John McNamara (baseball)

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John Francis McNamara (born June 4, 1932 in Sacramento, California) is a former manager and coach in Major League Baseball. He managed six major league teams, directing the 1986 Boston Red Sox to the American League pennant, only to experience an excruciating defeat in that season's World Series at the hands of the New York Mets.

McNamara managed the Oakland Athletics (1969-70), San Diego Padres (1974-midseason 1977), Cincinnati Reds (1979-midseason 1982), California Angels (1983-84, part of 1996), Red Sox (1985-midseason 1988), and Cleveland Indians (1990-midseason 1991).

Over all or parts of 19 seasons, he had a managing record of 1,167 – 1,242 (.484). His 1979 Cincinnati team, defeated by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS, was his only other postseason entry.

McNamara attended Sacramento State University. A righthanded batter and thrower, he was a peripatetic minor league catcher during his playing career, originally signing with the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He began his managing career with Lewiston of the Northwest League in 1959, and when the club became an affiliate of Athletics, then based in Kansas City, McNamara joined the A's system. He won Southern League pennants in 1966 and 1967 and groomed many future members of the Oakland dynasty during his tenure at the Class AA level.

McNamara served as a major league coach for Oakland (1968-69), the San Francisco Giants (1971-73), and the Angels (1978). He also has worked as a catching instructor with the Angels.

On June 13, 2006, McNamara's son, Mike, was elected to the city council in Grand Forks, North Dakota while serving on active duty as a Major in the United States Marine Corps in Iraq.

[edit] 1986 World Series

Main article: 1986 World Series

McNamara's questionable managerial tactics during the 1986 World Series (especially in the last two games) received much criticism and scrutiny. In the pivotal sixth game, McNamara removed Red Sox ace Roger Clemens in the eighth inning despite the fact that Clemens was still pitching well. Both parties have different stories regarding Clemens's departure. According to Clemens, he did not want to leave the game, but McNamara insisted that he did so (the Red Sox then had a 3-2 lead), as Clemens had a blister on his pitching hand. McNamara has claimed that Clemens wanted out rather than continue to pitch with the blister.

McNamara was also criticized for pinch-hitting Clemens with rookie Mike Greenwell, who struck out on three pitches, when veteran slugger Don Baylor was also available. McNamara's move was further questioned in light of the relatively poor performances of closer Calvin Schiraldi and longtime reliever Bob Stanley.

Yet, perhaps the decision that McNamara will be most remembered for is his leaving first baseman Bill Buckner in the game in the 10th inning, rather than removing him for a defensive substitute. McNamara was ridiculed for years afterward for knowingly leaving the injured and severely limited Buckner on the field instead of replacing him with Dave Stapleton, whom McNamara had previously used to replace the battered Buckner in late innings for defensive purposes. The conventional wisdom as to why McNamara left the veteran Buckner in the game was for sentimental purposes, given that the Red Sox had a two-run lead and that the risk of using Buckner at first in that situation was minimal. McNamara has neither confirmed nor denied this notion. Despite Mookie Wilson's speed, there is no chance he would beaten the ball to first had it been fielded cleanly, considering Buckner played first base and ball was hit to first.

With Game 7 delayed a day due to rain in New York, McNamara bumped originally scheduled starting pitcher Oil Can Boyd in favor of Bruce Hurst, who had been voted World Series Most Valuable Player before Game 6. Hurst was asked to pitch on three days' rest and, despite pitching well for five innings, he visibly tired in the sixth, allowing the Mets to score three runs to tie the game. McNamara once again sent Calvin Schiraldi to relieve Hurst despite Schiraldi's poor performance in Game 6 and, despite the fact that Boyd was well-rested and ready to pitch (in fact, McNamara did not even have Boyd warm up), Schiraldi gave up a tie-breaking home run to Ray Knight, the first batter he faced, and ended up surrendering three runs while recording only a single out. The Red Sox would lose the game (8-5) and the series (4-3).

[edit] External links

• Baseball-Reference.com - career managerial record
• [1] - website for Maj. Mike McNamara, son of John McNamara

Preceded by Bobby Cox	American League Manager of the Year 1986	Succeeded by Sparky Anderson
Preceded by Hank Bauer	Oakland Athletics Manager 1969-1970	Succeeded by Dick Williams
Preceded by Don Zimmer	San Diego Padres manager 1974–1977	Succeeded by Alvin Dark
Preceded by Sparky Anderson	Cincinnati Reds manager 1979–1982	Succeeded by Russ Nixon
Preceded by Gene Mauch	California Angels Manager 1983-1984	Succeeded by Gene Mauch
Preceded by Ralph Houk	Boston Red Sox manager 1985–1988	Succeeded by Joe Morgan
Preceded by John Hart	Cleveland Indians Manager 1990-1991	Succeeded by Mike Hargrove
Preceded by Marcel Lachemann	California Angels Manager 1996	Succeeded by Joe Maddon