QUINCY, Ill. -- Former Chicago Cubs head coach Elvin W. Tappe, whose links to the team spanned more than 20 years, has died. He was 71.

  Funeral services were set for Wednesday for Tappe, who battled pancreatic cancer for five years and died in his Quincy home Saturday.

  The Cubs drafted Tappe in 1952 and sent him to their farm team, the Los Angeles Angels. He came up to the Cubs in 1953 but was sent back to the West Coast three years later, where he was named an All-Star catcher.

  Tappe became a player-coach for the Cubs in 1958 and was a coach on the National League All-Star team in 1960. He became part of a revolving head coach rotation in 1961 and played, coached and managed the team through the 1963 season. He remained a scout for the team until 1975.

  Tappe and his twin brother, Melvin, did play-by-play broadcasts of local sports on WTAD radio and KHQA television in Quincy for 25 years. They also ran a sporting goods store in their hometown, now operated by Tappe's nephews.

  Survivors include: Tappe's wife of nearly 50 years, Donna Rae; a son, Stanley; a daughter, Tammy Meyer; and a sister, Winona Kistner. Melvin Tappe died in 1992.

  Funeral services were scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Salem Evangelical United Church of Christ in Quincy.