5-Time All-Star Shortstop Dead at 57

Tony Fernandez had kidney disease
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 16, 2020 2:29 PM CST
Celebrated Blue Jays Shortstop Dead at 57
In this Sept. 17, 1999, file photo, Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Tony Fernandez throws to first as he tumbles to the turf during third-inning AL action against the Chicago White Sox in Toronto.   (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

Former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Tony Fernandez has died in Florida at age 57. "Enshrined forever in Blue Jays history on the Level of Excellence, Tony left an equally indelible mark in the hearts of a generation of Blue Jays fans during his 12 unforgettable seasons with the team," the team tweeted Sunday, calling Fernandez "one of our club's most celebrated and respected players." As the AP reported before his death, Fernandez had kidney disease for years and was waiting for a transplant; CNN adds that he also recently suffered a stroke.

Fernandez, a five-time Major League Baseball All-Star, also played with six other teams over his 17 seasons and 2,158 MLB games through 2001. He made five trips to the postseason, including helping the Blue Jays win the World Series in 1993, and won four consecutive Gold Gloves in the 1980s. He holds club records for career hits and games played. After he retired from the game, he became an ordained minister and established the Tony Fernandez Foundation to help underprivileged and troubled kids. (More Major League Baseball stories.)

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