Eskenazi: Johnny ‘Needle Nose’ Pesky as a manager in Seattle
From SABR member Dave Eskenazi and Steve Rudman at Sportspress Northwest on August 14, 2012:
From the dignified, derby-topped Dan Dugdale at the dawn of the last century to Eric Wedge today, the men who have directed Seattle’s numerous professional baseball enterprises – we count 56 spanning the Siwashes through the Mariners — represent remarkable managerial diversity.
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If the Mariners ever opt to augment “Connecting The Generations,” they could do worse than a “Firery Managers” or “Colorful Characters” display with Lou Piniella representing this generation, Johnny Pesky the long ago.
Like Lou, Pesky had a passionate baseball outlook and flammable temper. Like Lou, Pesky often wrangled with umpires. Like Lou, Pesky inspired adulation and debate among the public. Like Lou, many Pesky whims became headlines in the next day’s newspaper.
Enough generalities. A few days after the events of June 28, 1962, the Pacific Coast League slapped a $50 fine on Pesky for an astonishing act of baseball impudence: During a game against the Salt Lake Bees, Pesky went nose-to-face mask with plate umpire Dick Lifrieri following a ruling Pesky deemed particularly flawed.
Read the full article here: http://sportspressnw.com/2012/04/wayback-machine-johnny-needlenose-pesky/
Originally published: August 14, 2012. Last Updated: August 14, 2012.