Former big league catcher turned manager and broadcaster Del Crandall passed away yesterday. No cause of death has been announced. He was 91.
A native of Southern California, Crandall signed with the Boston Braves out of high school in 1948 and would make his big league debut with the club the following season at the age of 19. Crandall was the last surviving member of the Boston Braves.
Crandall would miss two seasons due to military service. When he returned to the Braves in 1953 the team had moved to Milwaukee. Crandall would have his best seasons in Milwaukee. From 1953 to 1962 when he was arguably the best catcher in the National League, Crandall was named to 11 NL All-Star games and four Gold Gloves and would appear in back to back World Series in 1957 and 1958 earning a ring in '57. He hit 15 or more HRs every year between 1953 and 1960 providing protection for Hank Aaron and Eddie Matthews. Crandall also caught Hall of Famer Warren Spahn for the bulk of his career. The only pitcher-catcher combination with more appearances together in MLB history is Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan with the Detroit Tigers in the 1960's and early 1970's.
An elbow injury forced Crandall to miss the entire 1961 season. With the emergence of Joe Torre behind the plate, the Braves would trade Crandall to the San Francisco Giants following the 1963 season in a multi-player deal which would see fellow future big league manager Felipe Alou come to Milwaukee. After one season in San Francisco, Crandall would spend 1965 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and 1966 with the Cleveland Indians before hanging up his catcher's mitt. In 1573 big league games, Crandall collected 1276 hits for a lifetime batting average of .254 with 179 HR and 657 RBI.
After two years out of baseball, Crandall would join the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization in 1969 and managed the Albuquerque Dodgers in the Double-AA Texas League leading the team to a championship in 1970. In 1971, Crandall joined the Milwaukee Brewers and was named manager of the team's Triple-AAA affiliate in Evansville. Crandall would return to Milwaukee in late May of 1972 when he replaced Dave Garcia as the team's manager. The Brewers would never finish better than fifth in the AL East before being let go on the last day of the season in 1975. Crandall's tenure with the Brewers is best remembered for his decision to make 18-year old Robin Yount the team's everyday shortstop.
In 1976, Crandall joined the California Angels as the manager of their Single-A affiliate in Salinas guiding the team to a championship in the California League. Crandall would be promoted to big league team as first base coach under Norm Sherry and later Dave Garcia, the man he replaced in Milwaukee five years earlier.
Crandall rejoined the Dodgers' organization in 1978 and would manage the Albuquerque team once more. By this time they were known as the Dukes and were part of the the Triple-AAA Pacific Coast League. Under Crandall's leadership, the Dukes won four Pacific Coast League championships in five seasons.
In late June of 1983, Crandall got a second chance to manage at the big league level when he succeeded Rene Lachemann at the helm of the Seattle Mariners. Unfortunately, Crandall's success as a minor league manager never translated on the big league level and he would be replaced by Chuck Cottier late in the 1984 season.
Crandall would turn his attention to the broadcast booth becoming a color commentator for the Chicago White Sox between 1985-1988 and later with the Milwaukee Brewers from 1992-1994. He would return to the Dodgers as a minor league manager in 1995 and retired from baseball in 1997.
As one of the best catchers in MLB history, Crandall deserved more Cooperstown consideration but could never get above 4% of the vote in his four years on the BBWAA ballot between 1976-1979. I leave you with an interview Crandall did a few years back reflective on his life in baseball. R.I.P.
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