JUNE: THE BASEBALL GURU ARTICLE FROM

                                               ONEMOREINNING

 HALL OF FAME MANAGERS

All the managers here were voted into the hall of fame by a special vote from the Veterans Committee.  This viewer finds many of their votes to be curious!

 

RUBE FOSTER:

In his day Foster was considered to have been the best pitcher to have played black ball. It’s as a manger though that he made the HALL OF FAME. His record with two teams was an incredible 233 wins and only 15 losses! He founded the first Negro League in 1920. It lasted until 1931. Made the Hall in 1981

WILBERT ROBINSON: UNCLE ROBBIE:

Why is this man in the HALL OF FAME? As a catcher he had a .273 BA. He was voted in for his managerial abilities and that was nil. Managing the BALTIMORE ORIOLES and the BROOKLYN ROBINS his record was an ordinary 1,399 wins & 1,399 LOSSED…...hardly material for HALL OF FAME selection!

WALT ALSTON: SMOKEY:

Unlike Robinson this man does belong in the HOF as a manager. He played in only one game and struck out in his only time at bat on three straight pitches.

As a manger though it was a different story. With the Brooklyn Dodgers he won their only World Series in 1954. In 23 years with both Brooklyn and Los Angeles he won an astounding 17 pennants and a total of 4 World Series. His record is 2,040 wins and 1,613 losses. He was inducted into the Hall in 1983.

SPARKY ANDERSON:CAPTAIN HOOK:

Why Captain Hook? Pitchers didn’t last very long on the mound while he was managing! His record was 2,194 wins and 1,854 LOSSES WHICH PLACES HIM SIXTH ALL TIME AS MANAGER. He was the first to win World Series in both the National and American Leagues. He took two franchises, Detroit and Cincinnati, that had been sorry messes for quite awhile and transformed them into winning teams. HOF in 2000.

LEO DUROCHER: LEO THE LIP:

His nickname was appropriate. He was deadly with Umpires as well as with players he didn’t like (ask Milt Pappas). Ruth despised him and nicknamed him, “THE ALL AMERICAN OUT.”

Managed the DODGERS, GIANTS, CUBS and other teams as well. He had a 2,008-1,709 won and lost record. This put him in tenth place as of now. His teams won four World Series. He was the first manger to win 500 games with three different clubs.

Contrary to popular opinion he never said, “NICE GUYS FINISH LAST.”  HOF 1994.

 

 

 

NED HANLON:

He’s pretty obscure these days, having played and managed in the late 1890s until the early 1900s. Back then though he was one of the major stars in the game.

While managing several teams from 1894 until the 1900s he led his clubs to seven consecutive seasons of a .600 winning percentage.

As a manger he compiled a decent record of 1,313 wins, against 1.154 losses. This put him as far back as 25^th place on the all time managers list. For my money he doesn’t belong in the HOF.

CASEY STENGEL: THE OL’ PERFESSOR:

The only manager to wear the uniforms of all four of New York teams…..Yanks, Mets, Dodgers, and Giants.

While with the Yanks he won five consecutive World Series. Overall he won a total of seven and two American League Pennants.

As a manager he won a total of 1,905 GAMES. Up to his coming to New York he was considered sub par and had a dismal managerial record. He was inducted into the Hall in 1966.

BUCKY HARRIS:

He was one of the few player mangers in the game and the youngest to achieve that distinction (23 years old).

As a manger he had a losing record (2,157 wins - 2.218 losses). Most of his career he had poor teams, Washington, et al but like Stengel (who replaced him in NY) while with THE Yankees he won two World Series. HOF 1975

I’M SORRY, A LOSING RECORD DOESN’T MERIT YOUR BEING PUT INTO THE HOF!

CONNIE MACK:

The grand old man of baseball. He won five World Series in his 50 years at the helm. His 3,731 wins and 3, 948 losses add up to the most wins and losses in the game.

Was one of the few men in the game not to wear a baseball suit while piloting a team.

HOF 1966,  BUT HIS LOSING RECORD FOR ME IS A DOWNER. HE SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN INDUCTED!

AL LOPEZ:

Lopez was considered to have been one of the brainiest guys in the game. As a testament to that it’s interesting to note that in his fifteen years as a manager he never had a losing season. He is also remembered for having been thrown out of a game only four times in all that while.

He won over 2,000 games and was chosen for the hall of fame by the veterans committee in 1977.

 

 

 

 

MILLER HUGGINS:

HOF:1977

While with New York he won six Pennants and three World Series. He ranks in 20^th place with his record of 1,413 wins and 1,134 losses. Not bad but winning just 279 games over 500 with the kind of team he had all those years doesn’t make it for me.

As a side note….Babe Ruth drove him crazy.

TOMMY LASORDA:

He may have been flashy, a celebrity seeker, flamboyant, a bon vivant but he ranks as one of the best managers the Dodgers ever had. Four National League Pennants, eight division titles and two World Series.

However 1,599 wins and 1,439 losses (160 more wins than losses) is not good enough to warrant his being in the Hall. He was elected in 1994.

JOHN McGRAW:LITTLE NAPOLEAN:

HOF: 1937.

In this case he proved the adage that that it pays to be a dictator! Three World Series, second to Connie Mack in most wins with a 2,763-1,948 record. He ranks second in most ejections…..Earl Weaver is first.

FRANK SELLEE:

Frank who? Hardly known today his record was a respectable 1,282- 862. Not bad….iffy for his being elected to the Hall in 1999. He did win five National League championships though, so maybe he does belong in there.

He died early on (49 years old) from consumption.

JOE McCARTHY:MARSE JOE:

One of the great ones. HOF:1957.

His seven World SERIES AND 1,460 games with New York is all time with them. He’s eighth all time in Major League wins and has a .615 percantage.

BILL McKECHNIE:THE DEACON:

HOF:1962.Being very religious earned him the above nickname. Three World Series and two pennants with 1,892 wins. Iffy at best.

EARL WEAVER:THE EARL OF BALTIMORE:

HOF:1996.

A FIERY PERSONALITY DIDN’T ENDEAR HIM TO MANY PEOPLE. He did have only one losing season and managed a 1,480-1,060 won and lost record.

The daddy of all Major League ejections with a grand total of 38!! HALL OF FAME?...........maybe