Jim Corsi, a universally liked and respected member of the A’s last World Series championship team, died early Tuesday after a battle with cancer. He was 60.
The former relief pitcher’s death was first reported by Corsi’s good friend Steve Burton, a sports reporter for Boston’s WBZ-TV, which just aired an emotional interview with Corsi on Monday.
“Jim Corsi passed away from cancer peacefully overnight with his family by his side. Way to finish strong Jim. Rest in peace my friend. We love you,” Burton tweeted Tuesday.
The Newton, Massachusetts-born Corsi had told WBZ of his diagnosis of terminal colon cancer and Stage IV liver cancer.
“I’m at peace,” Corsi said during the interview. “I know if I die, I’m going to a better place. That’s the No. 1 thing. I feel sorry for everyone that I’ll leave behind.”
Corsi spent half of his 10-year major league career with the A’s, including his second season in 1989 when he helped Oakland to its fourth world title. The right-handed Corsi was part of a dominant A’s bullpen in 1989 that was led by close friend and Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley.
WBZ-TV’s segment Monday included touching footage of Eckersley’s video call with a bed-ridden Corsi.
“It’s all I’ve been thinking about is you,” Eckersley told Corsi. “We’re all here for you. We love you, you know? We love you!”
Following Corsi’s death, Eckersley told the Boston Globe, “(Corsi’s) not just your friend, he had like 24 other friends on the team, and not too many guys have that. Jim was as friendly as anything to everybody.”
Mike Lefkow, a former A’s beat writer for this news organization, was among those in the Bay Area who enjoyed being around Corsi during the late 1980s and early ‘90s.
“Corsi is one of the nicest, most decent people I dealt with during my long career covering sports, at any level from high school to college and pro,” Lefkow said. “He treated everyone with dignity and respect. He had a great sense of humor.”
Although Corsi didn’t make a World Series appearance when the A’s swept the Giants, he enjoyed one of his best years on the mound that season. He had a 1.88 earned run average in 38.1 innings over 22 games in 1989, including a career-best 0.939 WHIP.
Corsi, who also pitched for the Marlins, Red Sox and Orioles, had three stints with the A’s from 1988-96. His 1992 season included a career-low 1.43 ERA out of the A’s bullpen. Armed with a highly effective changeup and slider, Corsi finished his career with a solid 3.25 ERA in nearly 500 innings spanning 368 games.
During the televised interview, a tearful Corsi urged others to be diligent about caring for their health.
“I made a mistake when I was younger by not getting a colonoscopy,” he said. “I should have done it. If you’re out there, don’t wait. Don’t be stupid. I was a professional athlete and thought I was invincible, strong. You’re not. Cancer is not prejudiced to anybody.”