John Wockenfuss died on August 19, 2022, at age 73 in Wilmington, Delaware. He was diagnosed with dementia in November 2018.
His death was announced by the Detroit Tigers on August 21 on Twitter.
“The Tigers extend our deepest condolences to the family of former Tiger John Wockenfuss, who passed away on Friday”.
“Wockenfuss played 12 seasons in the Majors, including 10 (1974-83) wearing the Olde English D,” the club tweeted.
John Wockenfuss was an American professional baseball player and minor league manager.
He played in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies.
Wockenfuss began his baseball career as a pitcher in high school. He was drafted by the Washington Senators in the 42nd round of the 1967 amateur draft. He spent seven seasons in the Senators / Texas Rangers’ farm system, before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in June 1973.
In 1974, he made his major-league debut with the Detroit Tigers.
He played ten seasons for the club from 1974 to 1983, first as a backup catcher and then as a utility player whose assignments included first baseman, designated hitter, outfielder, third baseman, and pinch hitter.
Wockenfuss was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1984 and played two seasons there, playing principally at first base, catcher, and as a pinch hitter.
In October 1986, officially retired as a player, and the Tigers hired him to manage their Single-A team in Lakeland. For the 1988 season, he was promoted to manage the Double-A team in Glen Falls, New York. He was also promoted to manage the Triple-A team in Toledo during the 1989 season.
The Tigers fired him in 1990, and he caught on managing in the Pittsburgh Pirates system for a few years and worked in independent ball for a bit before he left organized baseball in the 1990s.
Later in life, he ran baseball and softball academies in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, and coached high-school baseball until 2002.
In 1993, Wockenfuss was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame.
Wockenfuss is survived by sons, Brad and Jeremy, daughters Caitlin and Jessica, and four grandchildren.