Al Lakeman
Albert Wesley Lakeman
(Moose)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
- High School Withrow High School
- Debut April 19, 1942
- Final Game May 23, 1954
- Born December 31, 1918 in Cincinnati, OH USA
- Died May 25, 1976 in Spartanburg, SC USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Al "Moose" Lakeman played nine seasons in the majors. He was mostly a catcher but sometimes appeared at first base and once came in as a pitcher.
Lakeman was born on the last day of 1918 in Cincinnati, OH and attended high school there. He was also a very good amateur boxer in his youth, but chose baseball. He began in the minors in 1938 with the Union City Greyhounds of the Kitty League in the Cincinnati Reds organization. In all, Al played 16 years in the minors, with 13 different teams. He hit nearly 100 home runs in the minors with 56 triples.
Al came up to the majors at first in the war years (beginning in 1942) and stuck after the war. His most prominent year was 1945, when he was the regular catcher for the Reds and had 277 plate appearances with 8 home runs and 4 triples. He was third on the team in homers and second in triples.
He was not in the majors between 1950 and 1953 but came back for 5 games with the Detroit Tigers in 1954. His minor league career lasted through 1957, although by 1956 he was a player/manager. He managed for 10 years in the minors.
It was reported in The Sporting News that he was inducted into the army during World War II, but he failed the induction examination and never went in the service. As his daughter explains: "While Dad was not allowed to go into service, he did make the Pacific Tour with other players. I have a picture of them getting on the airplane if you would like to use it."
After his playing career ended, Lakeman was a Boston Red Sox coach in 1963 and 1964 and again from 1967 to 1969. Lakeman also scouted for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1971 to 1973.
Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Panama City Fliers | Alabama-Florida League | 45-73 | 6th | Detroit Tigers | ||
| 1957 | Idaho Falls Russets | Pioneer League | 73-53 | 2nd | Detroit Tigers | ||
| 1958 | Idaho Falls Russets | Pioneer League | 65-66 | 4th | Detroit Tigers | ||
| 1959 | Erie Sailors | New York-Penn League | 8th | Detroit Tigers | replaced by Pat Mullin on May 13 / replaced Pat Mullin on May 26 | ||
| 1960 | Montgomery Rebels | Alabama-Florida League | 50-69 | 6th | Detroit Tigers | ||
| 1961 | Durham Bulls | Carolina League | 65-73 | 5th | Detroit Tigers | ||
| 1962 | Duluth-Superior Dukes | Northern League | 69-55 | 2nd | Detroit Tigers | Lost in 1st round | |
| 1965 | Rocky Mount Leafs | Carolina League | 62-82 | 10th | Detroit Tigers | ||
| 1966 | Statesville Tigers | Western Carolinas League | Detroit Tigers | replaced by George Spencer | |||
| 1970 | Bristol Tigers | Appalachian League | 26-31 | 5th | Detroit Tigers | none |
Further Reading[edit]
- Bob Brady: "Albert Wesley Lakeman", in Bill Nowlin and Dan Desrochers, eds.: The 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox: 'Pandemonium on the Field', SABR, Rounder Books, Burlington, MA, 2007, pp. 257-260. ISBN 978-1-5794-0141-2
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