Danny Murtaugh
Encyclopedia
Daniel Edward Murtaugh was an American
second baseman
, manager
, front-office executive and coach
in Major League Baseball
best known for his 29-year association with the Pittsburgh Pirates
as a player and manager. He threw and batted right-handed.
, Murtaugh played during nine seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies
(1941–43, 1946), Boston Braves
(1947) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1948–51).
In his rookie season Murtaugh led National League
players in stolen base
s (18). He was a .254 career hitter
with eight home run
s and 219 RBI
in 767 games. His most productive season came in 1948, when he hit .290 and posted career highs in RBI (71), runs (56), doubles
(21), triples
(5) and games played
(146). In 1950 he hit .294, also a career-high.
After retiring as a player, he managed the minor league New Orleans Pelicans
and Charleston Senators
before returning to the Pirates as a coach (1956 through August 4, 1957). He then succeeded Bobby Bragan
as manager and would hold the job for all or parts of 15 seasons over four different terms (1957–64, 1967, 1970–71, 1973–76). Murtaugh guided the team to two World Series
championships (1960
, 1971
) and four Eastern Division titles (1970–71, 1974–75). Murtuagh originally retired following the season, citing health problems. He took a front office job with the Pirates, evaluating players for general manager Joe L. Brown
. Murtaugh was pressed into service as an interim manager when Harry Walker
was fired during the season. He then returned to his front office role.
Murtaugh was well aware of the abundance of talent in the system, and asked to reclaim the managing job after Larry Shepard
was fired in the last week of the season. Once he received medical clearance, Murtaugh returned to managing. (Only hours after this re-hiring on October 9, Don Hoak
, his third baseman on the 1960 Pirates World Series champions and a manager in the Pirates farm system in 1969, died of a heart attack
. Hoak had believed himself a leading contender for the Pirates' managerial job.) He led the Pirates to a National League East Division title in and 1971, and they won the 1971 World Series. Murtaugh stepped down after the 1971 season and his hand-picked successor, Bill Virdon
(his center fielder on the 1960 World Series champions), took over. When Brown fired Virdon in September of , Murtaugh reluctantly came back to managing. He stayed through the season. He and Brown announced their retirements during the final week of the 1976 season.
As a manager, he compiled a 1,115-950 record in 2068 games (.540), second in Pirates history behind only Fred Clarke
.
Murtaugh died in his hometown of a stroke
at age 59, two months after retiring. His number 40 was retired by the Pirates in 1977.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
, 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...
, front-office executive and 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 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...
best known for his 29-year association with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
as a player and manager. He threw and batted right-handed.
Biography
A native of Chester, PennsylvaniaChester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
, Murtaugh played during nine seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1941–43, 1946), Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1947) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1948–51).
In his rookie season Murtaugh led National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
players in stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s (18). He was a .254 career hitter
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 :...
with eight home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 219 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 767 games. His most productive season came in 1948, when he hit .290 and posted career highs in RBI (71), runs (56), doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(21), triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(5) and games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
(146). In 1950 he hit .294, also a career-high.
After retiring as a player, he managed the minor league New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans were a Minor league professional baseball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Team history:Founded in 1887, the Pelicans became part of the Southern Association in 1901...
and Charleston Senators
Charleston Senators
The Charleston Senators were an American minor league baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They were the first professional baseball team to play in Charleston, beginning play in 1910. The team was inactive during a few periods, playing their last game in 1960....
before returning to the Pirates as a coach (1956 through August 4, 1957). He then succeeded Bobby Bragan
Bobby Bragan
Robert Randall Bragan was a shortstop, catcher, manager, and coach in American Major League Baseball. He also was an influential executive in minor league baseball...
as manager and would hold the job for all or parts of 15 seasons over four different terms (1957–64, 1967, 1970–71, 1973–76). Murtaugh guided the team to two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
championships (1960
1960 World Series
The 1960 World Series was played between the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League and the New York Yankees of the American League from October 5 to October 13, 1960...
, 1971
1971 World Series
The 1971 World Series matched the defending champion Baltimore Orioles against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the Pirates winning in seven games. Game 4, played in Pittsburgh, was the first-ever World Series game scheduled to be played at night....
) and four Eastern Division titles (1970–71, 1974–75). Murtuagh originally retired following the season, citing health problems. He took a front office job with the Pirates, evaluating players for general manager Joe L. Brown
Joe L. Brown
Joe L. Brown was an American front office executive in Major League Baseball.-Biography:Brown served as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates from November 1, 1955, through the end of the 1976 season...
. Murtaugh was pressed into service as an interim manager when Harry Walker
Harry Walker
Harry William Walker, known to baseball fans of the middle 20th century as "Harry the Hat" , was an American baseball player, manager and coach.-Early life and family:...
was fired during the season. He then returned to his front office role.
Murtaugh was well aware of the abundance of talent in the system, and asked to reclaim the managing job after Larry Shepard
Larry Shepard
Lawrence William Shepard was a manager in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1968 to 1969. During his playing days, Shepard was a right-handed pitcher who played minor league baseball from 1941 through 1956, with time out for military service during World War II...
was fired in the last week of the season. Once he received medical clearance, Murtaugh returned to managing. (Only hours after this re-hiring on October 9, Don Hoak
Don Hoak
Donald Albert Hoak was a Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "Tiger," Hoak was a third baseman who played ten seasons in the Majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers , Chicago Cubs , Cincinnati Reds , Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies...
, his third baseman on the 1960 Pirates World Series champions and a manager in the Pirates farm system in 1969, died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. Hoak had believed himself a leading contender for the Pirates' managerial job.) He led the Pirates to a National League East Division title in and 1971, and they won the 1971 World Series. Murtaugh stepped down after the 1971 season and his hand-picked successor, Bill Virdon
Bill Virdon
William Charles Virdon is a former outfielder, manager and coach in Major League Baseball. A premier defensive outfielder during his playing days as a center fielder for the St...
(his center fielder on the 1960 World Series champions), took over. When Brown fired Virdon in September of , Murtaugh reluctantly came back to managing. He stayed through the season. He and Brown announced their retirements during the final week of the 1976 season.
As a manager, he compiled a 1,115-950 record in 2068 games (.540), second in Pirates history behind only Fred Clarke
Fred Clarke
Fred Clifford Clarke was a Major League Baseball player from 1894 to and manager from 1897 to 1915. A Hall of Famer, Clarke played for and managed both the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a left fielder and left-handed batter.Of the nine pennants in Pittsburgh franchise...
.
Murtaugh died in his hometown of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at age 59, two months after retiring. His number 40 was retired by the Pirates in 1977.
Highlights
- Led NL in stolen bases (1941)
- Led NL second basemen in putoutPutoutIn baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s, assistsAssist (baseball)In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and double playDouble playIn baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s (1948) - Finished 9th in the NL MVPMLB Most Valuable Player AwardThe Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
selection (1948) - Selected "Man of the Year" by SPORT magazineSport magazineSPORT magazine was an American sports magazine. Launched in September 1946 by the New York-based publisher, Macfadden Publications, SPORT pioneered the generous use of color photography – it carried eight full colour plates in its first edition – and almost immediately became half-bible, half-guru...
(1960) - Twice received The Sporting News Manager of the Year AwardThe Sporting News Manager of the Year AwardThe Sporting News Manager of the Year Award was established in 1936 by The Sporting News and was given annually to one manager in Major League Baseball...
(1960, 1970) - One of only 36 managers in major league history to win 1,000 or more games
See also
External links
- Baseball Reference.com - managing record and playing statistics
- Baseball Hall of Fame - 2008 Veterans Committee candidate profile
- Danny Murtaugh at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- http://www.postgazette.com/slides/60Bucs_Part5/index.html-Pittsburgh newspaper's tribute to Murtaugh as part of its 50 year anniversary of the 1960 Pirates team that won the World Series over the Yankees.