Charlie Manuel
Encyclopedia
Charles Fuqua Manuel, Jr. (born January 4, 1944 in Northfork, West Virginia
) is a former Major League Baseball
and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder
and current Major League Baseball
manager
of the Philadelphia Phillies
. His team won the 2008 World Series
in five games over the Tampa Bay Rays
.
preacher, and the family lived in Wythe
and Grayson Counties
until they settled in Buena Vista
when Charlie, the third of 11 children and the oldest son, was 12.
He became a four-sport star at Parry McCluer High School
in Buena Vista, playing baseball, football, basketball and track and field, captaining the baseball and basketball teams. His first love was basketball and he had received scholarship offers in that sport, but his plans and his life would dramatically change just before his high school graduation.
In April 1963, his father, who had been ill with diabetes and heart problems, committed suicide, leaving behind a suicide note asking that Charlie, who was already married with a child, take care of his mother and siblings. He turned down his basketball scholarship offers, including one to the University of Pennsylvania, to consider offers from the Pittsburgh Pirates
, Detroit Tigers
, Minnesota Twins
, and New York Yankees
, ultimately signing with the Twins out of high school in for $30,000.
and in and with the Los Angeles Dodgers
, primarily as a pinch-hitter and left fielder
.
In 1977, he hit .316 with 42 home runs and 97 runs batted in, helping the Central League
's Yakult Swallows
reach second place for the first time in franchise history. In 1978, he hit .312 with 39 homers and 103 RBI, powering the Swallows to their first pennant and the Japan Championship Series
.
Playing for the Pacific League
's Kintetsu Buffaloes
, Manuel hit 25 home runs in the first eight weeks of the 1979 season. He was on pace to break the Japanese record of 16 home runs in a month. Most Japanese felt it would be an insult for a foreigner to hold that record.
At a game against the Lotte Orions on June 19, 1979, he was beaned by a pitch from Soroku Yagisawa, effectively stopping Manuel from taking that record. The pitch broke Manuel's jaw in six places. He wore a dental bridge as a result of an earlier accident in the minor leagues. There was nothing for doctors to wire together, so they inserted three metal plates in his head and removed nerves from his face. Manuel was discharged from the hospital after six weeks and immediately began playing again, against the advice of doctors and worried family. The Buffaloes were struggling to stay in the Pacific League lead and had never won a pennant. To protect his jaw, Manuel wore a helmet equipped with a football facemask. He wore the helmet for the first few games but stopped using it because it obscured his vision at the plate. He finished the 1979 season with 37 home runs to win the home run title. He led Kintetsu to its first pennant win. He was voted the Most Valuable Player
, the first American to receive the honor since 1964, hitting .324 with 37 home runs and 94 RBI.
A year later, Manuel shocked Japanese baseball by leaving for a week to attend his son's high school graduation in Virginia. His contract allowed it, but team officials were incredulous that Manuel would leave the team two games out of first place with three weeks to play in the first half of the season. Manuel returned to lead the team to the second-half championship and the pennant. He finished the season hitting .324, with 48 home runs and 129 RBI. It was the best season for an American player in Japan to that point. Manuel won no awards that season.
In 1981, he returned to the Yakult Swallows after being released by Kintetsu over contract negotiations.
Manuel finished his successful run in Japan with a .303 career average, 189 home runs and 491 RBI. He was considered one of the best imported baseball players to Japan in those days, along with brothers Leron
and Leon Lee
and Randy Bass
.
During his time in Japan, Manuel learned to speak Japanese. The language skill and experience in Japan was useful in managing players such as So Taguchi
and Tadahito Iguchi
.
' (–) farm systems, Manuel compiled a 610–588 (.509) record, winning the Pacific Coast League
and International League
championships in his final two seasons (–1993). He was named Manager of the Year three times and managed the IL All-Star team in 1993.
. The club also led the league in home runs in 1994 and 1995. From to , he served as the Indians' manager, leading the team to the American League Central
Division title in .
He was fired as manager of the Cleveland Indians on July 12, 2002 over a contract dispute.
, Manuel was hired by the Phillies
as special assistant to the general manager. After the season, Manuel was hired as the club's 51st manager, replacing Larry Bowa
. In the 2005 season
, Manuel and the Phillies went 88–74, only one game back of the Wild Card.
In , Manuel and the Phillies finished just short of the playoffs once again, this time three games back of the wild card. However, the season did have certain positives that boded well for next season. Second-year slugger Ryan Howard
hit a franchise record 58 home runs, second baseman Chase Utley
was named a starter in the 2006 MLB All-Star Game
, and rookie pitcher Cole Hamels
showed progress and the potential that he could one day become the club's ace.
on April 17, 2007, Philadelphia radio personality Howard Eskin
repeatedly questioned Manuel why he did not challenge his players. Eskin, a controversial afternoon drive host on local sports-talk station WIP-610, had criticized Manuel since the manager's hiring three years earlier. The Phillies proceeded to lose two of their next three games after the confrontation before going on a five-game winning streak. After the streak, the Phillies took another step back, winning only 5 of their next 13 games. The Philles were still one game below .500 on July 19 and only four games over .500 on August 25. From August 25 through the end of the season the Phillies went 23–11 to overtake the Mets.
Manuel's Phillies battled injuries all season, including losing newly acquired pitcher Freddy García
for the season. Howard, Utley, and Hamels also missed significant playing time. Hamels led the pitching staff with a 15–5 record, while Jimmy Rollins
set the Major League Baseball record for at-bats in a season with 716 through all 162 games played, as well as being named NL MVP. In a dramatic finale to the season, the Phillies captured the National League East
title from the collapsing Mets, but were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Colorado Rockies. Manuel finished second in balloting for the National League
Manager of the Year Award
for 2007.
to their second world title. It was his first World Series ring after years of close calls (including the 1997 Cleveland Indians). He was voted by fans as MLB "This Year in Baseball Awards
" Manager of the Year. Manuel reached a contract agreement with the Phils on December 9, 2008 to keep him with the team through the 2011 season. On October 21, 2009, Manuel became the first manager in franchise history
to lead the Phillies to two consecutive World Series appearances. It was the first time a National League team won back-to-back pennants since the 1995–96 Atlanta Braves
. During the 2009 World Series
, Manuel was criticized for not pitching Cliff Lee
in Game 4, a game the Phillies eventually lost. He defended his decision by noting that Lee had never pitched on three days' rest before. Manuel finished sixth in balloting for the 2009 National League
Manager of the Year Award
.
in four consecutive seasons, joining the Braves (1991–2005, excluding 1994) and the New York Giants
(1921–1924). The Phillies finished the season at 97–65; it was the first time in franchise history that Philadelphia had completed a season with Major League Baseball's best record. In November, the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh named Manuel the recipient of its Chuck Tanner Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award. In September 2011, Manuel again led the Phillies to the NL East title, their fifth consecutive in as many years, and quickest post-season clinch ever: at game #150. During the sweep of the final series against the Atlanta Braves
on September 26–28, records were set. First on the 26th, with the Phillies' 4-2 victory, he became the second manager in Phillies' history to manager a team to at least 100 wins in a season, after Danny Ozark during back-to-back 101 win seasons in 1976
and 1977
. The next day, with the Phillies' 7-1 victory, Manuel moved into a franchise-record tie with Gene Mauch
with 645 regular-season victories. In the final game of the season with a victory in 13 innings, he led the Phillies to a franchise-record 102 regular season wins. With the victory he picked up his 646th win, setting a new Phillies' managerial record for victories and assuring that the Phillies would face the St. Louis Cardinals who defeated them in the NLDS.
, quadruple bypass surgery, a blocked and infected colon
, and kidney cancer
. During his time with the Indians, he worked in the dugout with a colostomy bag beneath his jacket. Manuel's mother June died October 10, 2008, at age 87 in Buena Vista, Virginia. She had suffered a heart attack earlier in the week. Because of the Phillies' 2008 NLCS five-game win, he was able to attend his mother's funeral. He currently has a fiancée named Missy.
He also has a best friend named Sam J C
Northfork, West Virginia
Northfork is a town in McDowell County, West Virginia, USA, located on US Route 52 between Welch and Bluefield.The population was 519 at the 2000 census. Northfork was incorporated in 1901, so named because of its location on the north fork of the Elkhorn Creek at its junction with the south fork...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and current Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. His team won the 2008 World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
in five games over the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
.
Early life
Although he was born in West Virginia, his family was actually living in Virginia at that time, and he lived in Virginia throughout his childhood. He was born in an automobile while his mother, June, was visiting her mother. His father, Charles Sr., was a PentecostalPentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
preacher, and the family lived in Wythe
Wythe County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,599 people, 11,511 households, and 8,103 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 12,744 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
and Grayson Counties
Grayson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,917 people, 7,259 households, and 5,088 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile . There were 9,123 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
until they settled in Buena Vista
Buena Vista, Virginia
Buena Vista is an independent city located within the confines of Rockbridge County, Virginia. The population was 6,650 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Buena Vista with Rockbridge county for statistical purposes.-Geography:Buena Vista is located at...
when Charlie, the third of 11 children and the oldest son, was 12.
He became a four-sport star at Parry McCluer High School
Parry McCluer High School
Parry McCluer High School, also known as PMHS, is a high school located in Buena Vista, Virginia. The school has a population of approximately 340 students...
in Buena Vista, playing baseball, football, basketball and track and field, captaining the baseball and basketball teams. His first love was basketball and he had received scholarship offers in that sport, but his plans and his life would dramatically change just before his high school graduation.
In April 1963, his father, who had been ill with diabetes and heart problems, committed suicide, leaving behind a suicide note asking that Charlie, who was already married with a child, take care of his mother and siblings. He turned down his basketball scholarship offers, including one to the University of Pennsylvania, to consider offers from the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, and New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, ultimately signing with the Twins out of high school in for $30,000.
Major league career
Manuel played from to with the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
and in and with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, primarily as a pinch-hitter and left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
.
Japanese baseball
Manuel's baseball career took off when he left the United States to play in Japan. Wildly popular for his tenacious style of play and his power-hitting abilities, Manuel was dubbed "Aka-Oni" (The Red Devil) by fans and teammates.In 1977, he hit .316 with 42 home runs and 97 runs batted in, helping the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
's Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
reach second place for the first time in franchise history. In 1978, he hit .312 with 39 homers and 103 RBI, powering the Swallows to their first pennant and the Japan Championship Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
.
Playing for the Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
's Kintetsu Buffaloes
Kintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
, Manuel hit 25 home runs in the first eight weeks of the 1979 season. He was on pace to break the Japanese record of 16 home runs in a month. Most Japanese felt it would be an insult for a foreigner to hold that record.
At a game against the Lotte Orions on June 19, 1979, he was beaned by a pitch from Soroku Yagisawa, effectively stopping Manuel from taking that record. The pitch broke Manuel's jaw in six places. He wore a dental bridge as a result of an earlier accident in the minor leagues. There was nothing for doctors to wire together, so they inserted three metal plates in his head and removed nerves from his face. Manuel was discharged from the hospital after six weeks and immediately began playing again, against the advice of doctors and worried family. The Buffaloes were struggling to stay in the Pacific League lead and had never won a pennant. To protect his jaw, Manuel wore a helmet equipped with a football facemask. He wore the helmet for the first few games but stopped using it because it obscured his vision at the plate. He finished the 1979 season with 37 home runs to win the home run title. He led Kintetsu to its first pennant win. He was voted the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
, the first American to receive the honor since 1964, hitting .324 with 37 home runs and 94 RBI.
A year later, Manuel shocked Japanese baseball by leaving for a week to attend his son's high school graduation in Virginia. His contract allowed it, but team officials were incredulous that Manuel would leave the team two games out of first place with three weeks to play in the first half of the season. Manuel returned to lead the team to the second-half championship and the pennant. He finished the season hitting .324, with 48 home runs and 129 RBI. It was the best season for an American player in Japan to that point. Manuel won no awards that season.
In 1981, he returned to the Yakult Swallows after being released by Kintetsu over contract negotiations.
Manuel finished his successful run in Japan with a .303 career average, 189 home runs and 491 RBI. He was considered one of the best imported baseball players to Japan in those days, along with brothers Leron
Leron Lee
Leron Lee is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 8 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres....
and Leon Lee
Leon Lee
Leon Lee is a former minor league baseball player and minor league manager. He played first base and third base during his career, batting and throwing right-handed....
and Randy Bass
Randy Bass
is a former American baseball player and current politician. He is less notable for his career in Major League Baseball than for his success in Japan's Hanshin Tigers of Central League, where he had the most spectacular run of any American to ever play in Japan...
.
During his time in Japan, Manuel learned to speak Japanese. The language skill and experience in Japan was useful in managing players such as So Taguchi
So Taguchi
is a Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder who is currently playing with the Orix Buffaloes. Previously, he has played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball, and with the Orix BlueWave in Nippon Professional Baseball.Taguchi is the first...
and Tadahito Iguchi
Tadahito Iguchi
is a Japanese second baseman currently playing for the Chiba Lotte Marines.-Early life and Japanese career:Iguchi began playing in high school and after graduating in 1993, went to Aoyama Gakuin University where he distinguished himself by hitting the Tohto University Baseball League record of...
.
Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians minor league manager
Ultimately, injuries, including the beaning in Japan, cut Manuel's playing days short. He returned to the United States to work as a scout for the Minnesota Twins organization before turning to coaching. As a minor league manager for nine years in the Twins' (–) and Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
' (–) farm systems, Manuel compiled a 610–588 (.509) record, winning the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
and International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
championships in his final two seasons (–1993). He was named Manager of the Year three times and managed the IL All-Star team in 1993.
Cleveland Indians manager
Manuel returned to the Majors in 1988 as the Indians' hitting coach (–, –), where under his tutelage, the Tribe led the American League in runs three times (1994–, 1999) and set a franchise record in 1999 with 1,009 runs, becoming the first team to score 1,000 runs since the 1950 Boston Red Sox1950 Boston Red Sox season
The 1950 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 3rd in the American League with a record of 94 wins and 60 losses.- Opening Day lineup :- Roster :- Starters by position :...
. The club also led the league in home runs in 1994 and 1995. From to , he served as the Indians' manager, leading the team to the American League Central
American League Central
The American League Central Division is one of six divisions in Major League Baseball. This division was formed in the realignment in 1994, and its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States...
Division title in .
He was fired as manager of the Cleveland Indians on July 12, 2002 over a contract dispute.
2004–2006
Shortly after he was fired as manager for the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, Manuel was hired by the Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
as special assistant to the general manager. After the season, Manuel was hired as the club's 51st manager, replacing Larry Bowa
Larry Bowa
Lawrence Robert Bowa is a former middle infielder, playing mainly as a shortstop, and manager in Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
. In the 2005 season
2005 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies season was the 123rd season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies finished in second place in the National League East with a record of 88-74, two games behind the Atlanta Braves, and one game behind the NL Champion Houston Astros, who won the NL Wild-Card race...
, Manuel and the Phillies went 88–74, only one game back of the Wild Card.
In , Manuel and the Phillies finished just short of the playoffs once again, this time three games back of the wild card. However, the season did have certain positives that boded well for next season. Second-year slugger Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
hit a franchise record 58 home runs, second baseman Chase Utley
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, before moving on to UCLA...
was named a starter in the 2006 MLB All-Star Game
2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 77th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 11, 2006 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh,...
, and rookie pitcher Cole Hamels
Cole Hamels
Colbert Michael "Cole" Hamels is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hamels throws a four-seam fastball, a circle changeup, a curveball, and a cut fastball, which he added in 2010...
showed progress and the potential that he could one day become the club's ace.
2007
The team got off to a slow start again in 2007 (in 2005, they opened at 9–12; in 2006, 6–10). They began the season with a 3–9 record and during the Phillies' post-game press conference following the team's 8–1 loss to the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
on April 17, 2007, Philadelphia radio personality Howard Eskin
Howard Eskin
Howard Eskin is an American sports radio personality for WIP-FM 94.1/WIP-AM 610 in Philadelphia.-Career:After Eskin graduated from Northeast High School in Philadelphia in 1968, he got his start in local radio at WFIL-AM when evening shift disc jockey George Michael hired him to be his engineer...
repeatedly questioned Manuel why he did not challenge his players. Eskin, a controversial afternoon drive host on local sports-talk station WIP-610, had criticized Manuel since the manager's hiring three years earlier. The Phillies proceeded to lose two of their next three games after the confrontation before going on a five-game winning streak. After the streak, the Phillies took another step back, winning only 5 of their next 13 games. The Philles were still one game below .500 on July 19 and only four games over .500 on August 25. From August 25 through the end of the season the Phillies went 23–11 to overtake the Mets.
Manuel's Phillies battled injuries all season, including losing newly acquired pitcher Freddy García
Freddy García
Freddy Antonio García , nicknamed "The Chief", is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is currently a free agent...
for the season. Howard, Utley, and Hamels also missed significant playing time. Hamels led the pitching staff with a 15–5 record, while Jimmy Rollins
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin "Jimmy" Rollins , nicknamed "J-Roll", is an All-Star and former MVP shortstop, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League....
set the Major League Baseball record for at-bats in a season with 716 through all 162 games played, as well as being named NL MVP. In a dramatic finale to the season, the Phillies captured the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
title from the collapsing Mets, but were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Colorado Rockies. Manuel finished second in balloting for the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Manager of the Year Award
Manager of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Manager of the Year Award is an honor given annually since 1983 to the best managers in the American League and the National League . The winner is voted on by 28 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America . Each places a vote for first, second, and third...
for 2007.
2008–2009
The 2008 season started out much like 2005 through 2007, the Phillies once again got off to a slow start with a record of 8 wins and 10 losses. They recovered quickly after their slow start to go over the .500 mark on April 24. They peaked at 22 games over the .500 mark on the final day of the season, winning 92 games and earning 1st place in the NL East for the 2nd consecutive year. On October 29, Charlie Manuel guided the 2008 Phillies2008 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2008 season was the 126th in the history of the franchise. The team finished with a regular season record of 92–70, first in the National League East. In the post-season, the Phillies won the World Series; this was the first major sports championship for...
to their second world title. It was his first World Series ring after years of close calls (including the 1997 Cleveland Indians). He was voted by fans as MLB "This Year in Baseball Awards
This Year in Baseball Awards
This Year in Baseball Awards, initiated by Major League Baseball in , are honors given annually to the most extraordinary baseball performances, players, and managers. Baseball fans select the nominees for and winners of the awards, via the online voting system on MLB.com, the official website of...
" Manager of the Year. Manuel reached a contract agreement with the Phils on December 9, 2008 to keep him with the team through the 2011 season. On October 21, 2009, Manuel became the first manager in franchise history
History of the Philadelphia Phillies
The history of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League is a long and varied one. The Phillies are based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are a member of the National League East division. Since , the team's home has been Citizens Bank Park in the South Philadelphia...
to lead the Phillies to two consecutive World Series appearances. It was the first time a National League team won back-to-back pennants since the 1995–96 Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. During the 2009 World Series
2009 World Series
The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies, champions of the National League and defending World Series champions, and the New York Yankees, champions of the American League...
, Manuel was criticized for not pitching Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
in Game 4, a game the Phillies eventually lost. He defended his decision by noting that Lee had never pitched on three days' rest before. Manuel finished sixth in balloting for the 2009 National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Manager of the Year Award
Manager of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Manager of the Year Award is an honor given annually since 1983 to the best managers in the American League and the National League . The winner is voted on by 28 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America . Each places a vote for first, second, and third...
.
2010–2011
In 2010, Manuel managed the Phillies to their fourth consecutive NL East title. The Phillies became the third NL team in history to play in the postseasonMajor League Baseball postseason
The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series...
in four consecutive seasons, joining the Braves (1991–2005, excluding 1994) and the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1921–1924). The Phillies finished the season at 97–65; it was the first time in franchise history that Philadelphia had completed a season with Major League Baseball's best record. In November, the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh named Manuel the recipient of its Chuck Tanner Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award. In September 2011, Manuel again led the Phillies to the NL East title, their fifth consecutive in as many years, and quickest post-season clinch ever: at game #150. During the sweep of the final series against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on September 26–28, records were set. First on the 26th, with the Phillies' 4-2 victory, he became the second manager in Phillies' history to manager a team to at least 100 wins in a season, after Danny Ozark during back-to-back 101 win seasons in 1976
1976 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies season was the 94th season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies won their first National League East title, as they compiled a record of 101-61, nine games ahead of the second-place Pittsburgh Pirates....
and 1977
1977 Philadelphia Phillies season
The 1977 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 95th season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies won their second consecutive National League East division title with a record of 101-61, five games over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Phillies lost the NLCS to the Los Angeles Dodgers, three...
. The next day, with the Phillies' 7-1 victory, Manuel moved into a franchise-record tie with Gene Mauch
Gene Mauch
Gene William Mauch was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , Boston Braves , St...
with 645 regular-season victories. In the final game of the season with a victory in 13 innings, he led the Phillies to a franchise-record 102 regular season wins. With the victory he picked up his 646th win, setting a new Phillies' managerial record for victories and assuring that the Phillies would face the St. Louis Cardinals who defeated them in the NLDS.
Personal life
Manuel has survived a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, quadruple bypass surgery, a blocked and infected colon
Colon (anatomy)
The colon is the last part of the digestive system in most vertebrates; it extracts water and salt from solid wastes before they are eliminated from the body, and is the site in which flora-aided fermentation of unabsorbed material occurs. Unlike the small intestine, the colon does not play a...
, and kidney cancer
Kidney cancer
Kidney cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells in the kidney.The two most common types of kidney cancer are renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis...
. During his time with the Indians, he worked in the dugout with a colostomy bag beneath his jacket. Manuel's mother June died October 10, 2008, at age 87 in Buena Vista, Virginia. She had suffered a heart attack earlier in the week. Because of the Phillies' 2008 NLCS five-game win, he was able to attend his mother's funeral. He currently has a fiancée named Missy.
He also has a best friend named Sam J C
See also
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2006
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2007
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2008
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2009
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2010
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2011