Brewers honor late Phil Garner, who held wins record before Craig Counsell broke it

The Milwaukee Brewers are off to a difficult start to the season. The Brewers have dealt with injuries and mounting losses. Still, they took time prior to their game on Sunday to reflect on the past.

The Brewers took the X, formerly Twitter, before their game with the Washington Nationals, to honor former manager Phil Garner, who passed away on Saturday.

“The Brewers are saddened to learn of the passing of former manager Phil Garner. Following a distinguished playing career, Phil served as our manager from 1992-99 and went on to manage the second-most games in franchise history. He was a very highly respected and beloved individual who was known for his caring nature, wisdom and sense of humor. Our deepest condolences go out to Phil’s wife, Carol, and all of his family, friends and fans,” the statement from the team read.

The team also observed a moment of silence prior to the game.

Garner was a player from 1973 through 1988, spending time with the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants. He would win a World Series title with the Pirates in 1979.

After his playing career ended, he began coaching, being named the manager of the Brewers after the 1991 season. He was hired by Sal Bando, who was a teammate of Garner with the Athletics. While Garner saw some success with the Brewers and led them through their transition from the American League to the National League, he never found the playoffs with the Brewers. His 563 wins were the most in franchise history until Craig Counsell broke that record.

Garner would later be the manager of the Detroit Tigers, scoring for two full seasons in 2000 and 2001. He would be fired in 2002 after a 0-6 start. Garner would get one more chance at managing, becoming a mid-season replacement for the Houston Astros in 2004, and leading them to the playoffs. In 2005, he led them to the World Series, losing to the Chicago White Sox.

Garner was 76.

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