BOSTON, MA - The Boston Red Sox mourn the loss of Lee Stange, who passed away on Friday at the age of 81. A member of Boston's 1967 "Impossible Dream" team, Stange spent nearly 40 years in professional baseball, including 23 as a player, coach, and instructor in the Red Sox organization.
Born on October 27, 1936 in Chicago, IL, Stange began his 14-year playing career in 1957, reaching the major leagues in 1961 with the Minnesota Twins. The right-hander pitched in 359 big league games and made 125 starts over 10 seasons with the Twins (1961-64), Cleveland Indians (1964-66), Red Sox (1966-70), and Chicago White Sox (1970), going 62-61 with 21 saves and a 3.56 ERA.
After posting a 3.35 ERA in 28 games (19 starts) for the Red Sox in 1966, Stange was a key contributor during the club's 1967 "Impossible Dream" season that saw Boston win its first American League pennant in 21 years. Known as "The Stinger," he threw 181.2 innings over 24 starts and 11 relief appearances that season, going 8-10 with a 2.77 ERA. His lone postseason appearance came in Game 3 of the World Series at St. Louis, as he pitched 2.0 innings in relief and did not allow an earned run.
Stange retired as a player at the age of 33 following the 1970 season and returned to the Red Sox organization, first as a minor league instructor in 1971. He joined the major league club's staff as a pitching coach from 1972-74 and returned to the same role from 1981-84, after serving as a coach and instructor in the Twins and Oakland A's organizations from 1975-80. During his second stint on Boston's major league coaching staff, Stange helped in the development of such Red Sox pitchers as Dennis Eckersley and Roger Clemens.
Following the 1984 season, Stange returned to the Red Sox minor league system and served as a coach and instructor for 10 seasons. After leaving professional baseball, he worked as a pitching coach at Florida Institute of Technology for nine seasons before retiring at age 78. In August 2017, Stange returned to Fenway Park for the 50-year reunion of the "Impossible Dream" team.
Stange is survived by his wife, Barbara; his children, Tim, Jim, and Jana; his two step children, Paul Reed and former Red Sox infielder Jody Reed; and his six grandchildren.
Per Stange's request, no funeral service will be held.