George Eddie Haas
He was not on the list.
George Edwin Haas passed away peacefully on June 4, 2026, at the age of 91, surrounded by his family. Born in Paducah, Kentucky, on May 26, 1935, he was the son of George Adam Haas and Margaret Mary Roof Haas.
After graduating from St. John’s High School, he embarked on a more than 50-year career in professional baseball, eventually becoming one of the few men to have played, coached, managed, and scouted in Major League Baseball.
Along the way, he married Judith Ann McGarry, and together they raised three children: Kathy, Matt, and Danny.
Eddie was most proud of his family and was a beloved son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, husband, father, father-in-law and grandfather. Upon retirement, he devoted himself to his true passions: mowing his lawn and becoming a full-time Grandad. His defining moments came, in quietly caring for his wife in their later years. He was known for his loyalty, humility, and ability to make friends wherever he went. His kindness and generosity left a lasting impression on all who knew him.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 51 years, Judith McGarry Haas; his parents, George Adam Haas and Margaret Mary Roof Haas; his sisters, Sister Jeanette Haas, R.S.M., and Barbaranelle Tackett; and his brother, Louis Haas.
He is survived by his children, Kathy Haas Scheler (Tony), Matt Haas (Colleen), and Danny Haas (Katie); his sisters, Marietta Haas and Charlotte Haas; and his grandchildren, Nathan Scheler, Brendan Scheler, Jackson Haas, Alexandra Haas, Kelsea Haas, Georgiana Haas, and Hunter Haas.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Monday, June 8th, at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, 1395 Girard Drive with burial to follow in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, June 7th, at Ratterman Funeral Home, 3711 Lexington Road, St. Matthews.
Memorial gifts in the form of contributions can be made to Mass of the Air.
Haas spent 14 years as a manager or coach in the farm system of the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and replaced Joe Torre as Atlanta's manager after the 1984 season. His 1985 Braves squad went 50–71 (.413). With the Braves in fifth place in the National League West Division and 22 games out of the lead, Haas was fired on August 26, 1985, and succeeded by interim pilot Bobby Wine.
In his playing days, the 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), 178 lb (81 kg) Haas was an outfielder who batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He graduated from St. John High School in Paducah and signed his first professional contract with the Chicago Cubs. He made the Majors with the Cubs in 1957 and was traded to the Milwaukee Braves in the offseason. His MLB career consisted of 55 games (1957–1958; 1960) with those two clubs, batting .243 with one home run and 17 total hits. A broken ankle cost him the entire 1959 season.
Haas remained with the Braves payroll after his minor league playing career ended and long after they moved to Atlanta. He served as a minor league manager and coach (1965–73; 1978–84), and as a coach for the MLB Braves (1974–77). After his brief MLB managerial career, he served as a special assignment scout for the Montreal Expos (1986–94) and Boston Red Sox (1995–2003).
He comes from a baseball family: his brother, Louis, was an
infielder in the Braves' organization from 1959 to 1962; two sons, Matt and
Danny, are longtime scouts and former minor league players; cousins Phil and
Gene Roof are former Major League players and coaches and who spent many years
as minor league managers; and another cousin, Paul Roof, pitched in the minor
leagues.
In the minor leagues he played for the Gainesville Owls, Des
Moines Bruins, Hickory Rebels, Los Angeles Angels, Fort Worth Cats, Wichita
Braves, Estrellas Orientales, Louisville Colonels, Vancouver Mounties, Hawaii
Islanders, and the Denver Bears.
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