Parke Carroll
Encyclopedia
Parke Carroll was an American
front-office executive in minor league
and Major League Baseball
who was perhaps best known, in baseball circles, for his two-year stint as the general manager
of the Kansas City Athletics
, from 1959-1960.
During those two years, he engineered a few trades that sent key players to the New York Yankees
, such as Bob Cerv
and Ralph Terry
, but his most notable deal came on December 11, 1959, in which Carroll sent Roger Maris
to the Yankees along with two other players for Don Larsen
(author of a World Series perfect game
three years earlier), Marv Throneberry
, Hank Bauer
and Norm Siebern
. With the aid of the short right-field porch in Yankee Stadium
, Maris set a single-season home run record with 61 home runs in 1961, just two years after leaving the A's. Only Siebern would pay dividends for the A's however, as he was their regular first baseman
from 1960-63.
Carroll's dealings with the Yankees were controversial because the Athletics, under owner Arnold Johnson
, sent many top players to New York in apparently one-sided trades during the mid- to late-1950s. Johnson and the team's director of player personnel, George Selkirk
, had previously traded quality players such as Bobby Shantz
, Clete Boyer
, Harry "Suitcase" Simpson
and Ryne Duren
to the Yanks. Johnson also had business ties with Yankee partner Del Webb
and owned Yankee Stadium
in the Bronx prior to purchasing the Athletics. All these factors led to charges from fans, writers and other teams that Johnson and Carroll ran the Athletics as a Yankee farm team at the major league level.
Carroll came to the Athletics directly after working in the Yankee organization as business manager for the Bombers' two top farm clubs, the Kansas City Blues
of the American Association
and the Newark Bears
of the International League
. A former sportswriter who served as sports editor of the Kansas City
Journal Post, Carroll entered baseball when that newspaper ceased publication during World War II
. He joined the A's in their first season in Kansas City in 1955
as vice president and business manager and was promoted to general manager by Johnson after the end of the 1958
season. Johnson previously had not handed the general manager title to a specific executive, preferring to divide the GM responsibilities among himself, Selkirk and Carroll.
However, Johnson died suddenly from a cerebral hemorrhage during 1960
spring training
. His unexpected death forced the sale of the club to insurance executive Charlie Finley, who fired Carroll at the end of the 1960 season, replacing him with former Cleveland Indians
GM Frank "Trader" Lane
. Ironically, only months later, Carroll also died suddenly — of a heart attack in Kansas City, on February 4, 1961, at age 56.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
front-office executive in minor league
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...
and 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...
who was perhaps best known, in baseball circles, for his two-year stint as the general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
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....
, from 1959-1960.
During those two years, he engineered a few trades that sent key players to 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...
, such as Bob Cerv
Bob Cerv
Robert Henry Cerv was an American baseball player. Prior to his professional career he was a standout baseball and basketball player at the University of Nebraska....
and Ralph Terry
Ralph Terry
Ralph Willard Terry is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics , Cleveland Indians and New York Mets...
, but his most notable deal came on December 11, 1959, in which Carroll sent Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
to the Yankees along with two other players for Don Larsen
Don Larsen
Donald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
(author of a World Series perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
three years earlier), Marv Throneberry
Marv Throneberry
Marvin Eugene Throneberry was an American Major League Baseball player, best remembered as the starting first baseman for the 1962 New York Mets, a team which set the modern record for most losses in a season with 120....
, Hank Bauer
Hank Bauer
Henry Albert "Hank" Bauer was an American right fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He played with the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics ; he batted and threw right-handed...
and Norm Siebern
Norm Siebern
Norman Leroy Siebern was a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, California Angels, San Francisco Giants, and Boston Red Sox from to . His best season came in with the A's, when he hit 25 home runs, had 117 runs batted in and a .308...
. With the aid of the short right-field porch in Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
, Maris set a single-season home run record with 61 home runs in 1961, just two years after leaving the A's. Only Siebern would pay dividends for the A's however, as he was their regular first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
from 1960-63.
Carroll's dealings with the Yankees were controversial because the Athletics, under owner Arnold Johnson
Arnold Johnson
Arnold M. Johnson was an American industrialist, businessman and sportsman, who purchased the storied but financially unsound Philadelphia Athletics baseball club and moved it to Kansas City, Missouri, in the autumn of 1954...
, sent many top players to New York in apparently one-sided trades during the mid- to late-1950s. Johnson and the team's director of player personnel, George Selkirk
George Selkirk
George Alexander Selkirk was a Canadian outfielder and front office executive in Major League Baseball. In 1935, Selkirk succeeded the legendary Babe Ruth as the right fielder of the New York Yankees...
, had previously traded quality players such as Bobby Shantz
Bobby Shantz
Robert Clayton Shantz was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics , Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates , Houston Colt .45's , St...
, Clete Boyer
Clete Boyer
Cletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer was a Major League Baseball player.A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves...
, Harry "Suitcase" Simpson
Harry Simpson
Harry Leon "Suitcase" Simpson was an African American outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for a number of teams. He played in the World Series with the New York Yankees in 1957, where they lost....
and Ryne Duren
Ryne Duren
Rinold George "Ryne" Duren was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball.He was known for the combination of his blazing fastball and his very poor vision. With his thick coke bottle glasses, few batters dared to dig in against Duren...
to the Yanks. Johnson also had business ties with Yankee partner Del Webb
Del Webb
Delbert Eugene Webb was an American construction magnate, real estate developer and sports-team owner, who is most significant for founding and developing the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona.-Early life:...
and owned Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
in the Bronx prior to purchasing the Athletics. All these factors led to charges from fans, writers and other teams that Johnson and Carroll ran the Athletics as a Yankee farm team at the major league level.
Carroll came to the Athletics directly after working in the Yankee organization as business manager for the Bombers' two top farm clubs, 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...
and the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. A former sportswriter who served as sports editor of the Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
Journal Post, Carroll entered baseball when that newspaper ceased publication during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He joined the A's in their first season in Kansas City in 1955
1955 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Brooklyn Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Johnny Podres, MVP*All-Star Game, July 12 at County Stadium: National League, 6-5 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce...
as vice president and business manager and was promoted to general manager by Johnson after the end of the 1958
1958 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Milwaukee Braves ; Bob Turley, MVP*All-Star Game, July 8 at Memorial Stadium: American League, 4-3-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: USC...
season. Johnson previously had not handed the general manager title to a specific executive, preferring to divide the GM responsibilities among himself, Selkirk and Carroll.
However, Johnson died suddenly from a cerebral hemorrhage during 1960
1960 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over New York Yankees ; Bobby Richardson, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5-3*All-Star Game , July 13 at Yankee Stadium: National League, 6-0...
spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. His unexpected death forced the sale of the club to insurance executive Charlie Finley, who fired Carroll at the end of the 1960 season, replacing him with former 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...
GM Frank "Trader" Lane
Frank Lane
Frank Lane was an American executive in professional baseball, most notably serving as a general manager in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox, St...
. Ironically, only months later, Carroll also died suddenly — of a heart attack in Kansas City, on February 4, 1961, at age 56.