Del Crandall
Encyclopedia
Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional
baseball
catcher
and manager
in Major League Baseball
who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves
. Considered one of the National League
's top catchers during the 1950s and early 1960s, he led the league in assists
a record-tying six times, in fielding percentage
four times and in putout
s three times.
by the Braves in 1948
. He was only 19 when he first played in a major league game with the 1949 Boston Braves
. He appeared in 146 games for Boston in 1949-1950
before entering military service during the Korean War
. When his two-year hitch was over in March 1953
, the Braves departed Boston for Milwaukee, where – benefitting from a powerful offense featuring Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews
and Joe Adcock
– they soon became both successful on the field and phenomenally popular off it. Crandall seized the regular catcher's job from veteran Walker Cooper
in 1953 and held it for eight years, handling star Braves pitcher
s such as left-hander Warren Spahn
and right-handers Lew Burdette
and Bob Buhl
. As a testament to Crandall's pitch calling skills, between 1953 and 1959
, the Braves' pitching staff finished either first or second in the National League in team earned run average
every year except 1955. Burdette credited Crandall for some of his success saying, "I never- well hardly ever- have to shake him off. He knows the job like no one else, and you can have faith in his judgment". On September 11, 1955
, with the Braves trailing the Philadelphia Phillies
4-1 with two outs
in the ninth inning
, Crandall hit a dramatic grand slam
home run to win the game. The Braves won National League pennants
in 1957
and 1958
, also finishing in second place five times between 1953 and 1960
, and captured the 1957 World Series
championship – the franchise's first title since 1914
. Although he only batted
.211 in the 1957 Series against the New York Yankees
, Crandall had a solo home run for the Braves' last tally in a 5-0 win in the deciding Game 7.
Though rarely among the league leaders in offensive categories, he finished 10th in the 1958 Most Valuable Player Award
voting after hitting .272, tying his best mark to that point, with career highs in doubles
and walks
; he also led the league in putouts, assists and fielding average, and won his first Gold Glove. In the 1958 World Series
, again against the Yankees, he hit .240; he slugged another Game 7 solo homer, tying the score 2-2 in the 6th inning, though the Yankees went on to score four more runs to win the game and the Series.
Crandall averaged 125 games caught during the peak of his career, and he paid the price, missing most of the 1961
season due to shoulder trouble, which gave Joe Torre
his opportunity to break in. While Crandall did come back to catch 90 games in 1962
- hitting a career-high .297, making his final National League All-Star squad and winning his last Gold Glove - he was soon replaced by Torre as the Braves' regular catcher. In 1962 he also moved ahead of Roy Campanella
, setting the National League record for career fielding percentage; however, Johnny Roseboro
would edge ahead of him before his career ended. After 1963
, he was traded by the Braves to the San Francisco Giants
in a seven-player deal; he played a backup role in his final three major league seasons with the Giants (1964
), Pittsburgh Pirates
(1965
), and Cleveland Indians
(1966
).
(236) and Ernie Lombardi
(190) among the league's catchers. His 1430 games caught in the National League trailed only Al Lopez
, Hartnett and Lombardi. He won four of the first five Gold Glove Award
s given to an National League catcher, and tied another record by catching three no-hitter
s. He retired with the fourth most home run
s by an National League catcher, and his career .404 slugging average also placed him among the league's top ten receivers. He ended his career among the major league career leaders in putout
s (4th, 7352), total chances
(8th, 8200) and fielding percentage (5th, .989) behind the plate, and ranked fourth in National League history in games caught. Crandall was a superb defensive player with a strong arm; he threw out 45.44% of the base runners
who tried steal
a base on him, ranking him 8th on the all-time list. He was selected as an All-Star
eight times during his career: 1953-1956, 1958–1960, 1962. A powerful right-handed hitter, he topped the 20 home run mark three times. After having caught Jim Wilson
's no-hitter on June 12, 1954, he added another pair in – by Burdette on August 18, and by Spahn a month later on September 16; amazingly, all three were against the Philadelphia Phillies
. Richard Kendall of the Society for American Baseball Research
devised an unscientific study that ranked Crandall as the fourth most dominating fielding catcher in major league history.
clubs, the Milwaukee Brewers
(1972–75) and the Seattle Mariners
(1983–84). In each case he was hired to try to right a losing team in mid-season, but he never enjoyed a winning campaign with either team and finished with a managing record of 364-469 (.437). In between those American League stints, he was a highly successful manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers
' top farm club, the Albuquerque Dukes
of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League
, and also managed the Class A San Bernardino Stampede from 1995
to 1997
. He remained in the Dodger organization as a special catching instructor well into his 60s. He also worked as a sports announcer with the Chicago White Sox
radio team from 1985 through 1988 and with the Brewers from 1992-94.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and 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...
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...
who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee 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....
. Considered one of 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...
's top catchers during the 1950s and early 1960s, he led the league in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
a record-tying six times, in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
four times and in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s three times.
Playing career (1949–1966)
Crandall was signed as an amateur free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Braves in 1948
1948 Boston Braves season
- Offseason :* October 28, 1947: Hoyt Wilhelm was purchased by the Braves from the Mooresville Moores....
. He was only 19 when he first played in a major league game with the 1949 Boston Braves
1949 Boston Braves season
- Offseason :* December 15, 1948: Mike McCormick and Nanny Fernandez were traded by the Braves to the Brooklyn Dodgers for Pete Reiser.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
. He appeared in 146 games for Boston in 1949-1950
1950 Boston Braves season
The 1950 season was the Boston Braves 80th season. During the season, Sam Jethroe became the first black player in the history of the Braves.- Offseason :...
before entering military service during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. When his two-year hitch was over in March 1953
1953 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season saw the return of Major League Baseball to Milwaukee for the first time since , when the Milwaukee Brewers played before moving to St. Louis and becoming the Browns. With attendance and interest in Boston very low, team owner Lou Perini moved the team to Milwaukee,...
, the Braves departed Boston for Milwaukee, where – benefitting from a powerful offense featuring Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
and Joe Adcock
Joe Adcock
Joseph Wilbur "Billy Joe" Adcock was an American first baseman and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the powerful Milwaukee Braves teams of the 1950s, whose career included numerous home run feats...
– they soon became both successful on the field and phenomenally popular off it. Crandall seized the regular catcher's job from veteran Walker Cooper
Walker Cooper
William Walker Cooper was an American professional baseball player. He was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for six National League teams from 1940 to 1957...
in 1953 and held it for eight years, handling star Braves pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
s such as left-hander Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
and right-handers Lew Burdette
Lew Burdette
Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves...
and Bob Buhl
Bob Buhl
Robert Ray Buhl was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies...
. As a testament to Crandall's pitch calling skills, between 1953 and 1959
1959 Milwaukee Braves season
The 1959 Milwaukee Braves season was the seventh season for the franchise in Milwaukee and its 84th season overall. The Braves ended the National League regular season in a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With both clubs finishing with records of 86-68, a special best-of-three...
, the Braves' pitching staff finished either first or second in the National League in team earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
every year except 1955. Burdette credited Crandall for some of his success saying, "I never- well hardly ever- have to shake him off. He knows the job like no one else, and you can have faith in his judgment". On September 11, 1955
1955 Milwaukee Braves season
- Offseason :* March 4, 1955: Catfish Metkovich was released by the Braves.* Prior to 1955 season: **Marshall Bridges was acquired by the Braves from the New York Giants.**Chi-Chi Olivo was signed as an amateur free agent by the Braves....
, with the Braves trailing the Philadelphia Phillies
1955 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies season was a season in American baseball. It was the first season for Phillies' manager Mayo Smith. Prior to the season, the Phillies were seen to have strong pitching with ace Robin Roberts but did not have power hitters to match pennant favorites Brooklyn, New York, or...
4-1 with two outs
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
in the ninth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
, Crandall hit a dramatic grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
home run to win the game. The Braves won National League pennants
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
in 1957
1957 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was the year that the team won its first and only World Series championship while based in Milwaukee. The Braves won 95 games and lost 59 to win the National League pennant by eight games over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals....
and 1958
1958 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was a season in American baseball. The Braves finished first in the National League with a 92-62 record and returned to the World Series for the second consecutive year, losing to the New York Yankees in seven games.-Offseason:...
, also finishing in second place five times between 1953 and 1960
1960 Milwaukee Braves season
The 1960 Milwaukee Braves season was the eighth for the franchise in Milwaukee, and the 85th overall in the National League. The Braves finished in second place in the NL with a record of 88-66, seven games behind the NL and World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.- Offseason :* October 13, 1959:...
, and captured the 1957 World Series
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
championship – the franchise's first title since 1914
1914 Boston Braves season
The 1914 Boston Braves was a season in American baseball. The team finished first in the National League, winning the pennant by 10½ games over the New York Giants...
. Although he only 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 :...
.211 in the 1957 Series against the New York Yankees
1957 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 55th season for the team in New York, and its 57th season overall. The team finished with a record of 98-56 to win their 23rd pennant, finishing eight games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. New York was managed by Casey Stengel...
, Crandall had a solo home run for the Braves' last tally in a 5-0 win in the deciding Game 7.
Though rarely among the league leaders in offensive categories, he finished 10th in the 1958 Most Valuable Player Award
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
voting after hitting .272, tying his best mark to that point, with career highs in doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
; he also led the league in putouts, assists and fielding average, and won his first Gold Glove. In the 1958 World Series
1958 World Series
The 1958 World Series was a rematch of the 1957 Series, with the New York Yankees beating the defending champion Milwaukee Braves in seven games for their eighteenth title, and their seventh in ten years...
, again against the Yankees, he hit .240; he slugged another Game 7 solo homer, tying the score 2-2 in the 6th inning, though the Yankees went on to score four more runs to win the game and the Series.
Crandall averaged 125 games caught during the peak of his career, and he paid the price, missing most of the 1961
1961 Milwaukee Braves season
- Offseason :* October 14, 1960: Red Schoendienst was released by the Braves.* October 14, 1960: Stan Lopata was released by the Braves.* December 3, 1960: Billy Martin was purchased by the Braves from the Cincinnati Reds....
season due to shoulder trouble, which gave 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...
his opportunity to break in. While Crandall did come back to catch 90 games in 1962
1962 Milwaukee Braves season
- Offseason :* October 10, 1961: Merritt Ranew was drafted from the Braves by the Houston Colt .45s in the 1961 MLB expansion draft.* November 8, 1961: Ellis Burton and Lou Jackson were acquired by the Braves from the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a minor league working agreement.* November 28,...
- hitting a career-high .297, making his final National League All-Star squad and winning his last Gold Glove - he was soon replaced by Torre as the Braves' regular catcher. In 1962 he also moved ahead of Roy Campanella
Roy Campanella
Roy Campanella , nicknamed "Campy", was an American baseball player, primarily at the position of catcher, in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball...
, setting the National League record for career fielding percentage; however, Johnny Roseboro
Johnny Roseboro
John Junior Roseboro was a Major League Baseball catcher and coach, who was born in Ashland, Ohio.-Career:A left-handed-hitter, Roseboro had a lifetime .249 batting average with 104 home runs and 548 RBI in 1585 games played with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , Minnesota Twins and...
would edge ahead of him before his career ended. After 1963
1963 Milwaukee Braves season
- Offseason :* October 11, 1962: Ron Hunt was purchased from the Braves by the New York Mets.* November 26, 1962: Ellis Burton was drafted from the Braves by the Houston Colt .45s in the 1962 rule 5 draft.* November 26, 1962: 1962 first-year draft...
, he was traded by the Braves to the San Francisco 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....
in a seven-player deal; he played a backup role in his final three major league seasons with the Giants (1964
1964 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants were a fourth-place team, as a result of their 90-72 record, placing them three games behind the National League and World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.- Offseason :...
), 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...
(1965
1965 Pittsburgh Pirates season
- Notable transactions :* June 8, 1965: Tom Dettore was drafted by the Pirates in the 26th round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign.* June 20, 1965: Don Money was signed as an amateur free agent by the Pirates....
), and Cleveland Indians
Cleveland 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...
(1966
1966 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fifth in the American League with a record of 81-81, 17 games behind the Baltimore Orioles.- Offseason :...
).
Career statistics
In 1,573 games over 16 seasons, he finished with a batting average of .254 with 179 home runs; his 175 HRs in the National League trailed only Campanella (242), Gabby HartnettGabby Hartnett
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Until the career of Johnny Bench, Hartnett was considered the greatest catcher in the history of the National League...
(236) and Ernie Lombardi
Ernie Lombardi
Ernesto Natali "Ernie" Lombardi , was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Brooklyn Robins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Braves and the New York Giants during a Hall of Fame career that spanned 17 years, from 1931 to 1947. He had several nicknames, including "Schnozz", "Lumbago", "Bocci",...
(190) among the league's catchers. His 1430 games caught in the National League trailed only Al Lopez
Al Lopez
Alfonso Ramon "Al" Lopez was an American catcher and manager in Major League Baseball, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977....
, Hartnett and Lombardi. He won four of the first five Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
s given to an National League catcher, and tied another record by catching three no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
s. He retired with the fourth most home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s by an National League catcher, and his career .404 slugging average also placed him among the league's top ten receivers. He ended his career among the major league career leaders in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s (4th, 7352), total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
(8th, 8200) and fielding percentage (5th, .989) behind the plate, and ranked fourth in National League history in games caught. Crandall was a superb defensive player with a strong arm; he threw out 45.44% of the base runners
Baserunning
In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat.In general, baserunning is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home to score a run. In fact, the goal of batting is generally to produce baserunners, or help move...
who tried steal
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
a base on him, ranking him 8th on the all-time list. He was selected as an All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
eight times during his career: 1953-1956, 1958–1960, 1962. A powerful right-handed hitter, he topped the 20 home run mark three times. After having caught Jim Wilson
Jim Wilson (pitcher)
James Alger Wilson , was a former professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1945-1958. He would play for the Boston Red Sox, St...
's no-hitter on June 12, 1954, he added another pair in – by Burdette on August 18, and by Spahn a month later on September 16; amazingly, all three were against 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...
. Richard Kendall of the Society for American Baseball Research
Society for American Baseball Research
The Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York, in August 1971 by Bob Davids of Washington, D.C. The Society's mission is to foster the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball, while generating interest in the game...
devised an unscientific study that ranked Crandall as the fourth most dominating fielding catcher in major league history.
Managing and broadcasting career (1972–1997)
Crandall eventually turned to managing, and piloted two American LeagueAmerican League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
clubs, the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1972–75) and the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
(1983–84). In each case he was hired to try to right a losing team in mid-season, but he never enjoyed a winning campaign with either team and finished with a managing record of 364-469 (.437). In between those American League stints, he was a highly successful manager of 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...
' top farm club, the Albuquerque Dukes
Albuquerque Dukes
The Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.-History:The first Dukes team was formed in 1915 as part of the Class-D Rio Grande Association. The team finished in third place with a 32-25 record. Frank Huelman was the league leader in home runs,...
of the Triple-A 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 also managed the Class A San Bernardino Stampede from 1995
1995 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Atlanta Braves over Cleveland Indians ; Tom Glavine, MVP*All-Star Game, July 11 at The Ballpark in Arlington: National League, 3-2; Jeff Conine, MVP-Other champions:...
to 1997
1997 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians ; Liván Hernández, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marquis Grissom**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Liván Hernández...
. He remained in the Dodger organization as a special catching instructor well into his 60s. He also worked as a sports announcer with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
radio team from 1985 through 1988 and with the Brewers from 1992-94.
External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career playing statistics and managing record
- MiLB.com - Top 100 Teams: TEAM #11 1981 ALBUQUERQUE DUKES
- Orange-Topped Catcher, by Charles Dexter, Baseball Digest, August 1953