RIP, Don Zimmer

I don’t really know why – but there was something that always felt comforting about seeing Don Zimmer on television in a baseball uniform. Today he passed away at age 83, and baseball lost one it’s most coveted members of it’s storied fraternity.

Zimmer spent much of his time in uniform with three of the most storied organization in baseball history: Dodgers, Cubs, and Yankees.

He lived a charmed life in baseball. He’ll probably be most remembered for getting thrown to the ground by Pedro Martinez in the 2003 ALCS. It’s arguably one of the most famous moments in the rivalry’s history:

And at that moment, you wanted to walk down on the field and pick up the little man they called ‘Popeye’ and dust him off. Much of the baseball world became forever endeared to the bald fat man who sat next to Joe Torre in the Yankees dugout at that very moment.

You get the feeling that Don Zimmer loved extra innings and more baseball. Where he’s at now, every day is like a new 19-inning marathon, all-you-can-eat baseball buffet. Sleep well old timer.