Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Larry Richard Christenson has passed away at the age of 72 on Friday.
How did Larry Christenson die?
It was reported that the pitcher died unexpectedly during a fishing trip with family and friends in Washington state.
Christenson spent his entire 11-year MLB career in Philadelphia after he was drafted by the Phillies in the third round of the 1972 MLB Draft.
Larry Christenson's World Series contribution
The right-hander was a member of the Phillies' World Series championship team in 1980 and won the National League pennant with the club in his final season in 1983.
Christenson is also tied with Rick Wise for the franchise record of home runs by a pitcher with 11.
His most memorable was a grand slam against the Chicago Cubs on September 27, 1977, a win that secured the National League East for the Phillies.
Philadelphia Phillies announce the heartbreaking update
The Phillies shared that Christenson was on a fishing trip in his native Washington state when he passed away earlier on August 28.
"It is with great sadness that we just learned of the passing of Larry Christenson, who was a friend for 50 years," Hall of Fame teammate Mike Schmidt said in a statement released by the team.
He added, "Larry was very special, the guy that kept in touch with all of us, he always had a smile on his face, he never forgot a moment he spent with you. His passing will leave a hole in all of our hearts. May he rest in peace."
Phillies great Mike Schmidt said Christenson was "very special, the guy that kept in touch with all of us".
"He always had a smile on his face, he never forgot a moment he spent with you," Schmidt said. "His passing will leave a hole in all of our hearts. May he rest in peace."
"My heart is heavy today," said former Phillies shortstop Larry Bowa.
"LC was a tremendous teammate, an outstanding pitcher and a true friend. Win or lose, he was always the life of the clubhouse. He loved the game and enjoyed every minute of his big league career. He will be deeply missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family."
