Former Cubs Pitcher Milt Pappas Dies At 76

(CBS) Former Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas has passed away at 76 from natural causes, Beecher Police confirmed.

Pappas won 209 games in his 17-year MLB career, which included playing for the Cubs from 1970-'73. He was the last Cubs pitcher to throw a no-hitter at Wrigley Field, doing so on Sept. 2, 1972. In that game, he was one strike away from a perfect game with two outs in the ninth inning when home plate umpire Bruce Froemming called a borderline 3-2 pitch a ball.

Pappas stayed forever bitter about Froemming's call, as he was furious at the time and sad in later years.

"Bruce Froemming … it's too bad he didn't retire 35 years ago," Pappas once said.

That no-hitter came during Pappas' best year with the Cubs, as he went 17-7 with a 2.77 ERA and finished ninth in the NL Cy Young voting in 1972.

Pappas was a two-time All-Star. He also played for the Orioles, Reds and Braves. He was born in Detroit and was signed as an amateur free agent by the Orioles in 1957.

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts expressed his sympathy following Pappas' death.

"The Cubs organization is sad to learn of the passing of Milt Pappas, who not only had a special place on the field with the team in the early 1970s, but also maintained a relationship with Cubs fans as a frequent guest at Wrigley Field, the Cubs Convention and other team events," Ricketts said in a statement. "Milt will forever be remembered for one of the most dramatic pitching performances in team history as he delivered a no-hitter that neared perfection in 1972. Pappas ended his impressive career wearing a Cubs uniform, and we will always consider him part of the Chicago Cubs family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends, relatives and fans as we mourn this loss."