Former Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs manager Jim Frey died Sunday at age 88.
“We join the baseball community in mourning Jim’s passing and send our condolences to his family and friends,” the team said in a statement Tuesday.
No cause of death was given.
Frey managed five seasons compiling a 323-287 record.
In his first season as the Royals manager, Frey lead the team the the 1980 American League pennant before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.
Frey was fired the following season after the Royals got off to a 10-10 start during the second half of the strike-marred season and was replaced by Dick Howser.
The Chicago Cubs are saddened to learn of the passing of Jim Frey, former manager and GM.
Jim was a central figure in our club’s most memorable moments of the 1980s. pic.twitter.com/gIRBAhxVd9
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 14, 2020
In 1984 he was named the National League manager of the year after guiding Cubs to a first place in the N.L. East, their first postseason appearance in 39 years. Chicago lost in five games to the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series, blowing a 2-0 series lead.
He was fired midway into the 1986 season after a 23-33 start.
From November of 1987 through the end of the 1991 season, Frey was the Cubs general manager.
In 1989 the Cubs won the N.L. East again before losing to the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS.