Angels Catcher Who Caught Historic No-Hitter Dies at 83

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jan 21, 2025

2002, Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Florida Marlins manager Jeff Torborg at Dolphin Stadium during the 2002 season. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images / RVR Photos-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Angels

Jeff Torborg, a former player who caught three no-hitters and was named the 1990 American League Manager of the Year with the White Sox, passed away Sunday.

He was 83.

Torborg spent the last three seasons of his Major League Baseball career with the Angels. In 1973, he caught the first of Nolan Ryan’s record seven no-hitters.

The Hall of Fame remembers 1965 World Series champion and 1990 AL Manager of the Year Jeff Torborg, who passed away Sunday morning.

A 10-year veteran of the Dodgers and Angels, Torborg caught Sandy Koufax's perfect game, Bill Singer's no-hitter and Nolan Ryan's first no-hitter. pic.twitter.com/PdLdY0f9sQ
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) January 20, 2025

The backstop spent parts of 10 seasons as a big league catcher, with the first seven years spent with the Dodgers from 1964 to 1970. He became one of only 18 players to serve as the starting catcher for at least three no-hitters.

His first came during Sandy Koufax's perfect game against the Cubs on Sept. 9, 1965, one of the greatest pitching performances in MLB history.

Torborg later caught Bill Singer’s no-hitter against the Phillies in 1970, which marked his final season with Los Angeles.

After retiring from playing, Torborg moved into coaching and by the start of the 1977 season, he had received his first of five managerial jobs.

Torborg managed the Cleveland Indians from 1977 to 1979 before spending a decade as a coach with the New York Yankees.

However, his most significant managerial achievement came with the Chicago White Sox. After his second season, he was named the 1990 American League Manager of the Year, leading the team to 94 wins, a remarkable 25-game improvement over the previous season.

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The White Sox employed Torborg as their manager for one more season before he moved on to signing a four-year contract to manage the Mets in 1992. But, his tenure in New York ended early with an 85-115 record, leading to his dismissal during the 1993 season.

He also had managerial stints with the Expos in 2001 and the Marlins from 2002 to 2003. His coaching career ended in May 2003 when he was let go by the Marlins, who were 16-22 at the time. Ironically, the Marlins went on to win the World Series that year under Jack McKeon.

Torborg finished his managerial career with a record of 634-718, a .469 winning percentage.

Once he was let go by the Marlins, Torborg moved to the booth and spent many years calling games from a different perspective. He worked alongside Vin Scully for CBS Radio during three World Series (1995-97) and also contributed to FOX broadcasts from 1996-2000 and 2004-05.

Torborg's final season in baseball was 2006 when he served as a color commentator for Braves games.