Bill Russell (shortstop)

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Bill Russell
Runs batted in
627
Managerial record173–149
Winning %.537
Teams
As player

As manager

As coach

Career highlights and awards

William Ellis Russell (born October 21, 1948) is an American former shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. Russell played his entire 18-year, 2,181-game career with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the starting shortstop for four National League pennant winners and one World Series championship team. He also served as the team's manager from 1996 to 1998.

Playing career

A right-handed batter and thrower, Russell came to the Dodgers as a 20-year-old

eight and one half years. Russell batted .263 over his regular season career, and – coincidentally – posted the same average in 23 World Series games in 1974, 1977, 1978, and 1981. Russell's finest Fall Classic was in 1978, when he garnered 11 hits and batted .423 in a losing effort against the New York Yankees. He also hit .337 over five National League Championship Series
. Russell wore number 18.

Russell was hit in the hand with a pitch in September 1980 by Mike LaCoss of the Cincinnati Reds, shattering his right forefinger. He had the finger surgically repaired but was never really the same player afterward and retired in October 1986. Only Zack Wheat played more games as a Dodger and no one in the West Coast portion of Dodgers history has played more games. He played shortstop exclusively from 1974–1983 and alternated playing time at second base, shortstop and the outfield for his final three seasons. Tommy John, who pitched in the major leagues for 26 years, called Russell "the best shortstop that ever played behind me."[2]

Coaching career

Russell became a coach on manager

News Corporation
poised to buy the team – Russell was fired on June 21 along with Claire in a general housecleaning, ending a 30-year association with the team. His final managing record was 173–149 (.537).

His departure from the Dodgers followed the new ownership's decision to trade

Florida Marlins
. Neither Russell nor Claire knew about the trade. Claire, who like Russell had been with the Dodgers in various capacities since 1969, discussed his and Russell's ouster in his book My 30 Years in Dodger Blue.

Russell went on to coach for the

farm teams of both Tampa Bay and the San Francisco Giants
, the Dodgers' archrival. He currently works for Major League Baseball's umpiring division.

Tommy John was good friends with Russell. He described Russell as "a quiet midwesterner...He wasn't a flashy dresser, didn't have a fancy house or car. Those things weren't important to him."[1]

Managerial record

Team Year Regular Season Postseason
Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
LAD 1996 49 37 .570 2nd in NL West 0 3 .000 Lost NLDS (ATL)
LAD 1997 88 74 .543 2nd in NL West – – –
LAD 1998 36 38 .486 3rd in NL West – – –
Totals 173 149 .537 0 3 .000

See also

References

  1. ^ a b John and Valenti, p. 128
  2. ^ John and Valenti, p. 129
  3. Fangraphs
    . Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  4. ^ Kawakami, Tim (27 June 1996). "Lasorda's Pain was from Heart Attack". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  • John, Tommy; Valenti, Dan (1991). TJ: My Twenty-Six Years in Baseball. New York: Bantam.
    ISBN 0-553-07184-X
    .

External links
Sporting positions
Preceded by Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach
1987–1991
1994–1996 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Albuquerque Dukes manager
1992–1993 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Tampa Bay Devil Rays bench coach

2000 		Succeeded by
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