Tom Tresh, Gone at 71

Former Yankee and AL Rookie of the Year Tom Tresh died on Wednesday of an apparent heart attack. Tresh, who garnered the rookie honors in 1962, was 71 years old.

Tresh grabbed the Yankees starting shortstop position in '62 when incumbent Tony Kubek went into the army. He hit .286-20-93 and helped lead the Yankees to their final World Series title until 1977. He was also a member of the '63-'64 teams that reached the World Series.

“Tommy was a great teammate,” Yankees great Yogi Berra said in a statement. “He did everything well as a ballplayer and was an easy guy to manage.”

“This hurts. He was my roommate for six years of my life, my hitting instructor and my best friend. He let me be me, but he was also the guy who kept me in at night,” longtime teammate Joe Pepitone said.

“Tommy was a constant in my life and a calming influence. He was always there for me and stuck up for me. He was like my brother. When I had personal issues, he was always the person on the team I would turn to. During some rain delays, he would take out his guitar and we’d sing and dance,” he said.

Tresh played with the Yankees until 1969 when he was dealt to the Detroit Tigers for Ronnie Woods. He was a three time All-Star and won a gold glove playing outfield in 1965. He also hit .321 in the '62 World Series. We send out our thoughts and prayers to his family.