appearances afterward. More news: Former MLB Outfielder, World Series Series Champion, Dies From Brain Injury A free agent for the first time, Nichols signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in January 1993. In his lone season in Los Angeles, Nichols appeared in four games out of the Dodgers' bullpen, going 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA. He also made 21 starts for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate. Nichols went 8-5 with a 4.30 ERA in his only season pitching for his hometown Albuquerque Dukes — the same team for whom he once served as a batboy. More news: Two-Time American League All-Star Infielder Passes Away Nichols signed with the Kansas City Royals for 1994 and went 5-10 with a 5.64 ERA for their Triple-A affiliate. He did not appear in the major leagues during the strike-shortened season. When the players' strike lifted in February 1995, Nichols signed with the Atlanta Braves. Although he spent most of the season in Triple-A, Nichols appeared in five games out of the Braves' bullpen in August of that year. After the Braves went on to defeat the Indians in the World Series, Nichols received his first championship ring. More news: Three-Time American League All-Star, World Series Champion, Passes Away That also marked the end of Nichols' major league playing career. He spent all of 1996 in Triple-A, and signed in Japan for the 1997 season. He made only three appearances for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks under legendary manager Sadaharu Oh. In 2000, Nichols took his first coaching job as a pitching coach with the Philadelphia Phillies' Class-A affiliate. Nichols spent another 12 seasons coaching at various minor league levels before he was named the Phillies' bullpen coach in 2013. He picked up another World Series ring when the Phillies won the championship in 2008. More news: Hall of Fame Coach, Influential Mentor to Two MLB General Managers, Dies After three seasons in Philadelphia, Nichols returned to Triple-A as the Iowa Cubs' pitching coach in 2016, a job he held through the 2019 season. The Cubs' 2016 championship afforded Nichols the third ring of his career. A member of the The New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame, Nichols is survived by his wife, Sharon, their three children, and one grandchild. For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Ex-MLB Pitcher's Murder Trial Pauses After 'Shocking' Crime Scene Testimony
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Testimony is underway in the murder trial of former major league pitcher Dan Serafini, with the prosecution providing graphic evidence from the scene of the crime. Serafini, 51, is accused of shooting Gary Spohr and his wife, Wendy Wood, in their Lake Tahoe-area home on June 5, 2021. He has been present in the Auburn, California courthouse for the first two days of the trial, which paused Wednesday. More news: Jury Selection Begins in Murder Trial of Former MLB Pitcher On Monday, Placer County Deputy District Attorney Richard Miller and Serafini's defense attorney, David Dratman, made their opening statements. Dan Serafini #29 of the Colorado Rockies delivers the pitch during the game against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on September 5, 2007 in Denver. Dan Serafini #29 of the Colorado Rockies delivers the pitch during the game against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on September 5, 2007 in to Sacramento television station KCRA, jurors heard audio of the 9-1-1 call placed by Wood, saw bloody crime scene photos, and heard testimony from Capt. Gary Nelson with the North Tahoe Fire Protection District on Tuesday. Nelson testified that the Homewood, California scene of the shootings was "shocking," per KCRA's Jonathan Ayestas. More news: Former Red Sox Pitcher's Cause of Death Revealed: Report From 1996-2007, Serafini pitched for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Cincinnati Reds. His MLB career effectively ended when he was suspended 50 games in November 2007 for failing a performance-enhancing drug test. As a major leaguer, Serafini went 15-16 with a 6.04 ERA (76 ERA+) in 104 career games (33 starts). He went 9-6 with a 5.88 ERA with the Twins from 1996-98, his longest tenure with any one organization. More news: Two-Time American League All-Star Infielder Passes Away Serafini retired after pitching four games as a 39-year-old in the Mexican League in 2013. He struggled financially in the years that followed his playing career. Serafini was featured in an episode of "Bar Rescue" that aired in 2015, which pulled back the curtain on one of his failed investments. More news: Three-Time American League All-Star, World Series Champion, Passes Away Days after the June 2021 shooting in Homewood, investigators uncovered a surveillance video from the Spohrs' home showing a man wearing a hoodie approaching the residence hours before the shooting. Detectives later identified the man as Serafini, who was arrested in 2023. More news: Former MLB Outfielder, World Series Series Champion, Dies From Brain Injury Dratman argued the hooded man in the surveillance video is not Serafini, according to The plausibility of this argument figures to be a key component in the outcome of the trial. Soon enough, Serafini's fate will rest in the hands of the Placer County jurors. According to KCRA, testimony is expected to resume Thursday. For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Former Cubs, Braves, Indians Pitcher Passes Away
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Jack Curtis' baseball career was not long or illustrious enough to land him in the Hall of Fame, but in parts of three major league seasons he took the field with some of the game's all-time greats. Curtis, who died last week at age 88, made his big league debut as the starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs on April 22, 1961. The left-hander got all the run support he needed that day thanks in part to a middle of the batting order featuring Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Ernie Banks — all future Hall of Famers. More news: Former MLB Outfielder, World Series Series Champion, Dies From Brain Injury When he pitched his final game, a relief appearance for the Cleveland Indians on May 1, 1963, Curtis was followed out of the bullpen by two-time All-Star Mudcat Grant and three-time All-Star Jim Perry. A detailed view of a Chicago Cubs hat and a baseball glove during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park on April 7, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A detailed view of a Chicago Cubs hat and a baseball glove during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park on April 7, 2017 in Milwaukee, between his brief stints in Chicago and Cleveland, Curtis teamed up with Warren Spahn, Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Joe Torre, and Bob Uecker on the 1962 Milwaukee Braves. More news: Hall of Fame Coach, Influential Mentor to Two MLB General Managers, Dies Along the way, Curtis racked up 69 major league appearances, including 35 starts, going 14-19 with a 4.84 ERA. A native of North Carolina, Curtis signed his first professional contract with the Cubs after graduating from Granite Falls (N.C.) High School in 1956. He spent five full seasons rising the minor league ranks, culminating in an outstanding 1960 season at Double-A San Antonio. More news: Three-Time American League All-Star, World Series Champion, Passes Away That year, Curtis went 19-8 with a 3.57 ERA and 19 complete games. He was named a Texas League All-Star, pitcher of the year, and subsequently earned a spot in the Cubs' rotation to begin the 1961 season. Although he went 10-13 with a subpar 4.89 ERA (85 ERA+), Curtis finished third in 1961 National League Rookie of the Year voting. He also was named to the NL All-Star team as a batting practice pitcher. More news: Former Red Sox Pitcher's Cause of Death Revealed: Report Curtis made only four appearances for the Cubs in 1962, going 0-2, before he was traded to the Braves for veteran Bob Buhl less than a month into the season. In his only year in Milwaukee, Curtis went 4-4 with a 4.16 ERA in 30 games (five starts). Milwaukee traded Curtis again after the season in a five-player swap with Cleveland. Curtis' career in Cleveland lasted only four games, and he was cut with an 18.00 ERA (10 earned runs in five innings). More news: Two-Time American League All-Star Infielder Passes Away Although his major league career ended there, Curtis' time in professional baseball was far from over. He spent the remainder of the 1963 season, and all of 1964, with the Indians' Triple-A affiliate. From 1965-67, Curtis played in the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins' organizations without seeing action in any major league games. More news: Decorated Two-Time Super Bowl Champion, MLB Outfielder Dies at 84 After his playing career ended, Curtis worked for Regal Manufacturing in Hickory, N.C. as a production manager. He coached youth baseball and basketball in his home town, and was inducted into the Caldwell County Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. Curtis is survived by his sons, Rick and Chris, five grandchildren, and his sister Sandra. For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
