Spring Training For Managers

Spring Training is a time for all members of a baseball organization, not just players, to get ready for the long season ahead. This is particularly true for managers, who need this valuable time to brush up on many of their visible job functions. Over the years the various baseball card manufacturing concerns have captured core managing skills. Here at Grubby Glove, we’d like to share some of them with you.

Clapping. Clapping is a must. It shows appreciation, enthusiasm and spirit. Done properly, it can excite and motivate, as well as show your fan base how much you want the club to win.

Detroit Tigers Manager Hughie Jennings appears to the left on his 1915 Cracker Jack card. He must have been very good at clapping because the Tigers went 100-54 that year, good enough for second place in the American League. Philadelphia Phillies skipper Larry Bowa gives it a try on his 2002 Topps card, shown on the right. He did a good job of leading the Phillies from 2001 to 2004. If you look closely at these two Managers, you can see how hand clapping position has changed over the years, moving from Jennings’ horizontal hand placement to Bowa’s vertical approach. Either way, it’s still an integral part of any Manager’s job scope.

Holding the same position. This is a big one for the Topps Company. Maybe they assume baseball card collectors have a limited attention span, and cannot recognize their team’s manager if they are forced to identify him in a different pose from one year to the next. Royals teams weren’t among the best during Tony Pena’s years at the helm, but at least he had this essential mastered, holding this pose for his 2002, 2003 and 2004 cards.

Hollering. Every manager must show that he is a take-charge guy, and nothing spells M A N A G E R like a man holding his hand or hands to his mouth to pretend that he is hollering directions, or if you were out of the Billy Martin branch of managing, just hollering.

Above on the left, Bill Rigney demonstrates the two-handed approach on his 1963 Topps card. To his right, Johnny Keane is captured showing the exceedingly difficult “inverse L” technique, proving that he had the right stuff. He would pilot the 1964 Cardinals to the World Series Championship the year this card was issued. Shown below is Wes Westrum using his thumb for greater stability. The 1966 Mets responded well to his style, and for the first time in their brief history, they abandoned the National League cellar. In recognition of this staggering performance, Westrum is shown a bit larger than the others. If you were the gentleman who got the New York Mets out of last place, your card would be larger, too.

Modeling. Many Managers show off their team’s uniforms, and Harry Walker was a natural. I often think how grateful he must have been that he didn’t manage the team during the Astro’s “fruit loops” uniform era. He’s shown wearing the team’s uniform on his 1970 Topps card on the left, and his 1971 Topps card on the right.

Pointing. This is an essential because without being shown where to go, some players would get lost. Of course, sometimes a player comes along who gets lost regardless of directions. For an example of this, look no further than Manny Ramirez, whose managers always seem to  be grateful every time he does. I hear the Oakland Athletics have just signed him to a contract. That should be interesting for A’s fans, right Julio?

But let’s get back to managing. Just look at these bold examples of pointing; there’s no ambiguity here! Demonstrating their ability to point are Charley Dressen, shown on his 1951 Bowman card below left, and Rogers Hornsby, who cut a dashing figure on his 1933 Goudy card immediately to Dressen’s right.

Request Time. OK, you get the idea. Here at Grubby Glove, we’d like to ask those of you who attend spring training games next month to please keep a close eye on the managers. When you see new or unusual moves, please take a picture of them, and we’ll arrange to show them here. Your name will be listed directly beneath your photograph (s). Who can resist an offer like that?

Certainly not me. I’ll begin my slate of spring training games at Surprise Stadium on Sunday, March 4th when the Royals play the Rangers. If any of you would like to join me, please submit a comment and I’ll be happy to oblige.

Now if you would be so gracious, please submit your lineup cards, because it’s time to play ball!