Vukovich was traded along with Don Money and Bill Champion by the Phillies to the Brewers for Jim Lonborg, Ken Brett, Ken Sanders and Earl Stephenson on October 31, 1972.[3] He was a backup for the 1975 Reds World Series-winning team, although he was traded back to the Phillies before the playoffs began, and also for the 1980 Phillies World Series-winning team.[1] He actually began the 1975 season as the Reds' starting third baseman,[1] but was benched in early April after hitting only .250 with three extra base hits and only one RBI. The Reds moved Pete Rose to third base and platooned Dan Driessen and George Foster in left at first, but Foster eventually won the left-field job full time. Vukovich spent the remainder of his time with the Reds as a late-inning defensive replacement before being released in May 1975.
He batted above .200 only twice in his ten-year career, appearing in 277 games hitting 6 home runs, with 44 runs batted in, and a career .956 fielding percentage.[1] His career batting average was .161, the lowest in Major League Baseball history for any batter (non-pitcher) with over 550 plate appearances.[4]
During his second period of playing with the Phillies, he became beloved to the fans even though he seldom appeared in games; he was seen as a blue-collar player and the ordinary fan respected his effort.[citation needed]
Coaching
After his playing career ended, he joined the Chicago Cubs as a coach, and in 1986 he was manager for a day after Jim Frey was fired (he split that day's doubleheader). In 1987, he rejoined the Phillies, and after Lee Elia was fired with nine games to go, he took over as skipper, going 5-4 the rest of the season.[2]
Vukovich stayed with the Phillies as a coach from 1988 to 2004, and was considered for the managing job when Terry Francona was fired in 2000. The job eventually went to Vukovich's childhood friend, Larry Bowa.[2] Vukovich was diagnosed with a brain tumor early in the 2001 season and subsequently had surgery. He would return later that season, and remained on the coaching staff until being named special assistant to the General manager following the 2004 season. Along with Bowa and Milt Thompson, Vukovich is one of just three Phillies to go to the World Series as both a player and coach for the club.
Death
In late 2006, he again exhibited symptoms similar to his previous tumor; he died at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia at age 59. The 2007 Phillies honored him by wearing a uniform patch on their right sleeve with his nickname, "Vuk".[5] At the time of his death Vukovich was a resident of Voorhees Township, New Jersey.[6]
^Mandel, Ken. "Phils pay respect to Vukovich", Major League Baseball, March 9, 2007. Accessed March 17, 2011. "A private funeral will be held Tuesday near Vukovich's Voorhees, N.J., home, and many members of the Phillies organization are planning to attend by traveling to Philadelphia on a chartered flight."
