All McHale The Executive

John McHale, a former baseball player, and longtime baseball executive, has died today at the age of 87. McHale served as the general manager for the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee/ Atlanta Braves, and Montreal Expos, but not all at the same time. That would be some sort of record.

McHale's tenure with the Expos was particularly notable, as he served as the first president and executive director of the then-expansion Montreal team. Their fates meet again. Like the Expos, McHale, has gone to a better place:

"Both personally and professionally, John McHale was one of the finest gentlemen I have ever known,'' commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "He was a longtime mentor of mine... Baseball has lost one of its most respected figures.''

A mentor of Bud Selig? I thought you were supposed to praise people when they died.

[Sports Illustrated]