Leo Ernest Durocher (July 27, 1905 — October 7, 1991), nicknamed "Leo the Lip", was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, and second only to John McGraw in National League history. As of 2007, Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by a manager. A controversial and outspoken character, Durocher's career was dogged by clashes with authority, umpires (his 95 career ejections as a manager trailed only McGraw when he retired, and still rank fourth on the all-time list), and the press. He was posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (281st in leap years). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... An infielder is a baseball player who plays on the infield, the dirt portion of a baseball diamond between first base and third base. ... New York Yankees manager Joe Torre returning to the dugout (September 2005). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Connie Mack baseball card, 1910. ... John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873–February 25, 1934), nicknamed Little Napoleon and Muggsy, was a Major League Baseball player and manager. ... The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada and the worlds oldest extant professional team sports league. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... The following are the events of the year 1994 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ...

Playing career

Born in West Springfield, Massachusetts, Durocher joined the New York Yankees briefly in 1925 before rejoining the club in 1928 as a regular, if unspectacular, player. Babe Ruth, who Durocher disliked intensely after Ruth accused Leo of stealing his watch, nicknamed him "The All-American Out." The Town of West Springfield (familiarly known as West Side) is a city[1] in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... The following are the baseball events of the year 1925 throughout the world. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1928 throughout the world. ... For the band, see Babe Ruth (band). ...

Durocher was a favorite of Yankee manager Miller Huggins, who saw in him the seeds of a great manager – the competitiveness, the passion, the ego, the facility for remembering situations. Durocher's outspokenness did not endear him to Yankee ownership, however, and his habit of passing bad checks, to finance his expensive tastes in clothes and nightlife, annoyed Yankee general manager Ed Barrow. Miller James Huggins (March 27, 1879 – September 25, 1929), nicknamed Mighty Mite, was a Major League Baseball player and manager. ... Edward Grant Barrow (May 10, 1868 - December 15, 1953) was an American manager and executive in Major League Baseball who guided the Boston Red Sox to the 1918 World Series title, then built the New York Yankees into baseballs premier franchise and greatest dynasty as their top executive from...

After helping the team win its second consecutive World Series title in 1928, and demanding a raise, he was waived before the 1930 season. For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... The New York Yankees beat the St. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1930 throughout the world. ...

Durocher spent the remainder of his professional career in the National League. After three years with the Cincinnati Reds, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in mid-1933. That team, whose famous nickname "Gashouse Gang" was supposedly inspired by Leo, were a far more appropriate match for him; in St. Louis, Durocher's characteristics as a fiery player and vicious bench jockey were given full rein. Durocher remained with the Cardinals through the 1937 season, captaining the team and winning the 1934 World Series (their third title in nine years) before being traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada and the worlds oldest extant professional team sports league. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 5, 8, 10, 13, 18, 20, 24, 42 Name Cincinnati Reds (1958–present) Cincinnati Redlegs (1953-1958) Cincinnati Reds (1882-1953) Cincinnati Red Stockings (1876-1882) Ballpark Great American Ball Park (2003–present) Riverfront... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1933 throughout the world. ... The Gashouse Gang was a nickname applied to the St. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1937 throughout the world. ... The 1934 World Series matched the St. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899-1910), (1913) Brooklyn Grooms...

Primarily a shortstop, Durocher played through 1945 (excluding the 1942 and 1944 seasons), and was known as a solid fielder but a poor hitter. In 5,350 career at bats, he batted .247, hit 24 home runs and had 567 runs batted in. He was named to the NL's All-Star team three times—once with St. Louis, and twice with the Dodgers. In 1938 he made history of a sort by making the final out in Johnny Vander Meer's second no-hitter. The position of the shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1945 throughout the world. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1942 throughout the world. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1944 throughout the world. ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... Mark McGwire swinging for the fences. ... In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. ... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the manager (the managers from the previous years... The following are the baseball events of the year 1938 throughout the world. ... John Samuel Vander Meer born November 2, 1914 - October 6, 1997 in Prospect Park, New Jersey was a Major League Baseball pitcher. ...

Managing

After the 1938 season — Durocher's first year as Brooklyn's starting shortstop — he was appointed playing-manager by the Dodgers' new president and general manager, Larry MacPhail. The two were a successful and combustible combination. MacPhail spared no expense in purchasing and trading for useful players (and sometimes outright stars), such as Dolph Camilli, Billy Herman and Kirby Higbe; he purchased unknown shortstop Pee Wee Reese from the Boston Red Sox, and signed another young star, Pete Reiser, when he was ruled a free agent from the Cardinals' farm system; and found stalwarts such as American League veterans Dixie Walker and Whitlow Wyatt off the waiver wire. The following are the baseball events of the year 1938 throughout the world. ... In Major League Baseball, the General Manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players. ... Leland Stanford Larry MacPhail, Sr. ... Adolph Louis Camilli (April 23, 1907 - October 21, 1997) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers. ... William Jennings Bryan Herman (July 7, 1909 - September 5, 1992) was a Major League Baseball player during the 1930s and 1940s. ... Walter Kirby Higbe (April 8, 1915–May 6, 1985) was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1937 to 1950. ... The position of the shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. ... Harold Henry Pee Wee Reese (July 23, 1918 - August 14, 1999) was an American professional baseball player who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908–present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Old Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... Harold Patrick Pete Reiser (March 17, 1919 - October 25, 1981), the original Pistol Pete, was a talented and exciting outfielder in Major League Baseball during the 1940s. ... In North American professional sports, particularly baseball, football, and basketball, a free agent is a team player whose contract with a team has expired, and the player is able to sign a contract with another team. ... The farm system is a slang term used in baseball to refer to the systematic control or ownership of minor league baseball clubs by major league teams, who move players from the lowest to the highest classification as they gain experience and enjoy success at each level. ... Fred Dixie Walker (September 24, 1910 - May 17, 1982) was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees (1931, 1933-36), Chicago White Sox (1936-37), Detroit Tigers (1938-39), Brooklyn Dodgers (1939-47) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1948-49). ...

And in his first season as a manager, 1939, Durocher epitomized the position for which most would remember him. As a manager, his temperament came into its own, and the most enduring images of Durocher are of him standing toe-to-toe with an umpire, vehemently arguing his case until his inevitable ejection from the game. In assembling his teams, he valued the same characteristics in his players, his philosophy best expressed in the widely quoted – but misunderstood – phrase for which he now best remembered: "Nice guys finish last." == July == July 4 = Lou Gehrig day was held at Yankee Stadium,Lou said in his speech that he is the luckiest man on the face of the earth. ...

In an interview while with the Dodgers, Durocher had been commenting on the common belief at the time that if a team's players got along well, they would naturally play better than teams with difficult or irascible players; noting some of the players on the Giants who had reputations as personable individuals, notably Mel Ott, he observed that they were all "nice guys", but would nonetheless finish last, summing up his argument with, "Nice guys; finish last." The remark was quoted accurately in the published interview, but came to take on a different meaning when some incorrectly thought he meant that such a team would finish last because it included "nice guys", when in fact he had meant that there was no correlation (and in fact, saw it more as an ironic situation) between the personalities on a team and their level of play. (See 1966 Chicago Cubs, below.) Melvin Thomas (Mel) Ott (March 2, 1909 – November 21, 1958), nicknamed Master Melvin, was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career in the National League for the New York Giants (1926-1947). ...

The Dodgers were coming off six straight losing seasons, but Durocher made a quick turnaround; apart from the war year of 1944, he would not have a losing campaign with the team. In 1941, just his third season of managing, he led the Dodgers to the National League pennant (their first in 21 years) with a 100-54 record. They lost the 1941 World Series to the Yankees in seven games and just missed the 1942 NL pennant despite winning over 100 games. The following are the baseball events of the year 1941 throughout the world. ... The 1941 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games to capture their fifth title in six years, and their ninth overall. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1942 throughout the world. ...

Yet despite all the success between 1939-42, Durocher and GM MacPhail had a tempestous relationship. MacPhail was a notorious drinker and as hot-tempered as his manager, and often he would fire Durocher in the midst of a night of drinking. In the morning, however, MacPhail would always hire Durocher back. Finally, with World War II raging, the Dodger GM resigned to rejoin the United States Army at the end of the 1942 season. His replacement, former Cardinal boss Branch Rickey, retained Durocher as skipper. Durocher managed the Dodgers continuously until 1946, and led Brooklyn to the first postseason NL playoff series in history, losing to the Cardinals two games to none. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... 1914 E145 Crackerjack Branch Rickey; as a member of the St. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1946 throughout the world. ...

But Durocher also clashed regularly with Commissioner Albert "Happy" Chandler, who had been named to the post in 1945. Throughout his tenure Leo had been warned away from his friends, many of whom were gamblers, bookmakers or had mob connections, and who had a free rein at Ebbets Field (he was particularly close with actor George Raft, with whom he shared a Los Angeles house, and admitted to a nodding acquaintance with Bugsy Siegel). Albert Chandler Albert Benjamin Happy Chandler (July 14, 1898–June 15, 1991) was a governor of Kentucky, a U.S. Senator and Baseball Commissioner. ... Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. ... Raft in They Drive by Night George Raft (September 26, 1895 - November 24, 1980) was an American film actor most closely identified with his portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Furthermore, Durocher encouraged and participated in card schools within the clubhouse, was something of a poolshark himself and a friend to many pool hustlers. He also followed horse racing closely. Matters came to a head when Durocher's affair with married actress Laraine Day became public knowledge, drawing criticism from Brooklyn's influential Catholic Youth Organization; the two later eloped and married in Mexico in 1947, divorcing in 1960. Actress Laraine Day American actress Laraine Day (b. ... A Catholic Youth Organization is an organization for young Catholics. ...

Suspension

During spring training 1947, Durocher became involved in an unseemly feud with the new Yankees owner: Larry MacPhail. The Yankee boss had hired away two coaches from Durocher's 1946 staff (Chuck Dressen and Red Corriden) during the offseason, causing friction. Then matters got worse. Charles Walter Dressen (September 20, 1898 – August 10, 1966) - alternatively nicknamed Chuck or Charlie - was an American third baseman, manager and coach in Major League Baseball during a career that lasted almost 50 years, but he is best known as the manager of the powerful Brooklyn Dodgers of 1951-53. ... John Michael Corriden (September 4, 1887, Logansport, Indiana - September 28, 1959, Indianapolis, Indiana) was a player, coach, manager and scout in American Major League Baseball. ...

In person, Durocher and MacPhail exchanged a series of accusations and counter-accusations, with each suggesting the other invited gamblers into their clubhouses. In the press, a ghostwritten article appeared under Durocher's name in the Brooklyn Eagle, seeking to stir the rivalry between their respective clubs and accusing baseball of a double standard for Chandler's warning him against his associations but not MacPhail or other baseball executives. The Brooklyn Eagle, also called The Brooklyn Daily Eagle was a daily newspaper published in Brooklyn, New York from 1841 to 1955. ...

Chandler was pressured by MacPhail, a close friend who was pivotal in having him appointed Commissioner, but the commissioner also discovered Durocher and Raft may have run a rigged craps game that took an active ballplayer for a large sum of money. (The player's identity was never confirmed, officially, but a former Detroit Tigers pitcher, Elden Auker, wrote in his 2002 memoir that it was a then-current Tiger pitcher, Dizzy Trout.) Chandler suspended Durocher for the 1947 season for "association with known gamblers". Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 2, 5, 6, 16, 23, 42 Name Detroit Tigers (1901–present) Other nicknames The Bless You Boys Ballpark Comerica Park (2000–present) Tiger Stadium (1912-1999) Briggs Stadium (1938-1960) Navin Field (1912-1938) Bennett... Elden Le Roy Auker (September 21, 1910 – August 4, 2006) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball noted for his submarine pitching style. ... Paul Howard Dizzy Trout (June 29, 1915 – February 28, 1972) was a Major League Baseball pitcher primarily of the Detroit Tigers. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1947 throughout the world. ...

Prior to being suspended, however, Durocher played a noteworthy role in erasing baseball's color line. In the spring of 1947, he let it be known that he would not tolerate the dissent of those players on the team who opposed Jackie Robinson joining the club, stating: The baseball color line was the policy, unwritten for nearly its entire duration, which excluded African American baseball players from organized baseball in the United States before 1946. ... For the basketball player, see Jackie Robinson (basketball). ...

"I don't care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a fucking zebra. I'm the manager of this team and I say he plays."

He greatly admired Robinson for his hustle and aggression, calling him "a Durocher, with talent." And Durocher liked to say of Eddie Stanky, the sparkplug on his 1951 pennant winning Giants team, Edward Raymond (Eddie) Stanky (September 3, 1916 - June 16, 1999), nicknamed The Brat, was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. ...

"He can't hit, he can't field, he can't run—all he can do is beat you." For Durocher, there was no greater compliment.

Meanwhile, as Durocher sat out his suspension, the Dodgers won the NL pennant under an interim skipper, scout Burt Shotton. Then they lost the 1947 World Series to MacPhail's Yankees in seven games. Burton Edwin Shotton (October 18, 1884 - July 29, 1962) was an American player, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball. ... The 1947 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning the Series in 7 games for their first title since 1943, and the 11th championship in team history. ...

Move to Giants

He would return for the 1948 season, but his outspoken personality and poor results on the field that season (Brooklyn briefly fell into the basement) would again cause friction with Rickey, and on July 16 of that year, Durocher, Rickey and New York Giants owner Horace Stoneham negotiated a deal whereby Durocher was let out of his Brooklyn contract to take over the Dodgers' cross-town rivals. He enjoyed perhaps his greatest success with the Giants, and possibly a measure of sweet revenge against the Dodgers, as the Giants won the 1951 NL pennant in a playoff against Brooklyn, triumphing on Bobby Thomson's historic game-winning home run. The following are the baseball events of the year 1948 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... Horace Stoneham (April 27, 1903 - January 7, 1990) was the principal owner of Major League Baseballs New York Giants. ... See also: 1950 in sports, other events of 1951, 1952 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing NASCAR Championship - Herb Thomas AAA Racing: Tony Bettenhausen won the series championship Lee Wallard won the Indianapolis 500 Formula One Championship - Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina 24 hours of... Robert Brown Bobby Thomson (born October 25, 1923 in Glasgow, Scotland), nicknamed The Staten Island Scot, is a Scottish-American former Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter who played for the New York Giants (1946-53, 1957), Milwaukee Braves (1954-57), Chicago Cubs (1958-59), Boston Red Sox... The Shot Heard Round the World In baseball, the Shot Heard Round the World is the term given to the walk-off home run hit by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds to win the National League pennant at 3...

And with the Giants in 1954, Durocher won his only World Series championship as a manager by sweeping the heavily favored Cleveland Indians, who had posted a record of 111-43 in the regular season. The following are the baseball events of the year 1954 throughout the world. ... The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 5, 14, 18, 19, 21, 42, 455 Name Cleveland Indians (1915–present) Cleveland Naps (1905-1914) Cleveland Bronchos (1902-1904) Cleveland Blues (1901) Ballpark Jacobs Field (1994–present) Cleveland Stadium (1932-1993)* a. ...

Durocher managed the Giants through 1955 before leaving the field, working as a television commentator. He served as a coach for the Dodgers, now relocated in Los Angeles, from 1961 to 1964. The following are the events of the year 1955 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State California County Los Angeles County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1961 throughout the world. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1964 throughout the world. ...

During this period, Durocher played himself in several television shows. In an (4/10/63) airing of The Beverly Hillbillies, Durocher plays golf with Jed Clampett (Buddy Ebsen) and Jethro Bodine (Max Baer, Jr.), and he tries to sign Jethro to a baseball contract after discovering Jethro has a strong pitching arm. In a memorable episode of The Munsters. Entitled "Herman the Rookie" (4/8/65), Durocher believes Herman (Fred Gwynne) is the next Mickey Mantle when he sees the towering Munster hit long home runs. Football great Elroy Hirsch also appeared with Durocher. Three years earlier, he also appeared as himself in an episode of Mr. Ed, when the talking horse sought a tryout with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also appeared on television in the early 1970s on the syndicated What's My Line? as a mystery guest. For the 1993 film, see The Beverly Hillbillies (film) The Beverly Hillbillies was an American television program about a hillbilly family living in Southern California. ... Buddy Ebsen as Jed Clampett Buddy Ebsen (April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003) was an American actor and dancer, who is best-remembered for his role as Jed Clampett in the popular television series The Beverly Hillbillies. ... Max Baer Jr. ... The Munsters was a 1960s American television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of horror movie monsters. ... Frederick Hubbard Gwynne (July 10, 1926 – July 2, 1993) was a 6 ft 5 in (1. ... Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. ... Elroy Hirsch (June 17, 1923 - January 28, 2004) was an American football running back and receiver for the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Rockets, nicknamed Crazy Legs for his unusual running style. ... Mister Ed was a popular US television comedy show that aired on CBS from 1961-1966. ... In the television industry (as in radio), syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast programs to multiple stations, without going through a broadcast network. ... Whats My Line? was a weekly panel game show originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. ... The following is an alphabetized list of persons who were Mystery Guests (originally called Mystery Challengers) on one (or both) version(s) of the United States version of the television game show Whats My Line?. Burl Ives Marty Ingels Anthony Quayle Anthony Quinn Carmel Quinn Leslie Uggams Liv Ullmann...

Cubs

Durocher returned to the managerial ranks in 1966 with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs had tried an experiment called the College of Coaches for the past five seasons, in which they were led by a "head coach" rather than a manager. At his first press conference, Durocher emphatically ended the experiment by saying: This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January 20 - The Baseball Writers Association of America voters elect Ted Williams to the Hall of Fame. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 10, 14, 23, 26, 42 Name Chicago Cubs (1902–present) Chicago Orphans (1898-1901) Chicago Colts (1890-1897) Chicago White Stockings (1870-1889) (a. ... The College of Coaches was an unorthodox strategy employed by the Chicago Cubs in 1961 and 1962. ...

On being named manager, he also declared, "I am not the manager of an eighth place team." He was right: the Cubs finished 10th and became the first team to finish behind the previously hapless New York Mets. Three years later, Durocher suffered one of his most remembered failures. The Cubs led the newly created National League East for 103 days; by mid-August they had a seemingly insurmountable 8½-game cushion and appeared to be a shoo-in for their first postseason appearance in 25 years. However, they floundered down the stretch, and finished eight games behind the "Amazin'" New York Mets (who had been 9½ games back in mid-August). Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Other nicknames The Amazin Mets, The Amazins, The Metropolitans Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major league titles World Series titles...

"Are these the real Cubs?" a reporter asked Durocher after his team lost one to the New York upstarts during the pennant drive.

"I don't know," Durocher answered, "but these are the real Mets."

While with the Cubs, Durocher had regular disagreements with their aging superstar, Ernie Banks, whose injured knees made him a liability but whose legendary status made benching him impossible. Durocher also nearly came to blows with Cubs star Ron Santo. The problems would be symbolic of Durocher's difficulty in managing the new breed of wealthier, more outspoken players who had come up during his long career. He was fired midway through the 1972 season, saying that he regretted not being able to win a pennant for longtime Cubs owner P.K. Wrigley. Ernest Ernie Banks (born January 31, 1931 in Dallas, Texas) is an American former Major League baseball player who played his entire career with the Chicago Cubs (1953-1971). ... Ronald Edward Santo (born February 25, 1940 in Seattle, Washington) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played almost his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. ... The following are the events of the year 1972 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... Philip Knight Wrigley, sometimes also called P.K. or Phil, was the quiet son of his much more flamboyant father, William Wrigley Jr. ...

He then managed the Houston Astros for the final 31 games of the 1972 season and the entire 1973 season before retiring. Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... This article is currently under construction // This year in baseball Events January-March January 3 - A group of investors, headed by shipbuilder George Steinbrenner, purchases the New York Yankees from CBS for $10 million. ...

Retirement

Durocher finished his managerial career with a 2008-1709 record for a .540 winning percentage. He posted a winning record with each of the four teams he led, and was the first manager to win 500 games with three different clubs.

Durocher, with Ed Linn, wrote one of the great sports memoirs of all time, "Nice Guys Finish Last." It tells the story of Durocher's life in brisk, vivid colors with a good deal of humor and sass.

Leo Durocher died in Palm Springs, California at the age of 86, and is buried in Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame three years later, in 1994. Palm Springs is a famed Riverside County, California, desert resort city, approximately 110 miles east of Los Angeles. ... Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery is located at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles, California, on the south edge of the San Fernando Valley by Burbank (and on the north side of the Santa Monica Mountains from Hollywood). ...

References

• "Nice Guys Finish Last", by Leo Durocher with Ed Linn. Durocher's forthright autobiography.
• "Bums : An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers", by Peter Golenbock

External links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Major league career statistics and analysis
• Baseball-reference.com - Major league career managerial statistics and analysis
• baseballhalloffame.org - Hall of Fame biography page
• NY Times Obituary - July 27 'On This Day'