Garret Anderson's close friend and actor Tyrin Turner had confirmed the Los Angeles Angels legend's death hours before media outlets reported about it. TMZ reported that the 53-year-old suffered a medical emergency at his home in Newport Beach, California on Thursday. However, the nature of the emergency and the former MLB star's official cause of death has not been revealed yet.
Tyrin Turner's tribute
Turner posted a couple of messages about Anderson on Thursday. “Garret Anderson jr….we was the dynamic duo in that outfield ….my life is changing in real time. Life is realllllllly short,” he said in one social media post.
“The last week has been f****d up.just wanted time to grieve my mom. Love you Punch.aka Garret Anderson,” the actor added.
Los Angeles Angels sends message to Garret Anderson's family
"The Angels Organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise's most beloved icons, Garret Anderson," Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series championship.”
"Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond," Moreno said. "His admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable."
{{/usCountry}}"Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond," Moreno said. "His admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable."
{{/usCountry}}Garret Anderson still sits atop the Los Angeles Angels record books, holding franchise marks in hits (2,368), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489), RBIs (1,292) and games played (2,013). Drafted in the fourth round in 1990 out of John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, California, he went on to hit .296 with 272 home runs during his Angels tenure.
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He was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame on August 20, 2016, and the team will honor him this season with a memorial patch on player jerseys.
"We extend our deepest condolences to Garret's wife Teresa, daughters Brianne and Bailey, son Garret ‘Trey' Anderson III, and his entire family," Moreno said.
A three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner, Anderson became a full-time contributor in 1995 and spent 14 seasons in Anaheim before closing out his career with the Atlanta Braves in 2009 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010.
Among Angels players, only Mike Trout has worn the uniform longer than Anderson, underscoring his lasting legacy with the franchise.
(With Reuters inputs)