John Vukovich Loses Final Battle

Fighting tears, Phillies broadcaster Chris Wheeler gazed out of a broadcast booth late Wednesday afternoon sharing stories of a gravely ill close friend.

Earlier in the day, Dallas Green, the only Phillies manager to win a World Series, and Jim Fregosi, the manager of the Phillies' last World Series team, simultaneously shook their heads in disgust, then embraced after crossing paths on the main concourse at Bright House Networks Park.

Word had spread that Phillies executive John Vukovich, who spent 31 years in the organization as a player, coach, interim manager and special assistant to the general manager, was on the verge of losing his second battle with a brain tumor, a fight that has been ongoing for more than four months but kept private at his family's request.

Vukovich died Thursday at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. He was 59, the same age former teammate Tug McGraw was in 2004 when he died due to a brain tumor.