Politixia
Former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel suffered a stroke on Saturday, according to the Phillies.
Manuel, 79, was undergoing a medical procedure when the stroke happened at a hospital in Florida. The hospital staff moved quickly to remove a blood clot.
His family says the next 24 hours will be crucial as he recovers.
Manuel has suffered several health problems, including a heart attack, quadruple bypass surgery, a blocked and infected colon as well as kidney cancer.
The legendary manager is loved by fans and known for winning the World Series with the Phils in 2008.
He has remained a fixture at Phillies spring training and at Citizens Bank Park during the summer.
“He’s great to have around, he just has that wholesome outlook on life and all that baseball knowledge,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Saturday. “He sits there next to the cage all day long and just watches guys hit, talks to them. Very simple approach. It’s great. He’s a lot of fun. When he and Larry Bowa get together in spring training, it’s like a comedy show. He’s a neat man. Everyone in our organization loves him and we’re all praying for him.”
During his time on the field, he was mostly a pinch-hitter and left-fielder. He played from the Minnesota Twins from 1969-1972 and then joined the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1974-1975.
Before managing the Phillies from 2005-2013, he managed the Cleveland Indians from 2000-2002.
