Expert: Tom Schott - 7/4/2006

Question
I heard a radio conversation yesterday dealing with the shortest tenures/time on the job in professional sports.  The name Eddie Stanky came up -- managed only 1 game for the Tx Rangers before quitting.  Are there any other players or coaches known for such short tenures?

Thanks!

Jim

Answer
Hi Jim,

This was a really interesting exercise. It took a little digging, but the information is pretty interesting. What you heard on the radio is correct about Stanky, but there are lots of guys who managed a team for just one day and never managed in the big leagues again. The list below gives by team the names of all managers who managed a team for 10 or fewer games in a season. In some cases, these managers went on to manage further games with other teams. If a guy on this list managed more than ten games total, he is marked with asterisks (**).

Have fun,
Tom
=========================================================

Short-time Managers
Ten or fewer games in a season, by team, 1901-2005
(** denotes managers with more than 10 games managed in major leagues)

American League

St Louis Browns
Allen Sothoron    1933   8

Baltimore Orioles
Cal Ripkin, Sr   1988   6**

Boston Red Sox
Cy Young   1907   6
George Huff   1907   6
Rudy York   1959   1
Del Baker   1960   7
Billy Herman    1964   2**
Eddie Popowski   1969   9
Eddie Popowski   1973   1
Johnny Pesky   1980   5**

Chicago White Sox
Marty Marion    1954   10**

Cleveland Indians
Mel Harder   1961   1
Mel Harder   1962   2

Detroit Tigers
Billy Hitchcock     1960     1**
Dick Tracewski   1979   2

Los Angeles Angels
Whitey Herzog   1974   4**
Moose Stubbing   1988   8
Bobby Knoop   1994   2

Minnesota Twins
Sam Mele   1961   7**

New York Yankees
Dick Howser   1978   1**

Oakland A's
Jeff Newman   1986   10

Seattle Mariners
Marty Martinez   1986   1

St Louis Browns
Jimmy Austin   1913   8**

Texas Rangers
Del Wilber   1973   1
Eddie Stanky    1977   1**

Toronto Blue Jays
Mel Queen   1997   5

Washington Senators (expansion franchise)
Eddie Yost    1963   1


National League

Atlanta Braves   
Ken Silvestri   1967   3
Ted Turner   1978   1
Vern Benson   1978   1

Brooklyn Dodgers
Clyde Sukeforth   1947   2

Chicago Cubs
Rogers Hornsby    1930   4**
Jimmie Wilson   1944   10**
Roy Johnson   1944   1
Joey Amalfitano   1979   7
John Vukovitch   1986   2**
Joey Altobelli   1991   1**
Rene Lachemann   2002   1**

Cincinnati Reds
Buster Mills   1953   8
Dick Sisler   1964   6**
Fred Hutchinson   1964   10**

Houston Astros
Salty Parker   1972   1**

Milwaukee Brewers
Tom Treblehorn   1986   9**

New York Mets
Mike Cubbage    1991   7

Philadelphia Phillies
Hans Lobert   1938   2
Eddie Sawyer   1960   1**
Andy Cohen   1960   1
John Vukovitch   1988   9**

Pittsburgh Pirates
Honus Wagner   1917   5
Spud Davis   1946   3
Billy Burwell   1947   1
Alex Grammas   1969   5

St Louis Cardinals
Mike Gonzalez   1940   6**
Stan Hack   1958   10**
Jack Krol   1978   2
Jack Krol   1980   1

San Diego Padres
Bob Skinner    1977   1**