Former Orioles and Angels star Don Baylor was remembered for a huge heart and a ferocious competitive streak during a funeral service Saturday in his hometown of Austin, Texas. Baylor died Monday, at 68, after a 14-year battle with multiple myeloma.
Former teammate Bobby Grich, opening the service at Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church, talked about Baylor's prodigious talent, recalling a barehanded catch he once made in a minor-league game.
"He brought everyone on the team up to his level of being a ferocious competitor. And at the same time, he was a catalyst in making the team more cohesive and closer than effort really could," said Grich, who broke in with Baylor in the Orioles organization in 1967.