Chuck Tanner, On Friday, Tanner, one of baseball's relentlessly upbeat figures, died at 82 in his hometown of New Castle, Pa. He died of a long illness at his home after spending time in hospice care.
Tanner homered in his first career at-bat on April 12, 1955, for the Braves, but his playing career was undistinguished. In parts of nine seasons spent with four teams, Tanner hit. 261 with 21 homers in 396 games.
He would make his mark, though, as a manager. After leading the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders to a Pacific Coast League pennant in 1970, Tanner landed his first Major League managerial job in September, taking over the Chicago White Sox. He led the White Sox to a second-place finish in 1972 and managed the club through 1975 before taking over the Oakland A's for a season.
Tanner's stay in Oakland was short-lived, though. He was traded -- yes, traded, for catcher Manny Sanguillen -- to the Pirates after one season by owner Charlie Finley.
He had found his fit. Tanner guided the Pirates to second-placed finishes in the NL East in 1977 and 1978 before the magical 1979 season, when the team won 98 games without a 15-game winner on the staff.
His optimism unflinching, Tanner was a player's manager if there ever was one.
"When things were going well, they didn't need you. But when the guys were going bad, I'd hug them," Tanner said, smiling.
Tanner will be remembered as a player's manager, and deserves to be.
Tanner homered in his first career at-bat on April 12, 1955, for the Braves, but his playing career was undistinguished. In parts of nine seasons spent with four teams, Tanner hit. 261 with 21 homers in 396 games.
Tanner's stay in Oakland was short-lived, though. He was traded -- yes, traded, for catcher Manny Sanguillen -- to the Pirates after one season by owner Charlie Finley.
He had found his fit. Tanner guided the Pirates to second-placed finishes in the NL East in 1977 and 1978 before the magical 1979 season, when the team won 98 games without a 15-game winner on the staff.
His optimism unflinching, Tanner was a player's manager if there ever was one.
"When things were going well, they didn't need you. But when the guys were going bad, I'd hug them," Tanner said, smiling.
Tanner will be remembered as a player's manager, and deserves to be.
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