Harvey Kuenn, Former Batting Champion, Dies at 57

CHANDLER, Ariz. —  Harvey Kuenn, a former American League batting champion who managed the Milwaukee Brewers to their only World Series appearance, died Sunday at his home in Peoria, Ariz., the club announced.

Kuenn, 57, the 1953 AL Rookie of the Year and the 1959 AL batting champion, was the Brewers’ major league scouting consultant after being replaced as manager at the end of the 1983 season.

Peoria police said the cause of Kuenn’s death will not be known for about two days.

Kuenn suffered from a series of medical complications dating back to the mid-1970s when he was the Brewers’ batting instructor. He underwent open heart surgery in 1976, and in March, 1980 he had his right leg amputated just below the knee after a blood clot cut circulation.

Kuenn returned to coaching only six months after the operation.

“I guess that was just the type of competitor he was,” said Brewer coach Larry Haney, who was a coach on Kuenn’s staff. “He was easy going, but he was a competitor. With all the things that happened to him, he kept coming back.”

Kuenn was named the Associated Press AL manager of the year in 1982 after taking over the Brewers in June when Buck Rodgers was fired and leading Milwaukee to the World Series.

Kuenn took Milwaukee from a 23-24 start under Rodgers to the American League East Division title with a 95-67 record.

The Brewers won the league pennant after rallying from a 2-0 deficit and beating the Angels in the AL championship series. They lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Under Kuenn, the hard-hitting Brewers were known as “Harvey’s Wallbangers.”

Kuenn, born in West Allis, Wis., had a lifetime batting average of .303 in 15 major league seasons with Detroit, Cleveland, San Francisco, the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia. He retired as a player in 1966.

After winning the AL batting championship in 1959 with a .353 average, he was traded to Cleveland for Rocky Colavito, who had won the home run title with 42 homers.

Kuenn is survived by his wife Audrey, son Harvey Jr., and daughter Robin. Funeral arrangements are pending.