Chuck Tanner
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Charles William Tanner (born July 4, 1929 in New Castle, Pennsylvania) is a former left fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He is currently a major league scout for the Cleveland Indians.
A lefthanded batter and thrower, Tanner signed his first contract with the Boston Braves. He played for eight seasons (1955 - 1962) for four different teams: the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels, as well as the Braves (then based in Milwaukee) and the Indians. In 396 games played, Tanner batted .261 with 21 home runs.
In 1963 he began managing in the Angels' minor league system, where in 1970 he led the AAA Hawaii Islanders to 98 wins in 146 games and the Pacific Coast League pennant. He then received his first major league managing assignment, with the Chicago White Sox. He spent one year with Oakland Athletics before moving to the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 1977 season.
He reached the pinnacle of his managerial career in 1979 as the skipper of the World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates. Tanner was well known for his unrelenting optimism, which permeated his teams. The Pirates were able to win in 1979 after falling behind, three games to one in the World Series. Tanner left Pittsburgh after the 1985 season and finished his managerial career with the Atlanta Braves.
He is the father of former major league player and coach Bruce Tanner. In 2006, he was invited to be a coach in the 2006 All Star game by NL manager Phil Garner, who played for the Pirates during Tanner's tenure as Manager.
[edit] Managerial career
He is best known as a manager, having managed four teams from 1970 to 1988, including winning the 1979 World Series
- 1970 - 1975 Chicago White Sox 401 - 414
- 1976 - Oakland Athletics 87 - 74
- 1977 - 1985 Pittsburgh Pirates 711 - 685
- 1986 - 1988 Atlanta Braves 153 - 208
[edit] Trivia
- Tanner hit a home run in his first career at-bat on April 12, 1955, the only Braves player to accomplish the feat in Milwaukee.
[edit] Sources
- Baseball-Reference.com - career managing record and playing statistics
| Preceded by Bill Adair |
Chicago White Sox Manager 1970-1975 |
Succeeded by Paul Richards |
| Preceded by Alvin Dark |
Oakland Athletics Manager 1976 |
Succeeded by Jack McKeon |
| Preceded by Danny Murtaugh |
Pittsburgh Pirates Managers 1977–1985 |
Succeeded by Jim Leyland |
| Preceded by Bobby Wine |
Atlanta Braves Manager 1986-1988 |
Succeeded by Russ Nixon |
 |
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Categories: Baseball manager stubs | 1929 births | Living people | Baseball managers | National League All-Stars | Pittsburgh Pirates managers | Oakland Athletics managers | Chicago White Sox managers | Atlanta Braves managers | Toronto Maple Leafs (minor league baseball) players | People from Pennsylvania | Milwaukee Braves players | Chicago Cubs players | Cleveland Indians players | Los Angeles Angels players
