Baseball Executive Tallis, 76, Dies

Cedric Tallis, who ran the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees during a 43-year career in professional baseball, died in Tampa, Fla., after suffering a heart attack Tuesday. He was 76.

Tallis was pronounced dead at Tampa General Hospital after becoming ill during a meeting at his accountant’s office. Further information was withheld at the request of the family.

Tallis joined the expansion Los Angeles Angels in 1961 as business manager and became vice president of operations in 1965, just before the team moved to Anaheim. He left to join the expansion Royals in 1968 as general manager, a year before the team’s first season in the American League.

After leaving the Yankees following the 1982 season, Tallis became executive director of the Tampa Bay Baseball Group. Tallis’ group lost out to a rival Tampa bid in December when the National League pared finalists to six.

Tallis was chosen executive of the year in 1971 by the Sporting News while with the Royals.