Hinkson: How Felipe Alou became baseball’s first Dominican manager
From Kamila Hinkson at CBC on May 22, 2017, with mention of SABR member Adrian Burgos Jr.:
Twenty-five years ago today, Felipe Alou made history when he took the helm of the Montreal Expos, becoming Major League Baseball’s first Dominican manager.
But it almost didn’t happen.
His predecessor, Tom Runnells, had success managing in the minor leagues but was decidedly unpopular in the Expos clubhouse.
Alou, the Expos bench coach and formerly a minor league manager, was trying to help Runnells gain the trust and respect of his players.
When Alou was approached to take over the team, he turned it down, saying he wanted the organization to give Runnells another shot.
Dan Duquette, the team’s general manager at the time, told Alou if he didn’t take the job, it would go to someone else. That got Alou’s attention. He accepted.
“I wasn’t going to let someone take my place,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
Read the full article here: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/montreal/felipe-alou-montreal-expos-25-years-1.4126655
Originally published: May 23, 2017. Last Updated: May 23, 2017.