In remembrance, Vin Scully shares his own wonderful Don Zimmer story

Whether you knew him as "Zim," "Popeye" or even "the Gerbil," he was one of the great baseball characters of the ages. Married at home plate in between games of a Minor League doubleheader in 1951, his heart was never far from the game. Don Zimmer's career in baseball spanned more than 60 years of playing, coaching and managing.

He won two World Series as a player, both with the Dodgers. He was part of the storied Boys of Summer, the only Brooklyn Dodgers team to win a Series, alongside Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, and Pee Wee Reese in 1955. His second came in 1959, after the Dodgers had moved to L.A.  

When his playing days were over, he turned to managing, helming the Padres, Red Sox, Rangers and Cubs. In the story above, Scully recalls sitting on the bench in the Dodgers dugout when the Cubs were in town, and Zimmer their manager. Zimmer would go on to steer the Cubs to a divisional championship and be named National League Manager of the year.  

He was famously involved in a scuffle with Pedro Martinez during the 2003 ALCS, but he was also well-loved for his friendliness and wisdom. Good friends with Joe Torre, he served as bench coach with the Yankees from 1996-2003, where he saw the team through four World Series. In '04, he joined the Rays in an advisory capacity, and remained there until his death. 

He passed away Wednesday at the age of 83, and is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter, and four grandchildren.