Last night, tragedy struck the Baltimore Orioles' organization, as former pitcher and general manager Mike Flanagan was found dead at his suburban Baltimore home on Wednesday afternoon. Flanagan pitched for the Orioles for most of his career after being drafted in the seventh round in 1973. He won the Cy Young award in 1979 and a World Series with Baltimore in 1983.
Flanagan will be remembered for his unique personality and as the last man to throw a pitch at the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore in 1991. It's a monumental loss for everyone in Flanagan's family, as well as for the entire Orioles' organization.
One of his pitching colleagues and broadcast partners Jim Palmer remembers Flanagan in this touching video from MASN. SB Nation's Orioles blog Camden Chat says it best.
Either he was in the broadcast booth or the front office or down on the field as the pitching coach for as long as I could remember. Mike Flanagan was Birdland as Birdland gets, a true lifelong Oriole.
Our condolences go out to the Flanagan family, and the entire Orioles family that will be greaving today. Head over to Baseball Nation for more on Mike Flanagan.