Ken Brett dies

[DieHardCubbie]

Brett, 55, suffered from brain cancer
Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Ken Brett, brother of Hall of Famer George Brett and the youngest World Series pitcher in history, died after a long battle with brain cancer. He was 55.

Brett, who died Tuesday night, was part-owner of the Spokane Indians minor league baseball team and Spokane Chiefs hockey team. The teams confirmed his death Wednesday.

Brett pitched 14 years in the major leagues, going 83-85 with a 3.93 ERA. He also hit .262 with 10 homers.

He set a record for pitchers by homering in four straight starts for the Phillies in 1973, and he was the winning pitcher in the 1974 All-Star Game while playing for Pittsburgh.

Brett was 19 years, 1 month when he pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the Boston Red Sox in the 1967 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"He had a lot of poise," said former Red Sox shortstop and teammate Rico Petrocelli. "I remember that he was a lot like his brother. He had that great sense of humor.

"He was very mature for his age and very well-liked."

The team's surprising success that season is known as the "Impossible Dream" in Boston, where fans kindled a love affair with the team that hasn't abated since.

"He fit into the clubhouse perfectly," Petrocelli said. "We were young and everybody could take things lightly. We didn't take losses really to heart. We just played as hard as we could, and that was it."

A left-hander, Brett tied the modern record for playing with the most teams: 10, including Milwaukee, Philadelphia, the New York Yankees, the Chicago White Sox, California, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Kansas City, where he and George were teammates, before retiring in 1981. He shared the record with Bob Miller and Mike Morgan.

He won a high of 13 games three times in his career, with Philadelphia in 1973, Pittsburgh in 1974 and the White Sox and Angels in 1977.

Brett later served as a broadcaster for the Angels and Seattle Mariners.

"He was valued highly as a member of our teams and even more highly as a friend," the Kansas City Royals said in a statement. "We wish to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and want them to knew Ken will always hold a special place in our hearts and our memories."

Sad....He was truely a good guy for baseball......

[Madison]

[DK]

[Arlo]

55 is much, much too young.