The Otsego, Michigan, native was born in 1937, and anyone could hardly have imagined that he would go on to make baseball history. Over 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, he established himself as one of the game’s most reliable pitchers. In fact, beyond his playing career, he also stood out as a coach. Phil Regan also contributed greatly to the growth of MLB. After the former All-Star passed away from natural causes on Wednesday, fans remembered him with prayers and condolences for his family.

The years between 1960 and 1972 witnessed Regan, who began as a starting pitcher, growing into a dominant reliever. After his retirement, Regan took over coaching duties and devoted almost five decades of his life to teaching young ballplayers the ins and outs of pitching. Leaving his legacy behind, Sandy Koufax’s “The Vulture,” breathed his last at 89 years old.

“Longtime pitching coach Phil Regan, whose career in baseball spanned seven decades, died today, his attorney, Matt Blit, told ESPN. Regan was 89,” Jeff Passan reported on X. “He managed the Baltimore Orioles for one year and served as pitching coach with the Mariners, Cubs, Indians and Mets, among others.”

Regan’s major league stint stretched across four teams. Debuting with the Detroit Tigers in 1960, he also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs, and the White Sox. Regan’s most successful year came with the Dodgers in 1966, the same year he came out of the bullpen every game. That year, Regan also earned his first and only All-Star Game appearance. He pitched with a 14-1 record, 21 saves, and a 1.62 ERA in 65 games.

After the Dodgers, Regan spent the rest of his playing years in Chicago. He was with the Cubs for four-plus seasons before retiring with the White Sox. His stint with the White Sox lasted for 10 games.

Regan ended his career as a player, posting a 3.84 ERA, 96-81 record, 105 starts, and 92 saves in 551 games.

Leaving his years as a player behind, Regan began his coaching journey as the head baseball coach of Grand Valley State University in 1974. Then, for the coming years, he coached in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

He came back to MLB in 1995 as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles. At the Orioles, he managed Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr., Mike Mussina, and Harold Baines. Regan also served as the pitching coach for Seattle, Cleveland, the Cubs, and the New York Mets. He also coached Team USA in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Regan is survived by his wife, Lisette, whom he met in Venezuela, and his four children and grandkids. The news of Regan’s death comes days after veteran player Al Holland’s passing.

Following his death, Matthew Blit wrote:

“Regan’s life was dedicated to the game and his family, especially the 18 grandkids that he just adored. There is so much about Phil here in the States, but what most people don’t know about is his impact in Venezuela. He coached for many years there and had the respect of so many of the Venezuelan players. But he would always say that his greatest reward from coaching in Venezuela was his wife.”

As the news of Regan’s death came to light, fans paid their respects to the former reliever.

Fans express sadness and condolences for Phil Regan’s death

One fan commented, “RIP Vulture!”

His teammate Sandy Koufax nicknamed Phil Regan “The Vulture” in 1966. Koufax gave him the nickname because he often came out of the bullpen and snatched crucial saves for his team.

Another fan shared a token of Regan’s managing experience, writing, “The one season he managed the Orioles was the season Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s streak of consecutive games played.”

From 1925 to 1939, the legendary Yankees player Lou Gehrig set the MLB record of playing 2,130 consecutive games. The streak remained unbroken until Ripken Jr. He surpassed the record in 1995, the same year Regan managed the Orioles.

“He was very loved in Venezuela; rest in peace,” commented a fan.

Regan spent 18 seasons managing and coaching teams in Venezuela. He established himself as one of the most successful managers in the Venezuelan baseball league, winning LVBP titles with Leones del Caracas and Navegantes del Magallanes.

“That man seemed to do what he loved for a very long time, RIP,” one user noted about Regan.

In 2019, at the age of 82, Regan became the interim major league pitching coach of the New York Mets, replacing David Eiland. Regan was also the Mets’ senior advisor of pitching development for three more years before suing the organization for age discrimination and wrongful termination.

Regan devoted his life to baseball, and the baseball community will remember him forever.