All-Star Managers Not Always World Beaters

Next season, Dusty Baker will become the first Cubs manager to pilot an All-Star team since Charlie Grimm did it back in 1946. You see, the All-Star manager is traditionally the manger of the league's World Series representative the previous year. The Cubs have not been to the World Series since 1945-you do the math. The only way they do get represented next year is by hiring Baker away from the Giants.

Mike Scioscia, representing the first World Championship or even World Series appearance by the Angels this year, will manage the AL squad next year. However, he will not be the first Angel to manage in an All-Star game. That honor goes to Dick Williams.

So, how many times has the tradition been broken anyway? Let's ask Mr. Owl:

In 1933, the year of the first All-Star game, Connie Mack (A's) and John McGraw (Giants-retired mid-1932) were appointed by Commissioner Landis to manage the game. The 1932 World Series managers were Joe McCarthy (Yankees) and Charlie Grimm (Cubs)

In 1934, the tradition was established with the 1933 World Series managers, Joe Cronin (Senators) and Bill Terry (Giants), being appoint to lead their respective leagues at the All-Star game.

1936: Joe McCarthy (Yankees) replaced Mickey Cochrane (Tigers), who is close to a "nervous breakdown" and only manages 120 games that year.

1940: Joe Cronin (Red Sox) replaced McCarthy (Yankees), who steps aside explaining he had "had the honor often enough."

1945: There is no game.

1948: Leo Durocher (Dodgers) managed even though Clyde Sukeforth and Burt Shotton had managed the Dodgers in 1947 while Durocher was serving a one-year suspension. Durocher left two games after the All-Star game with the Dodgers in seventh place. He is replaced by Ray Blades and then Burt Shotton.

1954: Walter Alston (Dodgers) replaced Chuck Dressen, who had been the Dodgers' manager in 1953 but is not managing in the majors in '54 (but does manage Detroit in '63).

1961: Paul Richards (Orioles) replaced Casey Stengel (Yankees in 1960), who did not manage that year (but does manage the Mets in 1962)

1964: Al Lopez (White Sox) replaces Ralph Houk (Yankees in 1963), who did not manage that year (but does return to the Yankees in '66).

1965: Gene Mauch (Phillies) replaced Johnny Keane (Cardinals manager in '64), who is now managing the Yankees. Also, Al Lopez (White Sox) replaced Yogi Berra (Yankees in '64), who did not manage that year (but does manage the Mets in '72). So, Keane is the only man to manage one team to a World Series one year, manage another team who appeared in that same World Series the next year, but not represent either at the All-Star game.

1972: Danny Murtaugh (Pirates) managed the All-Star game even though he had retired after the '71 season. He would return to managing the Pirates in 1973 and remained there until he died after the 1976 season at the age of 61, two months after his second retirement started (maybe he should have stayed retired the first time?).

1974: Dick Williams (California manager) piloted the AL All-Stars even though he no longer manages the league-champion A's.

1979: Bob Lemon (Yankees) only lasted 65 games before being replaced by Bill Martin but still served as AL manager.

1982: Billy Martin (A's, '81 ALCS losers) replaced Bob Lemon (Yankees in '81) who had been fired by New York after only 14 games that year.

1995: Felipe Alou (Expos) and Buck Showalter (Yankees) managed the All-Star game. Even though there was no World Series in 1994, their two teams had the best record.