Watch CBS News

Joe Garagiola, Ex-Player Turned Glib Broadcaster, Dies At 90

PHOENIX (AP) — Former big league catcher and popular broadcaster Joe Garagiola has died. He was 90.

The Arizona Diamondbacks say Garagiola died Wednesday. He had been in ill health in recent years.

Garagiola thrived in his post-retirement career as a glib baseball broadcaster and fixture on the "Today" show. He played eight seasons in the majors, but generations of fans knew him for his 57-year career in broadcasting, including a 30-year association with NBC.

He won baseball's Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting in 1991. Garagiola kept working well into his 80s, serving as a part-time analyst for Diamondbacks telecasts.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.