Phil Seghi

Philip Dominic Seghi (March 9, 1909 -- January 8, 1987) was an American front-office executive in Major League Baseball. A longtime associate of Gabe Paul, Seghi was credited with scouting and signing Pete Rose, the all-time leader in hits, when Seghi was farm system and scouting director of the Cincinnati Reds in 1960. The native of Cedar Point, Illinois, attended Northwestern University, and was an infielder in minor league baseball during his playing career.

After World War II, Seghi was a manager in the lower minor leagues from 1946–1955, working in the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians organizations. After joining the Redlegs (as the Reds were known from 1953–1958) as a scout, Seghi succeeded Bill McKechnie Jr. as Cincinnati's farm director after the 1958 season. Serving under Paul and his successor, Bill DeWitt, Seghi remained with the Reds until 1968, a period during which the Reds developed a player development organization that provided the foundation for the "Big Red Machine" dynasty.

In 1963, Seghi was promoted by DeWitt to assistant general manager, but a change in ownership and the arrival of Bob Howsam in 1967 as GM caused Seghi to leave Cincinnati for the Oakland Athletics between 1968 and 1971. Led by flamboyant owner Charlie Finley and awash with young talent, the A's also were on the verge of a dynasty, winning five consecutive American League West Division titles (1971–1975) and three consecutive AL pennants and World Series titles (1972–1974). Seghi served as farm and scouting director and assistant to Finley, who was his own general manager.

By 1972, however, Seghi was back working with Paul as assistant general manager of the Cleveland Indians, and succeeded Paul as the Indians' GM in 1973. His most notable achievement occurred after the 1974 season, when he and owner Alva "Ted" Bonda appointed Frank Robinson (signed and developed by Seghi's Cincinnati farm system of the 1950s) as Major League Baseball's first African-American manager. Seghi would serve 13 full seasons as Cleveland's general manager, but the Indians enjoyed only three winning seasons during that time.

Seghi stepped down after the 1985 campaign to become a senior player personnel adviser with Cleveland. He died of cancer in Thousand Oaks, California, on January 8, 1987, at the age of 77.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

References

• Obituary, The New York Times, January 9, 1987.