Former Yankee Skowron dead at 81

NEW YORK — Moose Skowron, a five-time World Series champion and one of only two players to hit three home runs in Game 7s, died Friday of congestive heart failure at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill. He was 81.

Skowron helped the New York Yankees win four titles in the 1950s and 1960s.

"There weren't many better guys than Moose," said former teammate Yogi Berra, the only other player with three Game 7 homers in the Series. "He was a dear friend and a great team man. A darn good ballplayer, too."

Skowron became a star first baseman with the Yankees and went on to appear in eight All-Star Games over six seasons.

After Skowron's playing career he returned to Chicago, where he was born and had worked for the White Sox since 1999 in the team's community relations department, making appearances.

Skowron played for the Yankees from 1954-62, then won a fifth title with Los Angeles in the first season after he was dealt to the Dodgers for Stan Williams. He hit .282 in 14 major league seasons with 211 home runs and 888 RBIs, also spending time with the expansion Washington Senators (1964), the White Sox (1964-67) and the California Angels (1967).

He was an All-Star from 1957-61, appearing in both games in 1959 and 1960, then was picked one final time in 1965.

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