Gene Mauch - 2B 1954-56
Los Angeles

One of the best fielding infielders in Pacific Coast League history, Gene Mauch played for three years in the PCL before one final shot at the majors with the Red Sox.

Born Gene William Mauch on November 18, 1925 in Salina, Kansas. The family relocated to Los Angeles in 1937.

Mauch was an all-city infielder for Fremont High when a scout from the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him to a contract in 1943.

He struggled in and out of the major leagues for ten long years prior to his tour of duty in the Pacific Coast League.

Gene was the paradigm of persistence: A journeyman bencher, playing with no less than seven minor league teams and six major league clubs.

A thinking player, he was a strong fielder and a modest hitter. He was also irritable, with a famous temper, and often combative. As a player he was more of a hate-love experience. As a manager, he would have his detractors for his style, but he evidenced a strong ability to get the most out of the talent that he had to work with.

Gene broke into the majors during wartime, when the Dodgers started him with the major league club in 1944 at age 18. He lasted for five games and 15 at-bats that generated a chewed-up busher's .133 average before being sent down to the farm.

He played class A ball for the Dodgers for the rest of 1944 with a .326 average in 137 games and 592 at-bats, generating a .350 on-base percentage and a .395 slugging percentage with 6 home runs and 49 RBI.

From late 1944 through early 1947 he fulfilled his military service and was out of baseball.

He returned to the major leagues in 1947 with the Pirates for another short stint. This time he made more of his 30 at-bats with a .300 average and a .432 on-base percentage.

In 1948 he started the season with the Dodgers with a handful of at-bats, then was dealt to the Cubs, who gave him his first real taste of bench duty. In 53 games, he batted .203. He also played in the AAA that year, with a .296 average in 443 at-bats.

In 1949, Mauch played 132 games in AAA with a .244 average, and in 72 games with the major league Cubs for a .247 average.

The Braves picked up Mauch for 1950-51. In 1950 he played 137 games with 606 at-bats in AAA for a .327 average. He was called up to the major league level, where he batted .231 with a .316 on-base. In 1951 he batted .100 for the major league club with a .333 on-base percentage, respectively.

He played a handful of games for the Cardinals major league club with only 3 at-bats in 1952.

In 1953 he had five major league trials that weren't leading to roster spots. At age 28, he took his first managerial job as a player/manager of the Southern Association's Atlanta Crackers. He wasn't the ideal manager. He fought with players and officials. He was quoted as saying he wasn't ready for the job in later years.

Mauch shined in the Pacific Coast League, averaging .310 in his three years with the Los Angeles Angels. Platooning at both second and third bases Mauch was part of the pennant-winning team in 1956, a year that he hit .348. He was also named to PCL All-Star team that years as a second baseman.

Mauch's last stint with a major league club came in 1956 -1957, his two best years in the majors. Even though he played in 7 games in '56 and 65 in '57, his average of .320 and .270 in those years were his personal best.

In 9 years in the majors, Mauch played in just 304 games, with 737 at-bats, 62 RBIs, and 5 home runs. He had a lifetime .333 on-base percentage, and a .312 slugging percentage.

In 1958 he took a managerial job in the American Association with the Minneapolis Millers, the Red Sox AA farm team. He managed the team to a third place finish that year, and to a pennant and a shot at the Junior World Series in 1959.

He was signed as a skipper with the Phillies in 1960. He didn't get fired after a long twenty-three game losing streak in 1961. In 1962, he was named National League Manager of the Year. He had the second highest winning percentage of any Phillies skipper when he left the team in 1968.

From 1969 to 1975, he helmed the expansion Montreal Expos. From 1976 to 1980, he was the architect of a rebuilding campaign at the Minnesota Twins. Mid-season in 1981 he replaced Jim Fregosi as skipper of the Anaheim Angels. He lasted in that role until losing the LCS in 1982. He went into the front office of the Angels and then returned for a brief stint as manager of the club again in 1985.

Gene had a 26 year career as a manager, the fourth longest career as a skipper behind Connie Mack, John McGraw, and Bucky Harris. He went the longest without winning a pennant, although his teams in 1964, 1982, and 1986 came painfully close.

Mauch calmed down as a manager, but he was known for micro-managing and was criticized for rotating his players too much. His taste of the bench, though, told him that keeping players playing made them ready to take on important roles.

While the technique did not work well for its architect, another Angels skipper, Mike Scoscia, used many of Mauch's techniques and a bit more patience to bring the Angels to a win of the World Series in 2002.

Mauch retired from managing in spring training of 1988. He lives in Rancho Mirage, California.

Gene summed up his career best: "If it's true you learn from adversity, then I must be the smartest SOB in the world."