Tommy Boggs, a former MLB pitcher, passed away due to cancer complications and pneumonia

Tommy Boggs, a veteran of nine MLB seasons, died this morning following a battle with cancer complicated with pneumonia. He was 66.

Boggs was drafted by the Texas Rangers in 1974 and joined the parent club in 1976.

He was part of a four-team trade in December of 1977 that sent him to the Atlanta Braves, where he played until 1983.

He returned to Texas for a cup of coffee in 1985.

He moved on to coach at Concordia College in Texas, winning over 300 games.

Boggs was a high school player at Lanier High School in Austin, Texas at the time of the draft.

He was a member of the Rangers throughout his whole major league career, from the beginning to the very end. In the interim, he pitched for the Atlanta Braves for a total of six seasons.

On December 8, 1977, he was one of three players—along with Adrian Devine and Eddie Miller—who were moved from the Rangers to the Braves as part of the first four-team blockbuster deal in the history of Major League Baseball.

The deal also involved the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets, and it involved the movement of a total of eleven players. The Rangers acquired Jon Matlack and Al Oliver from the Mets, while the Pirates gave the Rangers Nelson Norman and Al Oliver.

Both Bert Blyleven and John Milner came to the Pirates courtesy of the Rangers and the Mets, respectively. Willie Montaez was sent to the Mets by the Braves, while Tom Grieve and Ken Henderson were sent to New York by the Rangers in order to finalize the deal on March 15, 1978.

The trade took place three months earlier, on November 15, 1977. Boggs played for the Braves and the Rangers over the course of 9 Major League Baseball seasons and made a total of 114 appearances.

During his career, he pitched for the Texas Rangers (1976–1977), the Atlanta Braves (1978–1983), and then the Texas Rangers once again. His first major league team was the Rangers (1976–1977). (1985). He finished his career with 20 victories and a 4.22 earned run average (ERA).