Major League Baseball Player, Manager, Coach. For ten seasons (1970 to 1971, 1973 to 1977, 1979 to 1981), he played at the third-base, shortstop, second-base and first-base positions with the Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. Born John Christopher Vukovich, he attended Amador High School (California), prior to being signed by Philadelphia during the 1st round of the 1966 Amateur Draft. He marked his Major League debut with the Phillies on September 11th, 1970 and appeared in 3 games during that year. He recorded a career high 74 games played in 1971 and became a part of history, when he made the final putout to preserve Rick Wise's no-hit game against the Reds in Cincinnati on June 23rd of that year. He appeared in 31 games with the Reds' squad who won the 1975 World Series and returned to Philadelphia, where he served as a backup to Mike Schmidt and contributed to the Phillies' run at the World Championship in 1980. When Phillies' manager Dallas Green became the Chicago Cubs' general manager, he followed to serve on their coaching staff (1982 to 1987) and when Jim Frey was dismissed as manager during the 1986 season Vukovich succeeded him on an interim basis. From 1988 to 2004, he served on the Phillies' coaching staff and following Lee Elia's firing as manager he succeeded him as an interim skipper. Vukovich was serving as the bench coach for Jim Fregosi when the Phillies captured the National League Pennant in 1993. He was regarded by many as a knowledgeable contributor to the game who proved invaluable in enhancing the ability of players he mentored. He courageously battled a brain tumor during the last years of his life and succumbed from its complications at age 59 on March 8th, 2007. At the time of his death he was serving as a consultant to the Phillies' general manager.
Major League Baseball Player, Manager, Coach. For ten seasons (1970 to 1971, 1973 to 1977, 1979 to 1981), he played at the third-base, shortstop, second-base and first-base positions with the Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. Born John Christopher Vukovich, he attended Amador High School (California), prior to being signed by Philadelphia during the 1st round of the 1966 Amateur Draft. He marked his Major League debut with the Phillies on September 11th, 1970 and appeared in 3 games during that year. He recorded a career high 74 games played in 1971 and became a part of history, when he made the final putout to preserve Rick Wise's no-hit game against the Reds in Cincinnati on June 23rd of that year. He appeared in 31 games with the Reds' squad who won the 1975 World Series and returned to Philadelphia, where he served as a backup to Mike Schmidt and contributed to the Phillies' run at the World Championship in 1980. When Phillies' manager Dallas Green became the Chicago Cubs' general manager, he followed to serve on their coaching staff (1982 to 1987) and when Jim Frey was dismissed as manager during the 1986 season Vukovich succeeded him on an interim basis. From 1988 to 2004, he served on the Phillies' coaching staff and following Lee Elia's firing as manager he succeeded him as an interim skipper. Vukovich was serving as the bench coach for Jim Fregosi when the Phillies captured the National League Pennant in 1993. He was regarded by many as a knowledgeable contributor to the game who proved invaluable in enhancing the ability of players he mentored. He courageously battled a brain tumor during the last years of his life and succumbed from its complications at age 59 on March 8th, 2007. At the time of his death he was serving as a consultant to the Phillies' general manager.
Bio by: C.S.
Gravesite Details
Gravestone contains the Philadelphia Phillies logo and a four leaf clover
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Vukovich memorials in:
Advertisement
