Dal Maxvill
Encyclopedia
Charles Dallan Maxvill is a former shortstop
, coach
and general manager
in Major League Baseball
. A graduate of St. Louis
' Washington University, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering
, Maxvill signed a professional baseball contract in 1960 with the hometown St. Louis Cardinals
.
Maxvill appeared in 1,423 regular-season games for the Cardinals (1962–72), Oakland Athletics
(1972–73; 1974–75) and Pittsburgh Pirates
(1973–74). He batted and threw right-handed.
A smooth fielder but a notoriously weak hitter, Maxvill batted
only .217 with 6 home runs over his 14-year major league career. He appeared in five World Series
- three (1964
, 1967
-68
) with the Cardinals and two (1972
and 1974
) with the Athletics. All but the '68 Cardinals won the world championship - in that series, Maxvill went 0-for-22. In the 1964 World Series, which the Cardinals won over the New York Yankees
, Maxvill caught Bobby Richardson
's pop-up for the final out. His overall World Series batting record was 7-for-61, a .115 percentage. Both of those figures are record lows for a position player.
Although comfortably above the hitting prowess of the legendary Casey Wise
, Maxvill does hold the National League record, through the 2006 season, for fewest hits for a batter playing in at least 150 games: 80, achieved in 1970, in 152 games, 399 at-bats, just barely over the Mendoza line
at .201. (Sporting News Baseball Record, 2007, p. 19)
Cardinals fans of that era sometimes said that when pitching ace Bob Gibson
took his turn, Gibson should bat ahead of Maxvill in the lineup, since he was the better hitter. Gibson's career average was only 11 points lower than Maxvill's, and he was much more productive at the plate. Gibson had 24 career home runs in some 2,000 fewer at bats than Maxvill. He also had 144 runs batted in compared with Maxvill's 252, meaning that Gibson had an RBI about every 10th at bat, whereas Maxvill had one about every 14th turn.
After his playing career ended, Maxvill served as a coach with the A's, Cardinals, New York Mets
and Atlanta Braves
(where he served on Joe Torre
's staff). After the 1984 season, he became general manager of the Cardinals, spending a decade as the Cardinals' top baseball executive, and the team won two more National League
pennants in 1985
and 1987
. He resigned in 1994.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
in 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...
. A graduate of St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
' Washington University, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
, Maxvill signed a professional baseball contract in 1960 with the hometown St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
.
Maxvill appeared in 1,423 regular-season games for the Cardinals (1962–72), Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1972–73; 1974–75) and 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...
(1973–74). He batted and threw right-handed.
A smooth fielder but a notoriously weak hitter, Maxvill batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
only .217 with 6 home runs over his 14-year major league career. He appeared in five World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
- three (1964
1964 World Series
The 1964 World Series pitted the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals against the American League champion New York Yankees, with the Cardinals prevailing in seven games. St...
, 1967
1967 World Series
The 1967 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Boston Red Sox in a rematch of the 1946 World Series, with the Cardinals winning in seven games for their second championship in four years and their eighth overall...
-68
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
) with the Cardinals and two (1972
1972 World Series
The 1972 World Series matched the American League champion Oakland Athletics against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds, with the A's winning in seven games. These two teams would meet again in the fall classic eighteen years later...
and 1974
1974 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 12, 1974 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaReggie Jackson put the A's on the board first with a solo homer in the top of the second off 20-game winner Andy Messersmith...
) with the Athletics. All but the '68 Cardinals won the world championship - in that series, Maxvill went 0-for-22. In the 1964 World Series, which the Cardinals won over the 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...
, Maxvill caught Bobby Richardson
Bobby Richardson
Robert Clinton "Bobby" Richardson is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees from through . Batting and throwing right-handed, he was a superb defensive infielder, as well as something of a clutch hitter, who played no small role in the Yankee baseball...
's pop-up for the final out. His overall World Series batting record was 7-for-61, a .115 percentage. Both of those figures are record lows for a position player.
Although comfortably above the hitting prowess of the legendary Casey Wise
Casey Wise
Kendall Cole "Casey" Wise was an American college and professional baseball player who was a Major League Baseball infielder during parts of four seasons, between 1957 and 1960, with three different clubs: the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Braves and the Detroit Tigers.The son of longtime MLB scout...
, Maxvill does hold the National League record, through the 2006 season, for fewest hits for a batter playing in at least 150 games: 80, achieved in 1970, in 152 games, 399 at-bats, just barely over the Mendoza line
Mendoza Line
The Mendoza Line is an expression in baseball in the United States, deriving from the name of shortstop Mario Mendoza, whose lifetime batting average is taken to define the threshold of incompetent hitting...
at .201. (Sporting News Baseball Record, 2007, p. 19)
Cardinals fans of that era sometimes said that when pitching ace Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson
Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
took his turn, Gibson should bat ahead of Maxvill in the lineup, since he was the better hitter. Gibson's career average was only 11 points lower than Maxvill's, and he was much more productive at the plate. Gibson had 24 career home runs in some 2,000 fewer at bats than Maxvill. He also had 144 runs batted in compared with Maxvill's 252, meaning that Gibson had an RBI about every 10th at bat, whereas Maxvill had one about every 14th turn.
After his playing career ended, Maxvill served as a coach with the A's, Cardinals, New York Mets
New 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...
and 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....
(where he served on Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
's staff). After the 1984 season, he became general manager of the Cardinals, spending a decade as the Cardinals' top baseball executive, and the team won two more 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...
pennants in 1985
1985 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 19, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri-Game 2:Sunday, October 20, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri...
and 1987
1987 World Series
The 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
. He resigned in 1994.