Eddie Sawyer, 87, Manager Of the Phillies' Whiz Kids - New York Times The New York Times | September 23, 1997 | Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Eddie Sawyer, who never played in the major leagues but managed the Philadelphia Phillies' 1950 Whiz Kids team to the franchise's first National League pennant in 35 years, died yesterday in Phoenixville, Pa., after a brief illness. Sawyer, who lived in Valley Forge, Pa., was 87. A Phi Beta Kappa member, Sawyer held a master's degree from Cornell University and had a reputation as a scholarly type with an amazing memory and a kindly manner with young players. He had certainly been around young people enough as a science teacher at Ithaca College, where he earned a bachelor's degree before…