Former Phillies Infielder Tony Taylor Dies at Age 84

The Philadelphia Phillies announced former player Tony Taylor died Thursday at the age of 84:

The former infielder spent parts of 15 seasons with the Phillies and was inducted into the team's Wall of Fame in 2002. 

Taylor spent 19 years overall in the majors from 1958-76, earning one All-Star selection in 1960.

The Cuban tallied 2,007 hits in his career with 1,005 runs and 234 stolen bases. Though he spent time with the Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers, he ranks fifth in Phillies history with 1,669 games played.

Phillies managing partner John Middleton praised Taylor in a statement, via MLB.com:

"Tony was undeniably one of the most popular Phillies of his or any other generation. His baseball talent was second only to his warm and engaging personality, as he would always make time to talk with fans when he would visit Philadelphia for Alumni Weekend. Growing up as a Phillies fan, my favorite memory of Tony is the remarkable play he made to save Jim Bunning's perfect game. It was the play of the game and it was thrilling to see it back then. It remains equally thrilling today to watch Tony turn a sure hit into an out. On behalf of Leigh and myself and the entire Phillies organization, we send our deepest condolences to Clara and all of Tony’s family and friends."

He also lined up at five different defensive positions in his career, though the majority was spent at second base.

Taylor remained in baseball following his playing career, serving as a coach with the Phillies and Marlins as recently as 2004. He was also a manager in Philadelphia's minor league system.