Phil Garner, whose 'Scrap Iron' persona yielded championship, dies at 76

Phil Garner, the three-time All-Star second baseman whose "Scrap Iron" persona befitted both his personality as a player and manager, died Saturday, April 11 after a nearly three-year battle with pancreatic cancer, his family announced.

Garner was 76.

Garner played a crucial role on the most recent Pittsburgh Pirates World Series champions, the 1979 "We-Are-Fam-a-lee" crew that won a seven-game Fall Classic against the Baltimore Orioles, amassing 161 hits and an .800 OPS before getting 17 hits in 36 postseason at-bats.

As a manager, he piloted the Houston Astros to their first World Series appearance, a 2005 romp through the playoffs as an 89-win wild card before running into the Chicago White Sox, who swept Houston in four games.

Barret Robbins, football, 1973-2026

Matt Snell, football, 1941-2026

Troy Murray, hockey, 1962-2026

Bob Harlan, football, 1936-2026

Lou Holtz, football, 1937-2026

Dominiq Ponder, football, 2002-2026

Bruce Froemming, baseball, 1939-2026

Jeff Galloway, Olympics, 1945-2026

Rondale Moore, football, 2000-2026

Kara Braxton, basketball, 1983-2026

Bill Mazeroski, baseball, 1936-2026

Mike Wagner (right), football, 1949-2026

Doug Moe, basketball, 1938-2026

Tre Johnson, football, 1971-2026

Elroy Face, baseball, 1928-2026

Tracy Scroggins, football, 1969-2026

Barry Wilburn, football, 1963-2026

Terrance Gore, baseball, 1991-2026

Sonny Jurgensen, football, 1934-2026

John Brodie, football, 1935-2026

Kevin Johnson, football, 1970-2026

Wilbur Wood, baseball, 1941-2026

Phil Goyette, hockey, 1933-2026

Eddie McCreadie, soccer, 1940-2026

Dave Giusti, baseball, 1939-2026

Martin Chivers, soccer, 1945-2026

Billy Truax, football, 1943-2026

Jawann Oldham, basketball, 1957-2026

Robert Pulford, hockey, 1936-2026

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Bill Mazeroski, baseball, 1936-2026

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Doug Moe, basketball, 1938-2026

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Tre Johnson, football, 1971-2026

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Robert Pulford, hockey, 1936-2026

It was easily Garner's high-water mark as a manager, as he was often saddled with suboptimal talent in his eight years managing the Milwaukee Brewers and three seasons – 2000 to 2002 – with the Detroit Tigers.

"The Brewers are saddened to learn of the passing of former manager Phil Garner," the club said in a statement. "Following a distinguished playing career, Phil served as our manager from 1992-99 and went on to manage the second-most games in franchise history. He was a very highly respected and beloved individual who was known for his caring nature, wisdom and sense of humor. Our deepest condolences go out to Phil's wife, Carol, and all of his family, friends and fans."

Garner had 1,594 hits as a player, never hitting more than 17 home runs but twice eclipsing the 30-steal mark. His ability to max out his talent led to a 16-year major league career, debuting with the champion Oakland Athletics in 1973, establishing himself as a regular in 1975 and moving on to stops with the Pirates, Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, retiring after the 1987 season.

Yet his finest hour came with the Pirates, who are still searching for the magic that produced a championship behind the bat and ballast of Willie Stargell, yet moored in the contributions of players like Garner.

Phil Garner throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a 2025 game in Houston

Pirates owner Bob Nutting called Garner "a fierce competitor, a respected leader, and a cherished part of the Pirates family. His contributions to the 1979 World Series championship team will forever be a part of Pirates history.

"He will be remembered not only for the grit, passion and heart he brought to the game, but also for the way he carried himself as a devoted family man and respected member of the baseball community."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Phil Garner death: 'Scrap Iron' as MLB player, manager, dies at 76