CINCINNATI (AP) -Joe Nuxhall, who was the youngest player in major league history and the beloved “old left-hander” on Cincinnati Reds radio broadcasts, died late Thursday following a bout with cancer, the team said Friday. He was 79.
Nuxhall’s health problems multiplied in recent years but couldn’t keep him away from the game or the broadcast booth for long. He had surgery for prostate cancer in 1992, followed by a mild heart attack in 2001.
The cancer returned last February, when Nuxhall was preparing for the Reds’ spring training in Sarasota, Fla. The broadcaster called some games last season even though his left leg was swollen by tumors. He was hospitalized again this week.
He retired as a full-time radio broadcaster after the 2004 season, the 60th anniversary of his historic pitching debut.
Add A Comment