Bill Lachemann
Encyclopedia
William Charles Lachemann (born April 5, 1934, at Los Angeles, California
) is an American
minor league baseball
coach
. A longtime member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
organization, in at age 77 he was still active in professional baseball as the Angels' roving catching
instructor and special assignment coach. He is the eldest brother of three siblings who have had long careers in the game: Marcel
and Rene
have been players, managers
and coaches in Major League Baseball
and also remain active in the game. In 1995
and 1996
, Bill Lachemann served as bullpen
coach on the staff of his brother Marcel, then skipper of the Angels.
Bill Lachemann had a nine-season minor league catching career, interrupted by two years of military service, in the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
farm system. In his best season, 1960
with the Great Falls Dodgers of the Class C Pioneer League, Lachemann batted
.307 and swatted a career-high 10 home runs. During his minor league career, Lachemann hit .253 with 30 homers. He stood 5'9" (1.8 m) tall, weighed 190 pounds (86 kg), batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
As a manager of Class A, Short Season A and Rookie-level teams in the farm systems of the Angels and San Francisco Giants
for 14 seasons, Lachemann's teams compiled a 630-781 (.446) record.
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...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
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...
. A longtime member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
organization, in at age 77 he was still active in professional baseball as the Angels' roving catching
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
instructor and special assignment coach. He is the eldest brother of three siblings who have had long careers in the game: Marcel
Marcel Lachemann
Marcel Ernest Lachemann is a baseball pitching coach and a former relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics...
and Rene
Rene Lachemann
Rene George Lachemann is a former coach, catcher and manager in Major League Baseball. Lachemann served as the first manager in the history of the Florida Marlins and also skippered the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers...
have been players, managers
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...
and coaches in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and also remain active in the game. In 1995
1995 California Angels season
The California Angels 1995 season featured the Angels finishing in second place in the American League West with a record of 78 wins and 67 losses.The 1995 Angels went through one of the worst late-season collapses in Major League Baseball history...
and 1996
1996 California Angels season
The California Angels 1996 season involved the Angels finishing 4th in the American League west with a record of 70 wins and 91 losses....
, Bill Lachemann served as bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
coach on the staff of his brother Marcel, then skipper of the Angels.
Bill Lachemann had a nine-season minor league catching career, interrupted by two years of military service, in the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
farm system. In his best season, 1960
1960 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the season at 82-72, in fourth place in the National League race, 13 games behind the NL and World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.-Offseason:...
with the Great Falls Dodgers of the Class C Pioneer League, Lachemann batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.307 and swatted a career-high 10 home runs. During his minor league career, Lachemann hit .253 with 30 homers. He stood 5'9" (1.8 m) tall, weighed 190 pounds (86 kg), batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
As a manager of Class A, Short Season A and Rookie-level teams in the farm systems of the Angels and San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
for 14 seasons, Lachemann's teams compiled a 630-781 (.446) record.