Tragic news out of the Major League Baseball world this weekend, as Chris Duncan, a 38-year-old ex-player, died of brain cancer. Duncan played five seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals and helped them win the 2006 World Series.
Duncan first announced he had glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer, in 2012. He progressed over the next several years and went to work for WXOS-FM as a radio host in St. Louis before announcing last year that the tumor had returned. He took a final leave of absence in January.
“The Cardinals are deeply saddened by the passing of Chris Duncan and extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife, Amy, the entire Duncan family, and his many friends,” Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said in a statement. “Chris was an integral part of our 2006 championship team and a great teammate and friend to many in the organization.”
It’s with an extremely heavy heart that we announce that our former teammate Chris Duncan lost his battle today. He will always be a part of our family at the station and a big part of our community! RIP Dunc we love you! pic.twitter.com/IWqB9z2sAv
— 101 ESPN St. Louis (@101espn) September 7, 2019
A run to remember
Duncan was the son of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan. He broke into the big leagues first in 2005, though he only played in nine games.
It was in 2006 that he made his greatest contribution. Duncan joined a Cardinals team riddled by injuries to starters and played 90 games, hitting .293 with 22 home runs and a .589 slugging percentage.
In the playoffs, he hit a home run in a seven-game victory over the Mets in the NLCS and played in the Cardinals’ World Series victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Duncan finished his career with a .257 average, an .805 OPS and 55 home runs.
Chris Duncan, a 2006 #STLCards World Series champion, has passed away at the age of 38. Our thoughts are with his friends and family. pic.twitter.com/CBWbvGsayc
— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) September 7, 2019
A man to remember
Duncan’s mother, Jeanine, died in 2013 at age 64 from the same cancer that afflicted her son.
Duncan was remembered as a tough player with a dry sense of humor. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports one anecdote that Duncan called beer “man-soda” during the Cardinals’ playoff run. The term stuck, and Duncan became a favorite of fans and his teammates.
He secretly took up piano lessons so he could surprise his bride, Amy, with a song at their 2011 wedding. He similarly threw himself into radio broadcasting and learned a new profession late in his life.
Duncan is survived by Amy, father Dave and brother Shelley.
#BREAKING: Chris Duncan dies at 38; helped 2006 Cardinals win World Series, had second career in sports radio https://t.co/3BAsTFhhy6 pic.twitter.com/jpneJOcVW6
— St. Louis Post-Dispatch (@stltoday) September 7, 2019
H/T: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
