Former MLB player and manager Bobby Bragan, whose long career included stints as a MiLB league president, passed away last night at the age of 92.
Boby Bragan, whose long and varied career included stops at virtually every level of the baseball hierarchy, passed away last night in Fort Worth. He was 92.
Though he bled Dodger blue, his heart was in Texas — Fort Worth, specifically, where he began his managing career as head of the original Fort Worth Cats (Texas League) in 1948, and where he ended it as a spokeman and goodwill ambassador for the modern Fort Worth Cats (independent; American Association). He logged seven seasons as a major-league manager for Pittsburgh (1956-57), Cleveland (1958) and the Milwaukee (1963-65) and Atlanta (1966) Braves.
Following his time as a manager Bragan entered the front offices of Minor League Baseball, first spending seven years as president of the Class AA Texas League, followed by an election as president of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL) in 1976. He served one three-year term, replaced by Johnny Johnson. He then returned to Texas and was a consultant for the Texas Rangers.
In 2005 Bragan managed the Fort Worth Cats for one game, becoming the oldest man to manage a baseball team, breaking Connie Mack's mark. A Dugout Suite at LaGrave Park is named for him.
From 1992 until his death, Bragan served as the CEO/Chairman of the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, which provides college scholarships to students from public schools across the Dallas/Fort Worth metorplex. Every year, 8th grade students are offered the opportunity to compete for these $2,500 scholarships, which are redeemed once the recipient has graduated from high school and enrolled in college.
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