George Bamberger
George Bamberger | |
---|---|
Pitcher / Manager | |
Born: Staten Island, New York City, New York, U.S. | August 1, 1923|
Died: April 4, 2004 North Redington Beach, Florida, U.S. | (aged 80)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 19, 1951, for the New York Giants | |
Last MLB appearance | |
April 22, 1959, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 0–0 |
Earned run average | 9.42 |
Strikeouts | 3 |
Managerial record | 458–478 |
Teams | |
As player
As manager | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
George Irvin Bamberger (August 1, 1923 – April 4, 2004) was an American
Playing career
Bamberger was born and raised in
Bamberger made the Giants' 28-man roster at the outset of the
In 1952, Bamberger again was a member of the big-league Giants during the season's early weeks. He appeared in five more games, all as a relief pitcher, but was largely ineffective, allowing six hits, three walks, and four earned runs in four full innings of work. After June 1, he was sent to the Oakland Oaks of the top-level Pacific Coast League, where he spent the bulk of the rest of his playing career. The Oaks transferred to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1956, and Bamberger remained with the renamed Vancouver Mounties for another seven years until the franchise moved again, to Dallas, Texas, in 1963.
In the midst of that tenure, however, in
After two relief appearances with the Orioles, Bamberger returned to the Pacific Coast League for the rest of his pitching career. He never recorded a
Coaching and managerial career
Baltimore Orioles pitching coach
In 1960–63, Bamberger served as a player-coach for the Mounties and
He earned a promotion when general manager Harry Dalton appointed him to succeed Harry Brecheen as the Orioles' pitching coach on October 3, 1967.[7] Bamberger took over a pitching staff that often saw young stars quickly lose their effectiveness due to sore arms. Dave McNally and Jim Palmer, two stars who recovered under Bamberger, credited a routine of regular exercises instituted by Bamberger for reversing the trend.[8]
Serving under
1978–80: Manager of "Bambi's Bombers" in Milwaukee
Bamberger signed a two-year $120,000 contract to succeed Alex Grammas as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers on January 20, 1978. The appointment reunited him with Dalton, who had become the Brewers' new general manager two months earlier. Dalton said Bamberger “was the only man we considered” for the position. The Milwaukee franchise never had a winning record in its first nine seasons, prior to Bamberger's arrival. Stating that a major goal was instilling a winning attitude, he added, "Last year the feeling I got was that we (the Orioles) should not lose to the Milwaukee Brewers. We felt they did not care, that they felt we were going to win."[9]
In his first managerial assignment, Bamberger led the 1978 Brewers to a 26-game turnaround. His club won 93 games and finished third behind the Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL East. Bamberger's influence on his pitching staff was reflected by a 30 percent decrease in walks allowed (566 vs. 398) and a 20 percent decline in home runs allowed (136 vs. 109). Team ERA dropped from 4.32 to 3.65, and both Mike Caldwell (22–9, 2.36) and Lary Sorensen (18–12, 3.21) enjoyed standout seasons. But a spike in offense would make an even larger mark on Bamberger's team. The 1978 Brewers hit 173 home runs (48 more than in 1977) and outscored their previous year's team by 165 runs, a 26 percent rise. Seven players hit double figures in home runs, and two (Larry Hisle, signed as a free agent, and Gorman Thomas) eclipsed the 30-homer mark. The Brewers became known as "Bambi's Bombers."[10]
Then, in
1982–83: Struggles during Mets' rebuilding
Frank Cashen, another former Oriole executive, hired Bamberger as manager of the struggling New York Mets for 1982. The Mets had gone only 41–62 (.398) under Joe Torre during the strike-shortened 1981 season. The 1982 Mets—still in the early stages of a rebuilding process that would produce the 1986 world championship—played at almost an identical pace (.401), led the National League in bases on balls and finished second-worst in team ERA. Then the 1983 edition started even worse. They were 16–30 (.348) on June 3 when Bamberger resigned, saying, "I've probably suffered enough."[11]
1985–86: Second term in Milwaukee
A season and a half later, during the 1984–85 off-season, Dalton called Bamberger back into harness to attempt to revive the Brewers, who had plunged into the AL East basement in 1984. But this time, Bamberger was unable to turn the club around: they won only 71 games for him in 1985 (with the team ERA climbing by 0.33 to 4.39) and 71 more the following season. The bright spot on the Brewers' staff was left-handed starting pitcher Teddy Higuera, who won 15 games as a rookie in 1985 and 20 more the following season. Bamberger retired for a final time September 25, 1986, at age 63, turning the Brewers over to coach Tom Trebelhorn with nine games left in the season. He finished his managerial career with a record of 458–478 (.489).
George Bamberger died on April 4, 2004, from cancer at his home in North Redington Beach, Florida. He was 80 years old.
See also
References
- ^ Goldstein, Richard (April 7, 2004). "George Bamberger, 80, Pitching Coach, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
- ^ "George Bamberger, 80; Famed Orioles Pitching Coach and Brewers Manager". Los Angeles Times. April 7, 2004. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
- ^ "Baseball in Wartime - George Bamberger". baseballinwartime.com. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Boston Braves 13, New York Giants 12 (2)". retrosheet.org. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Brooklyn Dodgers 8, New York Giants 4". retrosheet.org. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Baltimore Orioles 7, New York Yankees 4". retrosheet.org. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ "Spokane Daily Chronicle - Orioles Tab 3 Coaches The Associated Press". news.google.com. October 3, 1967. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ "Watch Out! There Are More En Route". Sports Illustrated. August 31, 1970. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
- ^ "Bamberger of Orioles Is Named To Pilot Brewers Next 2 Years," United Press International (UPI), Friday, January 20, 1978. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ "Remembering the Brew Crew, 30 Years On". The New York Times. September 13, 2008. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ "Bamberger Quits as Mets' Manager; Howard Names". The New York Times. June 3, 1983. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- George Bamberger managerial career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com
- George Bamberger at the SABR Baseball Biography Project , by George Bamberger, Retrieved Tom Hawthorn.
- Baseball in Wartime
- Historic Baseball