GaryMrMets
12-03-2003, 02:24 AM
http://www.yesnetwork.com/announcers/index.cfm?cont_id=216909&page_type=wide
Maz will be Maz
http://www.yesnetwork.com/photos/pepes_small.jpgBy Phil Pepe
Special to YES Network Online
December 3, 2003
When the Baltimore Orioles open the 2004 season, Lee Mazzilli will officially become the 51st Yankees player to manage in the major leagues. From Alou, Felipe, to Wolverton, Harry, it's a list that includes Joel Skinner, who managed 75 games, and Bill McKechnie, who managed 3,650 games, nine Hall of Famers, and 14 who both played for and managed the Yankees. And Mazzilli will be the 13th native New Yorker to manage in the major leagues since 1903 (see accompanying charts).
"I don't mind being the 13th," said the new Orioles' skipper. "That's my uniform number. I'm not superstitious."
NEW YORK CITY NATIVES WHO MANAGED IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES SINCE 1903
NYC NATIVE BIRTHPLACE TEAM(S) MANAGED
Ken Aspromonte Brooklyn Cleveland
George Bamberger Staten Island Milwaukee, Mets
Charlie Fox Manhattan San Francisco, Montreal, Chicago (NL)
Frank Frisch Bronx St. Louis (NL), Pittsburgh, Chicago (NL)
Judge Fuchs Manhattan Boston (NL)
Tommy Holmes Brooklyn Boston (NL)
Billy Jurges Bronx Boston (AL)
Ed Lopat Manhattan Kansas City
Sam Mele Queens Minnesota
Norm Sherry Manhattan California
Joe Torre Brooklyn Mets, Atlanta, St. Louis (NL), Yankees
Heinie Wagner Manhattan Boston (AL)
Not superstitious, but totally prepared for the challenge and opportunity of being a major league manager, with three years as a minor league manager in Tampa and Norwich and four years as a Yankees coach under Joe Torre.
"I remember having a conversation with Joe a few years ago and he asked me if I ever wanted to manage," Maz said. "I said I did and he advised me to go to the minor leagues to learn how to manage. At the time, I didn't think it was necessary. I figured I knew how to manage. I was a student of the game.
"What's it take to be a manager? Looking back now, those three years in the minor leagues was the best thing I ever did. Once you sit behind that desk in the manager's office, you realize there's more to managing than what happens on the field."
Although his family was living in Brooklyn at the time of his birth and he is Brooklyn through and through, in his voice, in his swagger, in his manner, in his heart, his official birthplace is Manhattan, because "that's where the hospital was," he said. Or, as the old Vaudeville gag goes, he wanted to be close to his mother.
Maz was a star at Abraham Lincoln High in Brooklyn and the great hope of the Mets in the 1970s, the hometown hero returning. In his rookie year with the Mets, Torre was his teammate and a strong influence on the young Maz. In Mazzilli's second year with the Mets, Torre became his manager.
YANKEES WHO BECAME MANAGERS
PLAYER YANKEE YEARS TEAM(S) MANAGED
Felipe Alou 1971-73 Montreal, San Francisco
Jimmy Austin 1909-10 St. Louis (AL)
Hank Bauer 1948-59 Kansas City, Baltimore, Oakland
Don Baylor 1983-85 Colorado, Chicago (NL)
* Yogi Berra 1946-63 Yankees, Mets
* Frank Chance 1913-14 Chicago (AL), Yankees, Boston (AL)
Ben Chapman 1930-36 Philadelphia (NL)
Hal Chase 1905-13 Yankees
Jerry Coleman 1949-57 San Diego
Bobby Cox 1968-69 Toronto, Atlanta
Bucky Dent 1977-82 Yankees
* Bill Dickey 1928-43, 46 Yankees
Wild Bill Donovan 1915-16 Yankees, Philadelphia (NL)
* Leo Durocher 1925, 28-29 Brooklyn, NY Giants, Chicago (NL)
Doc Edwards 1965 Cleveland
Mike Ferraro 1966, 68 Cleveland
John Ganzel 1903-04 Cincinnati
Billy Gardner 1961-62 Minnesota, Kansas City
Joe Gordon 1938-43, 46 Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City
* Clark Griffith 1903-07 Chicago (AL), Yankees, Cincinnati, Washington
* Burleigh Grimes 1934 Brooklyn
Toby Harrah 1984 Texas
Don Heffner 1934-37 Cincinnati
Butch Hobson 1982 Boston (AL)
Ralph Houk 1947-54 Yankees, Detroit, Boston (AL)
Dick Howser 1967-68 Yankees, Kansas City
Billy Hunter 1955-56 Texas
Darrell Johnson 1957-58 Boston (AL), Seattle, Texas
Ed Lopat 1948-55 Kansas City
Billy Martin 1950-53, 55-57 Minnesota, Detroit, Texas, Yankees, Oakland
Bill McKechnie 1913 Pittsburgh, St. Louis (NL), Boston (NL), Cincinnati
Gene Michael 1968-74 Yankees, Chicago (NL)
Jerry Narron 1979 Texas
Johnny Oates 1980-81 Baltimore, Texas
Steve O'Neill 1925 Cleveland, Detroit, Boston (AL), Philadelphia (NL)
Roger Peckinpaugh 1913-21 Yankees, Cleveland
Lou Piniella 1974-84 Yankees, Cincinnati, Seattle, Tampa Bay
* Branch Rickey 1907 St. Louis (AL), St. Louis (NL)
Red Rolfe 1931, 34-42 Detroit
Jerry Royster 1987 Milwaukee
Muddy Ruel 1917-20 St. Louis (AL)
* Ray Schalk 1932 Chicago (AL)
Bob Shawkey 1915-27 Yankees
Tom Sheehan 1921 San Francisco
Ken Silvestri 1941, 46-47 Atlanta
Joel Skinner 1986-88 Cleveland
Jake Stahl 1908 Washington, Boston (AL)
Gabby Street 1912 St. Louis (AL), St. Louis (NL)
Zack Taylor 1934 St. Louis (AL)
Harry Wolverton 1912 Yankees
* Denotes Hall of Famer
Mazzilli was traded to Texas, then to the Yankees for whom he played in 37 games in 1982, then to Pittsburgh, back to the Mets, and he finished his career in Toronto before returning to baseball as manager of the Tampa Yankees in 1997.
In a 14-year playing career, Maz played for nine managers, Joe Frazier, Torre, Don Zimmer, Darrell Johnson, Clyde King, Chuck Tanner, Jim Leyland, Davey Johnson and Cito Gaston, and learned from all of them. But he regards Torre as his greatest influence, his role model, and his professional big brother.
Torre was the first one he called when he got the Orioles' job.
"It was 12:30 at night," Maz recalled, "and I called his cell phone. I was afraid I'd wake him up, but he was in San Francisco at some charity function with Tony LaRussa. Tony got on the phone and congratulated me on getting the job, and Joe said he was happy for me.
"I was Joe's teammate, I played for him and I coached under him. I learned a lot from him and it figures I'd take a lot of what I learned from him and use it.
"But I'm not Joe. I'm me. And I've got to be myself."
Acclaimed author and former Yankees beat writer Phil Pepe is a regular contributor to YES Network Online. His latest work, "The Yankees: An Authorized History of the New York Yankees Centennial Edition," is in bookstores now.
Maz will be Maz
http://www.yesnetwork.com/photos/pepes_small.jpgBy Phil Pepe
Special to YES Network Online
December 3, 2003
When the Baltimore Orioles open the 2004 season, Lee Mazzilli will officially become the 51st Yankees player to manage in the major leagues. From Alou, Felipe, to Wolverton, Harry, it's a list that includes Joel Skinner, who managed 75 games, and Bill McKechnie, who managed 3,650 games, nine Hall of Famers, and 14 who both played for and managed the Yankees. And Mazzilli will be the 13th native New Yorker to manage in the major leagues since 1903 (see accompanying charts).
"I don't mind being the 13th," said the new Orioles' skipper. "That's my uniform number. I'm not superstitious."
NEW YORK CITY NATIVES WHO MANAGED IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES SINCE 1903
NYC NATIVE BIRTHPLACE TEAM(S) MANAGED
Ken Aspromonte Brooklyn Cleveland
George Bamberger Staten Island Milwaukee, Mets
Charlie Fox Manhattan San Francisco, Montreal, Chicago (NL)
Frank Frisch Bronx St. Louis (NL), Pittsburgh, Chicago (NL)
Judge Fuchs Manhattan Boston (NL)
Tommy Holmes Brooklyn Boston (NL)
Billy Jurges Bronx Boston (AL)
Ed Lopat Manhattan Kansas City
Sam Mele Queens Minnesota
Norm Sherry Manhattan California
Joe Torre Brooklyn Mets, Atlanta, St. Louis (NL), Yankees
Heinie Wagner Manhattan Boston (AL)
Not superstitious, but totally prepared for the challenge and opportunity of being a major league manager, with three years as a minor league manager in Tampa and Norwich and four years as a Yankees coach under Joe Torre.
"I remember having a conversation with Joe a few years ago and he asked me if I ever wanted to manage," Maz said. "I said I did and he advised me to go to the minor leagues to learn how to manage. At the time, I didn't think it was necessary. I figured I knew how to manage. I was a student of the game.
"What's it take to be a manager? Looking back now, those three years in the minor leagues was the best thing I ever did. Once you sit behind that desk in the manager's office, you realize there's more to managing than what happens on the field."
Although his family was living in Brooklyn at the time of his birth and he is Brooklyn through and through, in his voice, in his swagger, in his manner, in his heart, his official birthplace is Manhattan, because "that's where the hospital was," he said. Or, as the old Vaudeville gag goes, he wanted to be close to his mother.
Maz was a star at Abraham Lincoln High in Brooklyn and the great hope of the Mets in the 1970s, the hometown hero returning. In his rookie year with the Mets, Torre was his teammate and a strong influence on the young Maz. In Mazzilli's second year with the Mets, Torre became his manager.
YANKEES WHO BECAME MANAGERS
PLAYER YANKEE YEARS TEAM(S) MANAGED
Felipe Alou 1971-73 Montreal, San Francisco
Jimmy Austin 1909-10 St. Louis (AL)
Hank Bauer 1948-59 Kansas City, Baltimore, Oakland
Don Baylor 1983-85 Colorado, Chicago (NL)
* Yogi Berra 1946-63 Yankees, Mets
* Frank Chance 1913-14 Chicago (AL), Yankees, Boston (AL)
Ben Chapman 1930-36 Philadelphia (NL)
Hal Chase 1905-13 Yankees
Jerry Coleman 1949-57 San Diego
Bobby Cox 1968-69 Toronto, Atlanta
Bucky Dent 1977-82 Yankees
* Bill Dickey 1928-43, 46 Yankees
Wild Bill Donovan 1915-16 Yankees, Philadelphia (NL)
* Leo Durocher 1925, 28-29 Brooklyn, NY Giants, Chicago (NL)
Doc Edwards 1965 Cleveland
Mike Ferraro 1966, 68 Cleveland
John Ganzel 1903-04 Cincinnati
Billy Gardner 1961-62 Minnesota, Kansas City
Joe Gordon 1938-43, 46 Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City
* Clark Griffith 1903-07 Chicago (AL), Yankees, Cincinnati, Washington
* Burleigh Grimes 1934 Brooklyn
Toby Harrah 1984 Texas
Don Heffner 1934-37 Cincinnati
Butch Hobson 1982 Boston (AL)
Ralph Houk 1947-54 Yankees, Detroit, Boston (AL)
Dick Howser 1967-68 Yankees, Kansas City
Billy Hunter 1955-56 Texas
Darrell Johnson 1957-58 Boston (AL), Seattle, Texas
Ed Lopat 1948-55 Kansas City
Billy Martin 1950-53, 55-57 Minnesota, Detroit, Texas, Yankees, Oakland
Bill McKechnie 1913 Pittsburgh, St. Louis (NL), Boston (NL), Cincinnati
Gene Michael 1968-74 Yankees, Chicago (NL)
Jerry Narron 1979 Texas
Johnny Oates 1980-81 Baltimore, Texas
Steve O'Neill 1925 Cleveland, Detroit, Boston (AL), Philadelphia (NL)
Roger Peckinpaugh 1913-21 Yankees, Cleveland
Lou Piniella 1974-84 Yankees, Cincinnati, Seattle, Tampa Bay
* Branch Rickey 1907 St. Louis (AL), St. Louis (NL)
Red Rolfe 1931, 34-42 Detroit
Jerry Royster 1987 Milwaukee
Muddy Ruel 1917-20 St. Louis (AL)
* Ray Schalk 1932 Chicago (AL)
Bob Shawkey 1915-27 Yankees
Tom Sheehan 1921 San Francisco
Ken Silvestri 1941, 46-47 Atlanta
Joel Skinner 1986-88 Cleveland
Jake Stahl 1908 Washington, Boston (AL)
Gabby Street 1912 St. Louis (AL), St. Louis (NL)
Zack Taylor 1934 St. Louis (AL)
Harry Wolverton 1912 Yankees
* Denotes Hall of Famer
Mazzilli was traded to Texas, then to the Yankees for whom he played in 37 games in 1982, then to Pittsburgh, back to the Mets, and he finished his career in Toronto before returning to baseball as manager of the Tampa Yankees in 1997.
In a 14-year playing career, Maz played for nine managers, Joe Frazier, Torre, Don Zimmer, Darrell Johnson, Clyde King, Chuck Tanner, Jim Leyland, Davey Johnson and Cito Gaston, and learned from all of them. But he regards Torre as his greatest influence, his role model, and his professional big brother.
Torre was the first one he called when he got the Orioles' job.
"It was 12:30 at night," Maz recalled, "and I called his cell phone. I was afraid I'd wake him up, but he was in San Francisco at some charity function with Tony LaRussa. Tony got on the phone and congratulated me on getting the job, and Joe said he was happy for me.
"I was Joe's teammate, I played for him and I coached under him. I learned a lot from him and it figures I'd take a lot of what I learned from him and use it.
"But I'm not Joe. I'm me. And I've got to be myself."
Acclaimed author and former Yankees beat writer Phil Pepe is a regular contributor to YES Network Online. His latest work, "The Yankees: An Authorized History of the New York Yankees Centennial Edition," is in bookstores now.