Baseball Great Don Zimmer Dies At 83

Baseball great Don Zimmer has died at the age of 83.

Zimmer died following complications from heart surgery in April.

His record as a Player, Coach and Manager in baseball, primarily with MLB, spans 66 years and is likely without precedent.

Among his better know feats was playing alongside Jackie Robinson with the Brooklyn Dodgers team won the World Series, and coaching Derek Jeter in the New York Yankees’ latest dynasty.

The teams he played with, coached and managed are nearly too long to list, but here’s a decent summary of his career.

Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949
Playing in MLB between 1954-65 as an infielder with the Dodgers (Brooklyn and Los Angeles), Cubs, Mets, Reds and Senators
Earned 6 World Series rings, 4 as coach and 2 as player
In his 13 seasons in MLB, he compiled a 885-858 (.508) record with the Padres, Red Sox, Rangers and Cubs
Coached the Expos, Padres, Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, Giants, Rockers and Rays
Managed the Padres, Red Sox, Rangers and Cubs

Marc Topkin on the Tampa Bay Times reported on Twitter that he had passed peacefully.

Don Zimmer had been hospitalized since April 16 heart surgery. "He went peacefully,'' son Tom told the @TB_Times

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 5, 2014

Twitter was flooded with reactions to the news of the death, with Don Zimmer becoming the most popular term on Twitter. Don Zimmer also topped Google Trends.

https://twitter.com/pmas94ND/status/474506269592543232

No one loved baseball more than Don Zimmer. Not ever. And he wore it, proudly, on his sleeve, May he rest in peace.#RIPDonZimmer

— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) June 5, 2014