Major Dead

Maje McDonnell, living history of the Philadelphia Phillies, has died at the age of 88. One of the great things about baseball, especially the Original 10, are the baseball lifers that are part of a team’s history, getting new responsibilities with new administrations and ownership, but always providing a link to the team’s history. Maje – short for Major, itself short for major leaguer because as a child he carried a baseball glove everywhere he went – started with the Phillies as a batting practice pitcher in 1947 after earning a Bronze star, five Battle Stars and a Purple Heart in the European theater during World War II. He was a coach on the fabled Whiz Kids of 1950, later serving as spring instructor, scout and community relations director. He was Veterans Stadium’s top tour guide, and spent time glad-handing the suite holders, sharing his deep first-hand knowledge of the team’s tortured history. For front office employees, he offered daily fielding practice, firing fungoes into the outfield with laser-like precision. Retiring after having spent 57 years with the team, he was the only member of the organization who was present for 5 of the team’s 7 World Series appearances.