Sid Thrift, a longtime veteran of Major League Baseball front offices, including the Orioles?, passed away in Milford, Del., late Monday night. He was 77.
Thrift had undergone knee replacement surgery Monday afternoon, but official autopsy results were not immediately available.
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“He was always upbeat and innovative,” said Mike Flanagan, the Orioles? executive vice president. “He was a hands-on front-office person, and again, not unwilling to try anything to shake it up.”
With half a century of experience in professional baseball, Thrift spent the latter part of his career with the Orioles, joining the club in October 1994 and serving until December 2002. He held the titles of director of player development, director of player personnel and vice president of baseball operations. He retired in May 2004 after serving as a Tampa Bay Devil Rays consultant for two years.
A native of Locust Hill, Va., Thrift played four years in the New York Yankees? farm system before becoming a scout in the mid-1950s. Throughout his career, he served in various capacities, from scout to general manager, with the Yankees, Pirates, Royals, Athletics, Dodgers, Mets, Giants and Cubs before joining the Orioles. Perhaps Thrift will be bestremembered for starting Kansas City?s Baseball Academy, which produced 14 major leaguers.
“Sid was certainly remembered for his longevity in the game,” Flanagan said. “He spent over 50 years in the game with a number of different capacities.”
Thrift, who was doing a weekly syndicated radio show at the time of his death, is survived by his wife, two sons and five grandchildren.
