Sunday, September 9, 2012
no. 91 - bob lemon
Who is the man: Bob Lemon was entering his first full season as Royals manager in 1971 after taking over for Charlie Metro during the 1970 season.
Can ya dig it: Some nice foreshadowing in this photo as Lemon would go on to two separate stints of managing for the Yankees in Yankee Stadium.
Right on: I remember Lemon during his glasses days with the White Sox and the Yankees. It's odd to see him without them.
You see this cat Lemon is a bad mother: Lemon made it to the World Series four times, twice as a player and twice as a manager. He's also one of the few former pitchers to have notable success as a manager in the last 50 years.
Shut your mouth: Lemon's managerial style was adopted from manager Al Lopez. Lemon's biggest attribute was his low-key nature. He didn't say much and didn't hound his players. Speaking about Yankees manager Billy Martin, who he replaced in 1978, he said "Where maybe I keep things inside, he lets them come out."
No one understands him but his woman: Lemon led the Royals to their first winning season in 1971. But after a below-.500 season in 1972, owner Ewing Kauffman fired Lemon, saying he wanted someone younger.
(A word about the back): If that's not the exact same photo as the one that's on the front, it's one click of the shutter away.
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Anytime (in a pre free agent world) a manager can get 85 wins with a third year expansion club AND a 26 game turnaround in 1977 he must be good.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably why he was snapped up by NY in only 28 days from being let go with ChiWS.
He looks like old-school baseball.
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