Former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel suffers stroke during medical procedure, facing 'crucial' 24 hours
Former Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel suffered a stroke Saturday while undergoing a medical procedure in Florida, the team announced.
The hospital was reportedly able to address the stroke immediately and remove a blood clot, but the 79-year-old Manuel is facing a "crucial" 24 hours in his recovery.
The Phillies' full announcement:
The Phillies have been informed that while undergoing a medical procedure today in a Florida hospital, Charlie Manuel suffered a stroke. The hospital was able to attend to Charlie immediately and subsequently remove a blood clot. The next 24 hours will be crucial to his recovery, and Charlie's family asks that you keep him in your thoughts and prayers at this time.
Manuel's health issues have been well-documented in both his managerial career and retirement. He has survived a heart attack, quadruple-bypass surgery, diverticulitis, diabetes and kidney cancer, most recently landing in the ICU due to complications from hernia surgery.
Manuel managed in MLB for 12 seasons, three with the Cleveland Indians and nine with the Phillies. He saw his greatest successes with the latter, winning five straight NL East division titles from 2007 to 2011 and leading Philadelphia to a World Series championship in 2008, the city's first major championship since 1983.
That managing career ended in 2013, when Manuel was fired after a 53-67 start to the season. He returned to the Phillies in 2014 as a senior advisor to the general manager, then stepped in as the organization's hitting coach during the 2019 season after the firing of John Mallee.
Manuel holds a 1,000-826 career record as a manager and played six seasons in MLB with the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers, plus a highly successful half-decade as a player in Japan.
