Was Casey Stengel a good manager?

[ALR-bishop]

I am from St Louis. In 1967 the Cardinals had just moved from Grand Avenue to a new round stadium in downtown and the All Star Game was held there in July. Stengel who was asked what he thought of the news stadium. His response was a classic

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9...PB8D2yIcvHHAU-

[frankbmd]

I did have a brief chat with him in 1957, but didn't give him any advice.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I have read that a lot of what he did, he had learned from John McGraw. Presumably the Yankees saw something in him to hire him despite his lack of past success. Was he Earl Weaver? Probably not, but it's hard to argue with that much success.

One of the funniest things I read was Stengel testifying before a Senate committee on the antitrust exemption. They ask him his opinion and he proceeds to talk for half an hour nonstop about everything but the question. When he finishes, they turn to Mantle who for some reason was also called in to testify, and ask him what HE thinks. He says, I agree with Casey.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

I did have a brief chat with him in 1957, but didn't give him any advice.

I imagine Stengel would have taken advice from an elder .

[Mark17]

He won the pennant in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960. How much more does a guy have to accomplish to be called "good?"

No manager can win without good players, but a lot of managers can lose with them. Stengel did more than his share of winning.

As has been mentioned before, he also saved Larsen's WS perfect game by moving Mantle over into left center right before Hodges crushed it there.

Although......... I think Stengel blew the 1960 World Series.

[tedzan]

As a very young dude, and an avid Yankees fan, I saw "K.C." Stengel a lot on our small TV (or live at Yankee Stadium). From when he came to NY to manage the Yankees in 1949 to 1960.
I recall that the NY Sports media (in the Spring of "49) mocked him and referred to him as a "clown". Whatever, but by the Fall of 1953, Casey Stengel certainly had the "last laugh".
I venture to say that the 5 consecutive World Championships under his leadership may be a record that will never be broken in Baseball.

Casey was a "genius". I could fill up this page with stories of how Stengel "orchestrated" his players and pitchers which resulted in numerous victories. However, the most impressive
example which comes to mind is how Stengel utilized his Ace relief-pitcher, Joe Page in 1949. Stengel brought Page in to relieve in 60 games. Page Won 13 games, and Saved 27.
Furthermore, there were times when Stengel did not hesitate to bring Page into the game as early as the 6th inning. Page would "Shut-Out" the opposing team for 4 innings.





TED Z

T206 Reference
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[tedzan]

Casey's Managerial record speaks for itself. Casey's playing Stats (1912 - 1925)......

Casey's career BA = .284 (not too bad). And, definitely a clutch hitter in World Series play...…BA = .393

1916 WS.....BA = .364

1922 WS.....BA = .400

1923 WS.....BA = .417, RBI = 4, HR = 2 (both were inside-the-park)


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TED Z

T206 Reference
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[SteveWhite]

Could the same be said about Joe Torre? I know he won a National League West championship with the Braves in 1982. Before he got to the Yankees, they had a long time between championships.

For the record, I think Stengel and Torre are both great managers. All teams have talent, but the team has to work out a lot of things to that championship level.

[Seven]

I appreciate everyone responding to my post, It's good to hear all these opinions especially from some of the members who were alive when Stengal was actually managing.

ted, to your point I have read about Stengel utilizing the bullpen in a unique way, at least at the time. Peter, that story about Mantle and Stengel testifying is something I never heard, and to your point I would probably agree, then again Weaver was one of a kind!

Mark, I'd agree about 1960, him choosing Ditmar to start did the Yankees in that series. While I don't think the game was passing him by, I struggle to understand why he didn't go with Ford in game 1. Maybe he had a gut feeling or something? Who knows.

Frank, I'd agree. He wasn't conventional but certainly got some good results. We all could wonder what would have happened had a different manager taken the reins of the Yankees in the late 40's. Had McCarthy not had a drinking problem or had ownership either stuck with Dickey or Bucky Harris, I wonder how the 50's would have gone.

[tedzan]

Hi James

Continuing this conversation......

Casey Stengel played with the NY Giants (1921 - 1925). John McGraw took a liking to Stengel, and was a mentor to Stengel. In the 1940's, Stengel was the Manager for
the Oakland Oaks (PCL), and he mentored Billy Martin. Subsequently, Billy Martin became the Manager for Minnesota, Detroit, Texas, Yankees, Oakland, and Yankees. All
three of them, more or less, had the same style of playing the game and Managing.

I've always found this legacy (McGraw > Stengel > Martin) very interesting.


TED Z

T206 Reference
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[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9...PB8D2yIcvHHAU-

When I looked at that site I knew that date of death was wrong for Stengel knowing that he died in 1975, but they got everything wrong. He was born July 30, 1890 and died September 29, 1975.