Billy Conigliaro dies at 73 (Red Sox '69-71, Brewers '72, A's '73)

The Game Room
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I’m driving home tonight and listening to the radio. Chris Russo of MLB Network is interviewing Billy Conigliaro and it’s a good interview. Enjoyable. Good stories. I didn’t know that Billy C. passed away today until just now when I looked him up. The reason for the interview replay.

Any Red Sox fans here? Anyone remember Billy C? Anyone remember his older brother Tony C? I’m a little too young to have watched TC play. And I never knew he had a younger brother BC.

I’m really enjoying this interview and BC is telling some good stories, Russo is laughing and I guess there’s an audience because I hear others laughing. Or maybe it’s the studio crew, it doesn’t sound like an audience, unless it’s a bar with a few people. BC shared some good stories…

… like BC believes Yaz is the reason his brother was traded to the Angels after the 1970 season. He says Yaz was jealous of Tony C. He admits that he never asked his brother about that.

BC shares about…

… BC says he sees Yaz from time to time. Yaz just says hello, nothing else besides that. Because Yaz had (has) no personality, and he’s all about himself.

… about Yaz, Russo asks if he’s seen Yaz recently and if he’s made peace with him (Russo asked about other players, I don’t recall who), and BC says he hasn’t seen him recently, and thank God. (laughter)

… the Red Sox have (or, had?) a very nice display for his brother at Fenway, with such little space in the small park it was so nice if them to do that. Because they won’t retire his number, Bc Said it was really nice for the organization to do that.

… like how when he went to the A’s in 1973 he was on a great team with great players. He (BC) was having a very good season but one day as he’s sliding into 2nd he tries to break up a DP but wrenched his knee. He missed some time but when he was ready to come back the A’s by that time had Bill North, and he couldn’t work his way back into the lineup. His chance was gone.

The interview ended just a few minutes ago. I’m only relating some content and cannot speak to its veracity. It was a fun interview to listen to.

Rest in Peace, Billy C. There’s no knee injuries in heaven.

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I remember Tony, and that devastating pitch.

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A few years ago former Yankee Fritz Peterson had a daily Facebook posting on player’s birthdays and his memories if he knew them. For Tony C writer Peter Golenbock who has written a number of team histories said it was Yastrzemski who got Tony Conigliaro traded in 1970. Lots of cliques in the Red Sox those days.
Tony suffered a heart attack at age 37 when Billy was driving him to the airport. The story I heard Billy took him to a hospital which certainly seems like the right move but the airport had facilities to handle the case and it was closer. Tony had problems and died at age 45