Alvin Dark, Giants' Shortstop and Manager, Dies at 92

The New York Times ^ | November 13, 2014 | Richard Goldstein

[EveningStar]

Alvin Dark, who was an All-Star shortstop and captain of the New York Giants' pennant-winning teams in the 1950s and later managed the team to a pennant in San Francisco, but who later found himself shadowed by controversy over his attitude toward black and Latino players, died on Thursday at his home in Easley, S.C. He was 92.

[EveningStar]

Manager record

Player record

Wikipedia

[MUDDOG]

He hit for average and some doubles power, but he didn’t get many walks, so his on-base wasn’t too good for a middle infielder hitting at the top of the line-up.

[skeeter]

As a youngster and rabid Peanuts fan, I always wondered why Schulz made repeated references to Alvin Dark (of all players) in his strips.

Anyway, RIP

[AppyPappy]

Coached the 1974 Athletics, the worst hitting team to ever win a World Series.

[nascarnation]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_World_Series

[Hugin]

Charles Shultz lived in the Bay Area, so I assume he was a Giants fan.

[skeeter]

Musta been his way of supporting the local sports teams.

Now that I think about it, he also went on an ice skating kick (Snoopy ice skating on his water dish) following Peggy Fleming's gold medal in '68. She's from San Jose.

[MUDDOG]

Ralph Terry made up for 1960.

Too late to save Casey though.

[Dacula]

RIP - You will be missed.

Prayers up!

[MUDDOG]

Dick Williams couldn’t stand Charlie Finley any more.

[relictele]

He might have been both.

I also recall the Alvin Dark references but also a rare current-events reference when an anguished Charlie Brown wails ‘Why couldn’t McCovey hit the ball two feet higher?’

[RightGeek]

I remember him playing for the Chicago Cubs (I’m older than dirt).

[The_Harlequin]

In another episode, Charlie Brown blows a spelling bee contest when asked to spell the word “maze.” Without thinking, he spells it M-A-Y-S.

[bobby.223]

Check out the 1906 White Sox, (Also known as ‘The Hitless Wonders’), for that distinction.

[driftless2]

Dark’s low OBP compared to a mediocre hitter like Eddie Yost aka The Walking Man might lend credence to the belief that just getting on base is a better strategy than raw hitting. Dark was a good hitter and hit close to .290 for his career compared to Yost’s .254. Yet Yost had a much higher OBP and had more seasons scoring one hundred runs or more playing for mostly lousy teams compared to Dark who played for a lot of good teams.

[MUDDOG]

I'd much rather have Yost at the top of the line-up than Dark.

I'm surprised the Yankees in the early 1960s scored as many runs as they did with low-walk low-OBP hitters Bobby Richardson and Tony Kubek at the top of the line-up.

[FreeReign]

As a youngster and rabid Peanuts fan, I always wondered why Schulz made repeated references to Alvin Dark (of all players) in his strips.

Schulz was a Giant fan. Dark managed the Giants.

[Dr. Sivana]

Coached the 1974 Athletics, the worst hitting team to ever win a World Series.

I would say the '88 Dodgers (who beat the A's that year) were weaker hitting, especially since Gibson was only good for one At Bat. They had Mike Marshall and that was about it.

[BRL]

I got his autograph on a baseball card I had of him from the 1960’s. He may have been coaching the indians, I would have to look. But I met him at a church evangelistic meeting perhaps around 1990 where he was brought in a a guest speaker. I should see if I can dig up that card.

[stylin19a]

Semper Fi, Mr. Dark.