‘Marvelous Marv’ Throneberry Dies : Baseball: First baseman on bumbling ’62 Mets who later starred in beer commercials succumbs to cancer. He was 60.

Former major leaguer Marv Throneberry, who had his best year for the New York Mets during one of the team’s worst seasons, has died of cancer. He was 60.

Throneberry, nicknamed “Marvelous Marv” during his career as a first baseman, died Thursday night at his home in Fisherville, a small rural community near Collierville, about 22 miles east of Memphis.

Throneberry played on one of the worst teams in baseball history, the 1962 New York Mets. The Mets were 40-120 that year, but it was Throneberry’s best year with 16 home runs and 49 runs batted in.

He played from 1958-1963. He was with the New York Yankees in 1958 and 1959, including one appearance in the ’58 World Series. He spent 1960 and part of 1961 with the Kansas City Athletics, before joining the Baltimore Orioles in 1961.

He started 1962 with Baltimore, but played only nine games. He joined the Mets during their expansion season of 1962, and played there until he retired in 1963. He hit .237 during his career with 53 home runs and 170 RBIs.

Throneberry was probably best known for appearing in several Miller Lite Beer commercials with more well-known athletes, saying “I still don’t know why they asked me to do this commercial.”

He is survived by his wife, Dixie; three daughters, Gail Brewer of Pleasant Hill, Calif.; Sandra Clement and Lorie Throneberry, both of Rossville, Tenn., and two sons, Gil Throneberry of Fisherville, Tenn., and Jody Throneberry of Eads, Tenn.

Survivors also include a sister, Lurlene Peacock of Barry, Tex., and two brothers, Walter and Faye, both of Fisherville, Tenn.

Throneberry had 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.