Eddie Popowski

From BR Bullpen

Edward Joseph Popowski

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 5' 4½", Weight 145 lb.

BR Manager page

Biographical Information[edit]

In 1937 Eddie Popowski started a long association with the Boston Red Sox organization. He played second base for the Hazleton Red Sox in 1937-1938 and the Scranton Red Sox from 1939 to 1941. He also spent time with the Centreville Red Sox in 1941 and replaced Ed Walls as manager.

Popowski was in the military in 1942, returning to play second base for the Louisville Colonels in 1943. As a player, Popowski led his league in fielding percentage every year he played more than 100 games (1937-1938, 1943-1946), also leading the league in putouts and assists twice. He led the New York-Penn League in 1937 (.978), Eastern League in 1938 (.967, 395 PO, 417 A), American Association in 1943 (.983), and Piedmont League in 1944 (.964, 462 PO, 439 A), 1945 (.973), and 1946 (.973).

He became player/manager with the Roanoke Red Sox in the Piedmont League from 1944-1946. He continued to manage from 1947 to 1966, with the exception of 1951-1952 when he was a full-time coach for Boston's Louisville Colonels AAA farm club. From 1967 to 1976, he was a coach on the big league club. He also managed 9 games at the end of the 1969 season, and the final game of the 1973 season.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs Notes
1941 Centreville Red Sox Eastern Shore League Boston Red Sox replaced Edwin Walls
1944 Roanoke Red Sox Piedmont League 66-73 5th Boston Red Sox
1945 Roanoke Red Sox Piedmont League 67-71 5th Boston Red Sox
1946 Roanoke Red Sox Piedmont League 89-51 1st Boston Red Sox Lost League Finals
1947 Scranton Red Sox Eastern League 78-62 4th Boston Red Sox Lost in 1st round
1948 Lynn Red Sox New England League 85-40 1st Boston Red Sox Lost League Finals
1949 Oneonta Red Sox Canadian-American League 75-62 2nd Boston Red Sox Lost League Finals
1950 Oneonta Red Sox Canadian-American League 86-52 3rd Boston Red Sox Lost in 1st round
1953 Greensboro Patriots Carolina League 70-70 5th Boston Red Sox
1954 Greensboro Patriots Carolina League 79-59 3rd Boston Red Sox Lost in 1st round
1955 Montgomery Rebels South Atlantic League 39-39
21-16
4th Boston Red Sox replaced by Freddie Maguire (15-9) from July 1 to July 26
1956 Greensboro Patriots Carolina League 75-79 5th Boston Red Sox
1957 Albany Senators Eastern League 66-73 4th Boston Red Sox Lost League Finals
1958 Allentown Red Sox Eastern League 51-83 8th Boston Red Sox
1959 Alpine Cowboys Sophomore League 88-34 1st Boston Red Sox League Champs
1960 Minneapolis Millers American Association 82-72 5th Boston Red Sox
1961 Johnstown Red Sox Eastern League 61-79 4th Boston Red Sox none
1962 Winston-Salem Red Sox Carolina League 3rd Boston Red Sox Lost in 1st round replaced by Mace Brown May 3 to May 6
1963 Reading Red Sox Eastern League 61-79 6th Boston Red Sox none
1964 Reading Red Sox Eastern League 80-60 2nd Boston Red Sox none
1965 Pittsfield Red Sox Eastern League 85-55 1st Boston Red Sox none League Champs
1966 Pittsfield Red Sox Eastern League 68-71 2nd (t) Boston Red Sox none
1969 Boston Red Sox American League 5-4 3rd Boston Red Sox replaced Dick Williams (82-71) on September 23
1973 Boston Red Sox American League 1-0 2nd Boston Red Sox replaced Eddie Kasko (88-73) on September 30

Popowski also managed the Florida Instructional League team for the Boston Red Sox from 1963 to 1966.

Further Reading[edit]

  • Wayne McElreavy: "Eddie Popowski", in Bill Nowlin and Dan Desrochers, eds.: The 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox: 'Pandemonium on the Field', SABR, Rounder Books, Burlington, MA, 2007, pp. 266-271. ISBN 978-1-5794-0141-2
  • Wayne McElreavy: "Eddie Popowski", in Bill Nowlin and Cecilia Tan, ed.: '75:The Red Sox Team that Saved Baseball, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2015, pp. 219-223. ISBN 978-1-933599-97-7

Related Sites[edit]