|
Ben Geraghty, Ballplayer, Dies;
Managed Minor League Teams
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 18 (AP)-Ben Geraghty, a former major league infielder and manager of the International League baseball team here, the Jacksonville Suns, died today, apparently of a heart attack. He was 50 years old.
Played for Dodgers
Mr. Geraghty, one of the most successful minor league managers, was graduated from Villanova University, Villanova, Pa., in 1936, with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves in the next 11 years.
In 1947 he was named manager of the Spokane, Wash., club of the Western International League. Later he managed teams in Bristol, Va.; Palatka, Fla., and Meridian, Miss.
He took over the Jacksonville team in 1953, when it was the Jacksonville Braves of the South Atlantic League. He led the team to league pennants in 1953, 1954 and 1956. In the last six years his teams never finished below second place.
At Wichita, Kan., in 1957, he managed the American Association team to a pennant and in the next year won the league's pennat as manager in Louisville, Ky.
He returned to Jacksonville last year and his team won the International League pennant. Yesterday the Suns were in fourth place in the league's southern division.
He leaves his widow, the former Mary Dowd of Orange, N.J., and five childred: Patrick, Elizabeth, Barry, Tommy and Benjie.
|
