Former Braves Catcher Biff Pocoroba Passes Away
By Jerry Trotta
Baseball fans in need of reassuring news have been treated to the complete opposite across the last 24 hours.
That narrative continued on Tuesday when Sports Illustrated reported that former longtime Atlanta Braves catcher Biff Pocoroba passed away at 66 years old. As of this writing, the details surrounding his death are uncertain.
Former Braves catcher Biff Pocoroba dies at 66https://t.co/EGkaufTmGr
— BillShanks (@BillShanks) May 26, 2020
Pocoroba spent his entire 10-year career, which spanned from 1975-1984, with Atlanta. He made 596 appearances for the club after being drafted in the 17th round of the 1971 amateur draft. His career, in which he hit .257/.339/.367 with 21 home runs and 172 RBI, was capped with an All-Star nod in 1978.
A fan favorite among Braves supporters, Pocoroba suffered a shoulder injury towards the end of that campaign and was never able to retain his starting job. From 1979-1984, the California native played in just 270 of a possible 972 contests. He retired shortly after Atlanta released him during the 1984 season.
A funky farewell to #Braves catcher Biff Pocoroba, who has reportedly passed away at the age of 66. I asked for a catcher's mitt for my 11th birthday specifically because I thought Biff looked really cool on his 1976 Topps card. #RIP pic.twitter.com/n4PAdrhEyB
— Dan Epstein (@BigHairPlasGras) May 26, 2020
We send our thoughts and prayers to Pocoroba's family as they attempt to reckon with this tragic news.