Art Mazmanian
Encyclopedia
Arthur S. Mazmanian is a retired American
baseball
coach
and manager
. He was the longtime baseball coach at Dorsey High School of Los Angeles, California
, his alma mater, then spent 31 seasons (1968–98) as head coach of baseball at Mount San Antonio College of Walnut, California
, where his teams won 709 games and had only two losing campaigns. He also was a second baseman
, scout, instructor and manager
in professional baseball from through .
Mazmanian graduated from the University of Southern California
, where he was an All-American and the second baseman on the Trojans' 1948 national championship team. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 5 feet, 10 inches (1.8 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg).
Mazmanian's six-year playing career (1949–54) was largely spent in the New York Yankees
' farm system, including 2½ seasons at the Triple-A level with the Kansas City Blues
of the American Association
. In 1955, he became a coach
in the St. Louis Cardinals
' organization, then launched his managing career the following season with the Grand Island Athletics, Class D Nebraska State League
affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics
of the American League
. During the 1960s he scouted for the Athletics and the Cleveland Indians
. He resumed his managerial career in 1971 and achieved sustained success later in the decade when he rejoined the Yankees as skipper of their Short Season Class-A New York-Penn League affiliate, the Oneonta Yankees. He managed the O-Yankees to five consecutive division championships (1977–81) and four league playoff championships (1977; 1979–81). He then managed in the New York-Penn League for the Baltimore Orioles
for three seasons and recorded his last season in organized baseball with a "co-op" team in the same circuit in 1987.
Apart from a temporary assignment with the Visalia Oaks
of the California League
in 1960, all of Mazmanian's years as a manager were spent in "short season" or rookie-level leagues. He compiled a managing record of 663-487 (.576). In 1984, he took a leave of absence from the Orioles to serve as an assistant coach for the United States Olympic Baseball Team
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. He was the longtime baseball coach at Dorsey High School of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, his alma mater, then spent 31 seasons (1968–98) as head coach of baseball at Mount San Antonio College of Walnut, California
Walnut, California
Walnut is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 29,172 at the 2010 census and its current mayor is Tom King, a former Detective from the Los Angeles Police Department....
, where his teams won 709 games and had only two losing campaigns. He also was a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, scout, instructor and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in professional baseball from through .
Mazmanian graduated from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was an All-American and the second baseman on the Trojans' 1948 national championship team. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 5 feet, 10 inches (1.8 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg).
Mazmanian's six-year playing career (1949–54) was largely spent in the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' farm system, including 2½ seasons at the Triple-A level with the Kansas City Blues
Kansas City Blues (American Association)
The Kansas City Blues are a former minor league baseball team located in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Midwestern United States. The team was one of the eight founding members of the American Association....
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. In 1955, he became a coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
in the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
' organization, then launched his managing career the following season with the Grand Island Athletics, Class D Nebraska State League
Nebraska State League
The Nebraska State League was an American professional baseball league with five incarnations. At least, the name was adopted five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 and from 1956 to 1959....
affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. During the 1960s he scouted for the Athletics and the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He resumed his managerial career in 1971 and achieved sustained success later in the decade when he rejoined the Yankees as skipper of their Short Season Class-A New York-Penn League affiliate, the Oneonta Yankees. He managed the O-Yankees to five consecutive division championships (1977–81) and four league playoff championships (1977; 1979–81). He then managed in the New York-Penn League for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for three seasons and recorded his last season in organized baseball with a "co-op" team in the same circuit in 1987.
Apart from a temporary assignment with the Visalia Oaks
Visalia Oaks
The Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
in 1960, all of Mazmanian's years as a manager were spent in "short season" or rookie-level leagues. He compiled a managing record of 663-487 (.576). In 1984, he took a leave of absence from the Orioles to serve as an assistant coach for the United States Olympic Baseball Team
Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics was a demonstration sport. Although single exhibition games had been played in conjunction with five previous Olympics, it was the first time that the sport was officially included in the program, and also the first time that the sport was played in Olympics...
.