Bucky Harris
Stanley Raymond Harris
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 9½", Weight 156 lb.
- Debut August 28, 1919
- Final Game June 12, 1931
- Born November 8, 1896 in Port Jervis, NY USA
- Died November 8, 1977 in Bethesda, MD USA
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1975
Biographjcal Information[edit]
"If you can't play for Bucky, you don't belong in the major leagues." Joe DiMaggio
Second baseman Bucky Harris spent more than a half a century in baseball, playing a dozen seasons in the majors and twice winning World Series titles as a manager.
The son of a coal miner, Harris dropped out of school at age 13 to work in a mine and played baseball in his spare time. After being discovered by Hughie Jennings, he began his pro career with the Muskegon Reds of the Central League in 1916. While playing for the Buffalo Bisons in 1919, he was scouted by Clark Griffith of the Washington Senators, who brought him to the big leagues late that season.
In his first full major league campaign of 1920, Harris hit .300, which would prove to be a career-high. Although not a particularly strong hitter, he had an ability to get hit by the pitch, to get sacrifice hits, and to steal bases. He was regarded as a strong fielder, leading American League second basemen in fielding percentage once, putouts four times, and double plays on five occasions.
In 1924, the 27-year-old Harris was named Senators manager by Griffith. Despite his inexperience, he led the club to an AL pennant that year, and the team went on to defeat the New York Giants in the World Series. The following season, 1925, the club repeated as American League champions but fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the postseason. However, the Senators' performance declined during the next several years, and after falling to below .500 in 1928, Harris was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Jack Warner and replaced George Moriarty as the team's skipper.
By the time he joined Detroit, Harris played sparingly, appearing in just a handful of games in 1929 and 1931. After not finishing above fifth in nearly five years as the team's manager, he resigned late in the 1933 season. After spending 1934 as skipper of the Boston Red Sox, he returned to the Senators for the next eight seasons but only once finished above .500 in that time. After leaving Washington, he managed the Philadelphia Phillies for part of the 1943 season before being fired and replaced by Freddie Fitzsimmons.
Harris joined the Buffalo Bisons of the International League in 1944 and served two seasons as the club's manager before spending time as the team's General Manager. He returned to the majors in 1947 with the New York Yankees. In his first season in New York, he won another World Series title, but after falling to third place in 1948, he was fired.
After managing the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League in 1949, he came back to the Senators for a third stint at the helm of the club. Following five years with Washington, he managed the Tigers for two more seasons in 1955 and 1956. He ended his major league managerial career with a pair of World Championships, but his 2,218 lifetime losses are second only to Connie Mack.
Harris went on to serve as GM of the Red Sox in 1959 and 1960. He then was a scout for the Chicago White Sox and Senators from 1962 to 1971. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975.
After suffering from Parkinson's Disease, Harris died at age 81. He is one of three Hall of Famers to die on his birthday.
Harris gained some secondary fame by appearing on a scarcely printed Fleer baseball picture card "Ted Signs" in the 1959 set (#68). He was also the son-in-law of Senator Howard Sutherland of West Virginia.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- Won a World Series with the Washington Senators in 1924
- ML Manager of the Year Award (1947)
- AL Pennants: 3 (1924, 1925 & 1947)
- Managed two World Series Champions with the Washington Senators in 1924 and the New York Yankees in 1947
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1975
| Preceded by Donie Bush |
Washington Senators Manager 1924-1928 |
Succeeded by Walter Johnson |
| Preceded by George Moriarty |
Detroit Tigers Manager 1929-1933 |
Succeeded by Mickey Cochrane |
| Preceded by Marty McManus |
Boston Red Sox Manager 1934 |
Succeeded by Joe Cronin |
| Preceded by Joe Cronin |
Washington Senators Manager 1935-1942 |
Succeeded by Ossie Bluege |
| Preceded by Hans Lobert |
Philadelphia Phillies Manager 1943 |
Succeeded by Freddie Fitzsimmons |
| Preceded by Johnny Neun |
New York Yankees Manager 1947-1948 |
Succeeded by Casey Stengel |
| Preceded by Joe Kuhel |
Washington Senators Manager 1950-1954 |
Succeeded by Chuck Dressen |
| Preceded by Fred Hutchinson |
Detroit Tigers Manager 1955-1956 |
Succeeded by Jack Tighe |
| Preceded by Joe Cronin |
Boston Red Sox General Manager 1959-1960 |
Succeeded by Dick O'Connell |
Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]
Further Reading[edit]
- Kevin Cook: Electric October: Seven World Series Games, Six Lives, Five Minutes of Fame That Lasted Forever, Henry Holt and Co., Macmillan, New York, NY, 2017. ISBN 9781250116567
- Gary Sarnoff: Team of Destiny: Walter Johnson, Clark Griffith, Bucky Harris, and the 1924 Washington Senators, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, MD, 2024. ISBN 978-1-5381-8234-5
- Jack Smiles: Bucky Harris: A Biography of Baseball's Boy Wonder, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2011.
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