vtbub
08-08-2005, 10:01 PM
If there was anybody in baseball who deserved to have more than the brass ring, it was Gene Mauch. Mauch passed away ttoday at the age of 79. Most of you old enough will remember him for his teams meltdowns. The Phillies in 1964, surrendering a ten game lead with two weeks to go. For those of us in our 30's, he was the guy who was one strike away from redemption in 1986 when the Angels had Boston dead to rights on a beautiful autumn afternoon in Anaheim and, well you know the rest.
Mauch had an obvious knowledge of the game. While never reaching the pinnacle of a World Series, he did have success wherever he went. While with an overall losing record, he holds the highest win total of anyone not in the hall of fame. He had six consecutive winning seasons in Philly, made the expansion Expos a respectable team, got great mileage out of a mediocre Twins team in the late 70's and brought the Angels into two ALCS.
Hopefully the starcrossed legacy will turn into enshrinement someday. By all accounts, he was a gentleman, and in later life a big angels fan.
Lets hope he and Gene Autry are telling tales of 2002.
Mauch had an obvious knowledge of the game. While never reaching the pinnacle of a World Series, he did have success wherever he went. While with an overall losing record, he holds the highest win total of anyone not in the hall of fame. He had six consecutive winning seasons in Philly, made the expansion Expos a respectable team, got great mileage out of a mediocre Twins team in the late 70's and brought the Angels into two ALCS.
Hopefully the starcrossed legacy will turn into enshrinement someday. By all accounts, he was a gentleman, and in later life a big angels fan.
Lets hope he and Gene Autry are telling tales of 2002.