Baseball - Vern Ruhle Loses Battle Against Cancer

Former Reds pitching coach Vern Ruhle has lost his battle against cancer. Ruhle missed the 2006 season since he was being treated for cancer and he died just five days before his 56th birthday.

Ruhle was a former Major League pitcher and he breathed his last at the M D Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. It was informed that complications developed from a donor stem cell transplant after he was treated for multiple myeloma and this lead to his death.
No arrangements have been made for his funeral as yet. Ruhle is survived by his wife, Sue, daughter, Rebecca and son, Kenny.
Reds manager Jerry Narron expressed sadness when he heard about the sad demise.
Ruhle pitched for the Tigers, Astros, Indians and Angels from 1974 to 1986 and was 67-88 with a 3.73 ERA. He was the pitching coach for Astros, Phillies and Mets from 1997 to 2003. He joined the Reds in 2004 as a pitching coach with rookie level Billings. Before the 2005 season, Ruhle was promoted to Minor League pitching coordinator.
In June 2005, Ruhle became the pitching coach after manager Dave Miley and pitching coach Don Gullett were fired.
In February 2005 doctors found out that Ruhle had cancer after he went for his annual checkup just when the Spring Training was starting. He immediately took a leave of absence to undergo treatment. In the meantime, bullpen coach took over as pitching coach on interim basis.
In August 2005, Ruhle rejoined the club for some home games after he was told by the doctors that he was improving.
During spring and summer of 2005 when Ruhle was undergoing treatment, the risk of infection kept him bound to a hospital bed for 3 months. During that time, it was baseball that kept him going. Ruhle would keep an eye on the games over the internet and through the television.
Ruhle was reassigned as the Reds’ rehabilitation coordinator at its Minor League complex in Sarasota, Florida, for the 2007 season.
General manager Wayne Krivsky said the entire organization was deeply saddened by Ruhle’s loss and that he was highly committed to the Reds.