Fred Hutchinson
Fred Hutchinson | |
---|---|
Seattle, Washington, U.S. | |
Died: November 12, 1964 Bradenton, Florida, U.S. | (aged 45)|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 2, 1939, for the Detroit Tigers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 27, 1953, for the Detroit Tigers | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 95–71 |
Earned run average | 3.73 |
Strikeouts | 591 |
Managerial record | 830–827 |
Winning % | .501 |
Teams | |
As player
As manager | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Frederick Charles Hutchinson (August 12, 1919 – November 12, 1964) was an American
Born and raised in
Early years
Born in Seattle, Hutchinson was the youngest son of Dr. Joseph Lambert Hutchinson (1872–1951)[4] and Nona Burke Hutchinson (1879–1962). Both were born in Wisconsin and they relocated to Seattle in 1907. A graduate of the medical school at Marquette University in Milwaukee,[4] he was a general practitioner in the Rainier Beach area in the southeast part of Seattle.[5][6][7] The oldest of the four Hutchinson children was daughter Mary Joy (Crosetto) (1904–1989).[4][8]
Sons
The older brothers mentored young Fred in the game and fostered a competitive spirit; they even taught him to hit left-handed to reach first base quicker.[5][7] A catcher until he was 15, Hutchinson starred as a right-handed pitcher, catcher, first baseman, outfielder, and left-handed hitter at Franklin. He led the Quakers to four city championships and played American Legion ball in the summer.[5][7]
Pitching career
Hutchinson, known throughout baseball as Hutch, played semi-pro ball in 1937 in
Several teams were interested in him, including the
) to military service.In
In 11 major league seasons, Hutchinson compiled a 95–71 (.572) career record and a 3.73
Hutchinson was known as a ferocious competitor. "His displays of temper became legendary in the American League", wrote Sports Illustrated in 1957. "'I always know how Hutch did when we follow Detroit into a town,' cracked Yankee catcher Yogi Berra. 'If we got stools in the dressing room, I know he won. If we got kindling, he lost.'"[15][a]
He also was one of the best-hitting pitchers of his time; a left-handed batter, he frequently
On a dubious note, he is also recalled as the pitcher who gave up the longest homer in Ted Williams' career, a 502-foot (153 m) blast on June 9, 1946, that broke the straw hat of a startled fan sitting in Fenway Park's right-center-field bleachers. The seat where the home run landed has been painted red since to mark the long ball.[17] Hutchinson led the AL in home runs allowed with 32 during the 1948 season.
Career as manager
Detroit Tigers
A slow decline in Hutchinson's pitching career coincided with an alarming drop in the fortunes of his usually contending Tigers. On July 5, 1952, with Detroit in the surprising position of last place in the eight-team American League, the club fired manager Red Rolfe and handed the job to Hutchinson, still an active player and five weeks shy of his 33rd birthday. Hutchinson was chosen based on his leadership skills; he had been the AL's Player Representative since 1947. Hutchinson managed the Tigers for the next 2½ years, serving into 1953 as a playing manager. He guided them from their eighth-place finish in 1952 to sixth and fifth place during the next two seasons. His reign included the 1953 debut of future Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Al Kaline. However, Detroit's ownership and front office were in flux; at the end of 1954, Hutchinson asked for a two-year contract, through 1956, and was only offered a single season deal.[15][18] He left the Tigers, ending a 16-year association with the team.
Seattle Rainiers
Out of the majors for the first time since 1941, Hutchinson went home to Seattle and the Rainiers of the PCL, becoming their manager in 1955. Even though the club did not enjoy a major league affiliation, Hutchinson led Seattle to a 95–77 record and a first-place finish. His success led to his second major league managerial job when he replaced Harry Walker as skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals shortly after the 1955 season.[19]
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals, one of baseball's storied franchises, had fallen into the second division. With general manager "Frantic" Frank Lane constantly revamping the roster through trades and Hutchinson's steady hand at the helm, the Cardinals improved by eight games in 1956, and catapulted to second place in the National League in 1957, behind only the eventual world champion Milwaukee Braves.[20]
Hutchinson won The Sporting News
Cincinnati Reds
Once again, Hutchinson returned to Seattle as field manager of the Rainiers, this time also serving as the club's general manager. The 1959 team did not have the on-field success of 1955's edition but the Rainiers were by then the top
As a result,
The season was marked by numerous dramatic late-inning comeback victories, overcoming large margins, sometimes in a single inning. The Reds seemed never to be out of any game, until the last out. The 1961 Reds won 93 games and their first NL pennant since 1940. It was Hutchinson's second trip to the World Series; ironically, he was a Detroit pitcher in 1940 when his Tigers lost the Fall Classic to Cincinnati in seven games. However, the 1961 Reds drew one of the best teams of its era as its World Series foe: the New York Yankees of Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, et al., who had won 109 games. The Reds could muster only one victory, in Game 2, with utility infielder Elio Chacón racing home on a passed ball with the go-ahead run, barely before the crunching body tag of Elston Howard. Cincinnati lost the 1961 Series in five games.
Final years
Winning the 1961 pennant secured Hutchinson's place in Cincinnati. In 1962, his Reds won 98 games but finished third, 3½ games behind the Giants. While the team fell to fifth in 1963, with an 86–76 mark, it continued to blend in young talent, such as young shortstop Leo Cárdenas and freshman second baseman Pete Rose, who was named the National League's Rookie of the Year. In July, Hutchinson was given a contract extension through the 1965 season,[26] and with a solid corps of veterans and a strong farm system, the Reds were considered a contending club in 1964, provided that its pitching staff made a comeback.[27]
Cancer
At his Florida home on Anna Maria Island, Hutchinson found a lump on his neck in late December 1963. A medical examination in Seattle revealed malignant tumors in his lungs, chest, and neck.[28] Given the cancer treatments available at the time, the prognosis was grim. According to his brother, Hutchinson was a chain smoker, up to four packs of cigarettes a day.[9][29] The Reds made their manager's illness public on January 3, 1964.[30] After radiation treatment in early February, he still felt relatively well in March during spring training.[31][32] As The Sporting News noted, the team played the 1964 season knowing Hutchinson "probably was at death's door."
His health failing,[33] Hutchinson nevertheless managed the Reds through July 27, when he was hospitalized in Cincinnati.[34] He returned to the dugout August 4,[35] but could only endure nine more days before, on the day after his 45th birthday, he turned the team over to his first-base coach, Dick Sisler.[36] The birthday was celebrated at Crosley Field on August 12,[37][38] then he was re-hospitalized two days later for two weeks.[39][40] With their manager now critically ill, the inspired Reds caught fire and won 29 out of their last 47 games as the first-place Philadelphia Phillies collapsed, but the team finished in a tie with the Phillies for second, one game behind the Cardinals, who went on to win that year's World Series.
Hutchinson formally resigned as manager on October 19,[41] and died three weeks later at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, Florida.[1][2][3] He was buried next to his parents in the family plot at Mount Olivet Cemetery near Seattle in Renton, overlooking Lake Washington.[42]
Legacy
Hutchinson was inducted into the
Wrote Brosnan in 1959: "Most ballplayers respect Hutch. In fact, many of them admire him, which is even better than liking him. He seems to have a tremendous inner power that a player can sense. When Hutch gets a grip on things it doesn't seem probable that he's going to lose it. He seldom blows his top at a player, seldom panics in a game, usually lets the players work out of their own troubles if possible."[44]
Said future Hall of Famer Stan Musial in 1957: "If I ever hear a player say he can't play for Hutch, then I'll know he can't play for anybody."[15] Jim Delsing played under Hutchinson with the Tigers. "I would describe him as very sincere, very frank, very loyal to the players, and very involved with the players. I think everybody really liked playing for him. Hutch was not rehired after the 1954 season, and the next year we played for Bucky Harris. Fred was always more involved with the players. I thought he was an excellent manager. The manager makes a lot of difference."[45]
In honor of his achievements with Buffalo, Hutchinson became a charter member of the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.[46]
On December 24, 1999, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer named Hutchinson Seattle's Athlete of the 20th Century.[29]
Meanwhile, the
All of the end plates of the rows of seats at Seattle's T-Mobile Park are embossed with a likeness of Hutchinson.
Managerial Record
Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
DET | 1952 | 82 | 27 | 55 | .329 | interim | – | – | – | |
DET | 1953 | 154 | 60 | 94 | .390 | 6th in AL | – | – | – | |
DET | 1954 | 154 | 68 | 86 | .442 | 5th in AL | – | – | – | |
DET total | 390 | 155 | 235 | .397 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
STL | 1956 | 154 | 76 | 78 | .494 | 4th in NL | – | – | – | |
STL | 1957 | 154 | 87 | 67 | .565 | 2nd in NL | – | – | – | |
STL | 1958 | 144 | 69 | 75 | .479 | fired | – | – | – | |
STL total | 452 | 232 | 220 | .513 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
CIN | 1959 | 74 | 39 | 35 | .527 | 5th in NL | – | – | – | |
CIN | 1960 | 154 | 67 | 87 | .435 | 6th in NL | – | – | – | |
CIN | 1961 | 154 | 93 | 61 | .604 | 1st in NL | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost World Series (NYY) |
CIN | 1962 | 162 | 98 | 64 | .605 | 3rd in NL | – | – | – | |
CIN | 1963 | 162 | 86 | 76 | .531 | 5th in NL | – | – | – | |
CIN | 1964 | 109 | 60 | 49 | .550 | illness | – | – | – | |
CIN total | 815 | 443 | 372 | .544 | 1 | 4 | .200 | |||
Total | 1657 | 830 | 827 | .501 | 1 | 4 | .200 |
See also
- Hutch Award
- List of Major League Baseball player-managers
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
Notes
- ^ Hutchinson's disposition does not appear to have mellowed during his managerial career. As Phillies manager Gene Mauch noted in 1963, "Some managers throw chairs or bats or shoes. Hutch throws rooms."[16]
References
- ^ a b "Cancer fatal to ex-Red pilot Hutchinson". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. Associated Press. November 13, 1964. p. 1C.
- ^ a b "Fred Hutchinson dies at Bradenton Memorial Hospital". Sarasota Journal. Florida. UPI. November 12, 1964. p. 34.
- ^ a b c "Former Redleg manager Fred Hutchinson dead at 45". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. November 12, 1964. p. 1D.
- ^ a b c "Rites set for Dr. Joseph L. Hutchinson". Seattle Times. obituary. March 21, 1951.
- ^ a b c d Fleet, Louis (December 30, 2004). "Hutchinson, Dr. William B. (1909–1997)". HistoryLink: the free, online encyclopedia of Washington state history. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- ^ "Dr. William Hutchinson, founder of research centers, dies in Seattle". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 28, 1997. p. B6.
- ^ a b c d Chesley, Frank (November 12, 2007). "Hutchinson, Fred (1919–1964); Baseball legend". HistoryLink: the free, online encyclopedia of Washington state history. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
- ^ "Albert Crosetto marries Snoqualmie teacher". Ellensburg Daily Record. Washington. June 5, 1941. p. 6.
- ^ a b "Brother recalls Hutch". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. August 10, 1982. p. 10.
- ^ "New Detroit Tiger tries out cage game". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. (AP photo). December 13, 1938. p. 11.
- ^ Biederman, Lester (December 11, 1938). "Bucs hope to close Hutchinson deal at majors' meeting". Pittsburgh Press. p. 1, sports.
- ^ a b "Detroit outbids Buccaneers for Hutchinson". Pittsburgh Press. December 13, 1938. p. 27.
- ^ "Hutchinson goes to Detroit team". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. December 13, 1938. p. 11.
- ^ "All-Star Game: Tuesday". www.baseball-reference.com. July 10, 1951. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
- ^ a b c Walsh, Emmett (August 26, 1957). "In Sunshine or In Shadow". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013.
- ^ Green, Ronald (August 15, 1963). "Coaches Tee Up". The Charlotte News. p. 10. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ "Ted Williams, Fenway Park". ESPN Home Run Tracker. June 9, 1946. Archived from the original on July 20, 2006. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
- ^ "Fred Hutchinson quits as manager of Tigers". Toledo Blade. Ohio. Associated Press. September 30, 1954. p. 23.
- ^ "Fred Hutchinson named manager of Cardinals". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. Associated Press. October 13, 1955. p. 6.
- ^ a b "Hutch gets 1958 contract with Cardinals". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. Associated Press. September 29, 1957. p. 7C.
- ^ "He lived, died like a man – Mauch". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. UPI. November 13, 1964. p. 1C.
- ^ "Fred Hutchinson will be dropped as Cardinals' manager in 1959". Sarasta Herald-Tribune. Florida. Associated Press. September 11, 1958. p. 15.
- ^ "Fred Hutchinson fired as Cardinals' manager". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. Associated Press. September 18, 1958. p. 15.
- ^ "Why Bing Devine was forced to fire Fred Hutchinson". September 16, 2013.
- ^ "Hutchinson Reds' new manager". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. July 9, 1959. p. 2, part 2. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ "Hutchinson inks 2-year Reds' pact". Victoria Advocate. Texas. Associated Press. July 13, 1963. p. 9.
- ^ Hutchinson, Fred (January 30, 1964). "Hutchinson calls Reds 'improved'". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. p. 9.
- ^ "Red's Fred Hutchinson has lung cancer". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. Associated Press. January 3, 1964. p. 1C.
- ^ a b Eskanazi, David; Rudman, Steve (January 24, 2012). "Wayback Machine: Hutch — A Man And An Award". Sports Press Northwest. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ "Hutchinson's illness diagnosed as malignancy". Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. Associated Press. January 3, 1964. p. 10.
- ^ Mann, Jimmy (March 20, 1964). "Hutchinson doing what doctor orders". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. p. 3C.
- ^ "Hutchinson's cancer top spring baseball story". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. Kansas. Associated Press. March 21, 1964. p. 8.
- ^ "Hutchinson has another exam by hospital". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. Associated Press. June 9, 1964. p. 7.
- ^ "Hutchinson returns to hospital for tests". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. July 28, 1964. p. 14.
- ^ "Fred Hutchinson gets real gift from his team". Lewiston Evening Journal. Maine. August 5, 1964. p. 14.
- ^ "Red pilot to stay at home". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. August 13, 1964. p. 33.
- ^ "'Happy Birthday' 'shakes' Hutch". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. August 13, 1964. p. 3, part 2. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ "Ailing Hutch is honored on birthday". Prescott Evening Courier. Arizona. UPI. August 13, 1964. p. 9.
- ^ "Fred Hutchinson back in hospital". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. August 15, 1964. p. 2B.
- ^ "Fred Hutchinson leaves hospital". Daily Reporter. Spencer, Iowa. Associated Press. August 27, 1964. p. 5.
- ^ "Sisler named Reds' pilot as Hutchinson resigns". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Florida. Associated Press. October 20, 1964. p. 6.
- ^ "Fred Hutchinson goes to final resting place". Sarasota Journal. Florida. Associated Press. November 17, 1964. p. 14.
- ^ "Writers to perpetuate memory of Hutchinson". Gadsden Times. Alabama. Associated Press. June 20, 1965. p. 26.
- ^ "Jim Brosnan in The Long Season, quoted by Jonathan Yardly in". The Washington Post. April 7, 2004.
- ^ Sargent, Jim. "Jim Delsing". SABR. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
- ^ "missing title".[permanent dead link]
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Fred Hutchinson managerial career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com
- KBTC-TV video biography on YouTube
- Fred Hutch video on William and Fred Hutchinson on YouTube
- Walsh, Emmett, "In Sunshine or In Shadow" Sports Illustrated, August 26, 1957
- Sports Press Northwest – Wayback Machine: Hutch – A Man And An Award
- History Link – Fred Hutchinson, essay 8357
- Fred Hutchinson at Find a Grave