Former A's catcher Gordy MacKenzie dies

HOUSTON (AP) Gordy MacKenzie, the longtime minor league manager and coach and scout who had a short stint in the majors as a catcher with the Kansas City Athletics, has died. He was 77.

The Houston Astros said Wednesday that MacKenzie died Tuesday. The team didn't provide the cause of death.

MacKenzie had three hits and an RBI in 24 at-bats in 11 games for the Athletics in 1961.

MacKenzie, from St. Petersburg, Florida, had coached the Astros' Gulf Coast League team since 2008. He also worked for Houston as a minor league instructor from 1999-2001 and was a scout from 2004-08.

MacKenzie coached in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco and Cleveland, and scouted for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Senators. He managed 16 seasons in the minors at the A, AA and AAA levels.