Gene Mauch died of Monday August 8th after a long battle with cancer. Mauch won 1,901 games as a manager and was named NL Manager of the Year three times, but is more noted for his losses. He was the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964 when they had a 6 1/2 game lead with 12 games remaining, but lost ten in a row and the pennant to the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1982 he managed the California Angels to a 2-0 lead in the ALCS versus the Milwaukee Brewers before losing the final three games in the best of five series. Then in 1986 his California Angels were one out away from advancing to the World Series, when Dave Henderson’s home run off Donnie Moore put the Boston Red Sox into the Fall Classic. Moore never recovered, committing suicide in 1989. In 2002 during the Angels’ playoff series against the Minnesota Twins Gene Mauch said, “All I did for 50 years was study the game day and night. And I will forever, for however long ‘forever’ is.” Gene Mauch will be missed. He may be gone, but he will not be forgotten. A Big Salute to the Little General!
Goodbye Gene Mauch
Gene Mauch died of Monday August 8th after a long battle with cancer. Mauch won 1,901 games as a manager and was named NL Manager of the Year three times, but is more noted for his losses. He was the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964 when they had a 6 1/2 game lead … Continue reading “Goodbye Gene Mauch”
I rank Gene Mauch as AT LEAST the third best manager in Angels history. Behind Bill Rigney and Mike Scioscia. Perhaps he should be higher.
If only he had not pulled Mike Witt. The Halos would have been in the World Series, no one would hate Billy Buckner, and Donnie Moore would still be with us.
But he sure wasn’t very likeable. Who can forget his comment to sportswriters: “There isn’t anyone in this room who is smart enough to analyze me or my managing.” Jim Murray ROASTED him for that, but I think Mr. Mauch was right.
1964: I never thought the Phillies had the best talent in the NL in 1964. Look at the lineups that the Cardinals (Brock, Flood, Boyer, Bill White, Groat), Braves (Mathews, Aaron, Rico Carty, Joe Torre), Reds (Pinson, Robinson, Rose) and Giants (Mays, McCovey, Cepeda, Jim Ray Hart) trotted out there every day. Gene Mauch was platooning about 5 positions. Maybe he was doing well to keep them in the race…I know they lost 10 in a row in late September. That counts huge. But Mauch wasn’t exactly managing the 1976 Reds or 2001 Mariners, talentwise.