Tony Lucadello, a scout with the Philadelphia...
Tony Lucadello, a scout with the Philadelphia Phillies who signed Mike Schmidt to his first professional contract, died Monday night after being found at a municipal baseball field, bleeding from his mouth, authorities in Fostoria, Ohio, said.
A handgun was found next to Lucadello’s body, but Fostoria police would neither confirm nor deny that Lucadello had been shot.
Lucadello, 76, was found lying on the grass in front of his car by members of a local baseball team who arrived at the ballpark, according to a statement by police officer Dennis Leiter.
Police and hospital employees would not give the cause of death.
In a statement released by the club, Phillie President Bill Giles said: “He was a gentleman’s gentleman, probably the most respected scout as a human being that I’ve known in my career in baseball.”
Lucadello signed 50 players who eventually played in the major leagues, including Ferguson Jenkins, Toby Harrah, Larry Hisle and Grant Jackson.
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