PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Phillies have announced that Rheal Cormier, a left-handed reliever who played parts of six seasons with the team from 2001 to 2006, died Monday from cancer at the age of 53.
The Phillies remembered Cormier as a tough and durable lefty who, in 2003, went 8-0 with a 1.70 ERA, pitching 84 2/3 innings that season. The Phils say it's the sixth lowest earned run average by a reliever in the modern era of franchise history (since 1900).
In 2004, Cormier appeared in 84 games, which the organization says were the most ever by a left-handed Phils pitcher.
Speaking of those two seasons — the last at Veterans Stadium and the first at Citizens Bank Park — Cormier recorded the win in the Phils final victory at The Vet, as well as their first at their current home.
In addition to his play on the field, several recounted how Cormier was an awesome guy when not pitching.
"Rheal was one of the most vibrant people I've had the pleasure of knowing," former teammate and Phillies Wall of Famer Jim Thome said in a statement. "He loved baseball, but he always put his family first. Frenchy was the kind of guy who would do anything for you and I'm lucky to have called him my friend for many years. Our time spent together in Philadelphia as teammates was unforgettable. He will be greatly missed but never forgotten."
Cormier made many donations to Phillies Charities, Inc., was involved in a lot of school programs in Montreal (he was born in Canada), and was spokesman for teenage anti-suicide and anti-drug campaigns.
Inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012, Cormier pitched in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and in the 2008 games in Beijing, at 41-years-old — the oldest player to compete that year. He also pitched for Canada in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
On Sept. 22, 2004, he became a U.S. citizen. The Phils were in Miami playing the Marlins. A few months before that, when he was waiting for citizenship, he told reporters, "I think about it a lot. I almost feel like an expectant father."
Cormier is survived by his wife, Lucienne, and their son and daughter, Justin and Morgan.
When news about his passing broke, friends, teammates, members of the media and fans paid tribute on social media.
