Welcome to the Baseball History Podcast: Featuring This Week in Baseball History, baseball dictionary and a tour of baseball cities. I’m your game announcer Bob Wright.
This is game 45 of the 2008 baseball season
In the first inning let’s take a look at This Week in Baseball History for the 1 week of November.
November 1
2000 Larry Bowa is hired as the Phillies manager replacing the recently released Terry Franconia. The former Phillies’ shortstop had managed the Padres in 1987-88 to a record of 81-127.
Lawrence Robert Bowa was born December 6, 1945 in Sacramento, California.
Characterized by his “soft” hands, strong arm, fast feet, and fiery personality, he won two Gold Glove Awards and led the National League in fielding percentage six times, then a league record.
A quick temper, and unlimited determination characterized Bowa’s years as an outstanding Major League shortstop.
He picked up the nickname “Crazy Eyes” because of his intense and intimidating stares that he would give mostly to umpires when arguing calls.
Often at odds with teammates, managers, and members of the media, Bowa never let distractions influence his play in the field. When he finished his playing career in 1985, he held the National League record for games played at shortstop and currently holds the National League record for highest fielding percentage for a career.
While in high school in Sacramento, Bowa tried out but never made the school’s baseball team . After graduation, Bowa started for Sacramento City College, and was expected to go in the Major League Baseball Draft, but didn’t.
The Philadelphia Phillies were the only Major League team interested in Bowa. They sent a local scout, Eddie Bockman, to watch Bowa play in a double header, only for Bowa to be thrown out of the game for arguing. Borkman had a winter league team in the area and offered Bowa a chance to play. Bowa played well and signed with the Phillies for a $2,000 bonus.
A powerless switch-hitter early in his career, he developed into a tough out, hitting .280 or better four times with a high of .305 in 1975 and seldom striking out. He was always a good basestealer and had nine seasons with 20 or more stolen bases. He finished his career with 318 stolen bases.
From his 1970 rookie season through 1981, Bowa provided solid reliability in the Phillies’ infield, along with third baseman Mike Schmidt.
From 1976 to 1981, the Phillies reached the postseason five times, ending a drought dating back a quarter of a century. Bowa batted .333 in a losing cause in the 1978 National League Championship Series, but played an even greater role in 1980, hitting .316 in the National League Championship Series and .375 in the World Series as the Phillies captured their first title in franchise history.
In 1979, Bowa set a, since broken, Major League record for shortstops with a .991 fielding average.
In January 1982, Bowa was traded to the Chicago Cubs along with rookie Ryne Sandberg in exchange for Ivan DeJesus, a move made by new Cubs general manager Dallas Green, who had managed the 1980 Phillies. The trade paid off tremendously for the Cubs, as Bowa’s veteran leadership and Sandberg’s outstanding all-around play brought the Cubs to the postseason in 1984 for the first time in 39 years.
After being released by the Cubs in August 1985, Bowa played briefly for the New York Mets before retiring.
He retired with the National League record for career games at shortstop with 2222 and the Major League records for fielding average in a career with.980 and a single season mark of.991 in 1979. He was also among the career leaders in assists and double plays. His records have since been broken, though he retains the National League mark for career fielding average.
Bowa was named manager of the San Diego Padres in 1987, but his aggressive and often angry style was ineffective, and he was fired a year later. Bowa returned to managing, joining the Phillies in 2001, and was honored as Manager of the Year after bringing the team within two games of the division title; they had finished in last place in 2000. He was fired with two games remaining in the 2004 season after failing to finish within 10 games of first place in his last three years.
In November of 2007, the Los Angeles Dodgers hired Bowa to be the team’s new third base coach, following the hiring of new manager Joe Torre.
On April 1, 2008 Bowa, was thrown out in the second game of the season for arguing with the umpire about standing out of the coach’s box. He was subsequently fined and suspended for three games
Bowa is the son of a former minor-league infielder in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system and his nephew is Nick Johnson of the Washington Nationals.
In this inning we’ll open up the Baseball Dictionary
Under the letter: R
Record Book
1. The official document in which all numbers and statistics of players, clubs, and leagues are kept. The term is often used in the plural.
2. A mythical document containing such records.
If you would like to a part of Baseball History Podcast, submit your written contribution for the tour segment. I will only be doing the tour when one is sent in by a listener. You can do the segment on any stadium or team; past or present; Minor League, Major League, Negro League or any league outside of the US. Write about 1 page in a conversational tone, send it to me, I will record it, and you will get the credit.
You can email me at baseballhistory@gmail.com. You can leave a voice mail at: 206-888-6506. If you need more baseball, I invite you to check out Just Baseball at justbaseballpodcast.com. Well, that’s it for today’s game of Baseball History Podcast. I’ll see you later at the ballpark.
