It was Hall of Fame announcer Milo Hamilton who gave infielder Phil Garner the nickname “Scrap Iron” while both were with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the late 1970s. Hamilton saw a young third baseman knocking down balls, always with dirt on his uniform, and noticed that nothing seemed to bother him.

He was as tough as scrap iron. Boy, was he.

Phil Garner, 3-time All-Star who managed Astros to '05 pennant, dies at 76