Phil Garner Dies at Age 76, Won 1979 World Series with Pirates and Spent 15 Years as MLB Manager

Former Major League Baseball player and manager Phil Garner died at the age of 76 years old.

Garner managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 1992 through 1999, and the team announced his death Sunday:

"He was a very highly respected and beloved individual who was known for his caring nature, wisdom and sense of humor," the announcement read. "Our deepest condolences go out to Phil's wife, Carol, and all of his family, friends and fans."

Garner's family also released a statement with his son, Ty, saying he "never lost his signature spark of life" despite being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, per the Associated Press. "He was so well known for his love of baseball, which was with him until the end."

Prior to becoming a manager, Garner was a player at the sport's highest level for 16 seasons from 1973 through 1988.

He suited up for the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants during a career that featured three All-Star selections and a World Series crown.

Garner appeared in 150 games for the 1979 Pirates team that won the World Series and slashed .293/.359/.441 with 11 home runs, 59 RBI and 17 stolen bases. He was even better in the postseason and slashed .472/.537/.722 with one home run and six RBI in 41 plate appearances.

It was part of the peak of his playing career, as he made back-to-back All-Star Games the following two seasons.

Garner's second act in the major leagues came as a manager, as he led the Brewers from 1992 through 1999, the Detroit Tigers from 2000 through 2002 and the Houston Astros from 2004 through 2007.

He led the 2005 Astros to the World Series, where they lost to the Chicago White Sox, and went 985-1,054 during his career as a manager.

That 2005 Astros team was the first in franchise history to reach the World Series.