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Former Phillies Manager Danny Ozark Dies

Former Phillies manager Danny Ozark has died at age 85.

Considered one of the greatest managers in Phillies history, Ozark took the helm in 1973, inheriting young players and molding them into stars. With Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Greg Luzinski, Bob Boone and others, Ozark created a team that would own the National League East in the late 1970s.

He won three consecutive division titles, though losing each year in the National League Championship Series. He finished with a record of 594-510 as Phils skipper.

Ozark was born Nov. 24, 1923, and played as a minor league first baseman in the Dodgers system before turning to coaching. He died at his home in Vero Beach, Fla.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.