Former Phillies Skipper Mauch Leaves Angels, Retires
|
|
|
|
|
Baseball Library records that on March 11, 1988, 20 years ago, Angels Manager Gene Mauch, who had managed 4 teams over 26 major league seasons winning 1,902 games, left the then California Angels for health reasons. He officially retired from baseball 16 days later.
Mauch is best known for managing the Phillies from 1960 through June of 1968, including the infamous 1964 collapse where the Phillies held a 6 1/2 game NL lead with 12 games to play and proceeded to lose 10 straight games to lose the NL pennant to the St. Louis Cardinals on the final day of the season.
Mauch is also known for being at the managing helm for the Angels’ two near misses in AL championship play in 1982 and 1986.
But in researching Mauch, I came across a game in 1961 which had eluded my memory but would typify Mauch’s penchant for strategy and tactics.
The 1961 Phillies were at rock bottom, at their absolute hapless worst. They finished the season, the last 154 game season in the National League, with a woeful 47-107 mark. Their haplessness would only one year later be eclipsed by the Casey Stengel-managed expansion 1962 New York Mets, in their initial season, who finished 40-120 thanks to 4 merciful rainouts.
On the previous day, June 28, the Phils had played to a 7-7 15 inning tie in the 3rd game of a 4 game series with the San Francisco Giants. The two teams had split the first two games. That game was suspended due to curfew and replayed again as part of a make-up doubleheader the next day, June 29.
Baseball Library outlines Mauch’s strategy in the opening game of the doubleheader and what ocurred;
Mauch’s efforts to conceal his starting pitcher and force Al Dark’s hand has a Phillie lineup including hurlers Don Ferrarese (batting leadoff‚ playing CF)‚ Jim Owens (3rd‚ RF)‚ Chris Short (7th‚ C)‚ and Ken Lehman (9th‚ P) against San Francisco. When Dark sends lefty Billy O’Dell to the mound for one batter‚ Mauch replaces Ferrarese‚ Short and Owen. Dark then replaces O’Dell with Sam Jones. Mauch replaces Lehman with Dallas Green after 2 batters. All the maneuvering takes 3 hours and 20 minutes.
But this game, with all of the strategizing, nevertheless goes 10 innings. Giants’ great centerfielder Willie Mays’ solo shot off in the 10th of Phils’ losing pitcher Frank Sullivan was the game winner. Mays went 4 for 5, hitting 3 homers and driving in 5 runs. The “Say Hey Kid” became the 4th ML player all-time to hit 3 or more HRs twice in one season. The Giants put the topping on the cake in the nightcap, defeating the Phillies in a normal regulation 9 innings by a 4-1 score.
The Phillies would go on to lose 12 of their next 13 games and would go on to lose an all-time 23 consecutive games between July 23 and August 20, much to the total consternation of the fans and manager Mauch.
Related Posts;
A Special Fathers Day for Baseball Dads, 42 Years Ago
All Star Game Highlights #4: Bunning Fans 4, Callison’s Game Winning Homer
Sad News: Former Phillies RF Johnny Callison Dead at 67
Remember When: Dick Allen’s $250K Highest in MLB, $15K Minimum Pay
History: Opening Day 1970 Phillies vs Cubs; Short vs Jenkins
del.icio.us |
digg |
Furl |
Reddit |
YahooMyWeb |