Frank Skaff

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Francis Michael Skaff

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Biographical Information[edit]

Frank Skaff was a major league ballplayer and manager. As a ballplayer, he came from Villanova University, where he had been at the same time as Art Mahan, Ben Geraghty, Nick Etten, and Swede Larsen. Leaving Villanova in 1935, he made the majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers in September 1935, hitting .545 in 11 at-bats.

He did not come back to the majors until 1943 at age 32, when he hit .281 in 64 at-bats for the Philadelphia Athletics.

He began his managing career as the third manager of the year for the 1946 Montgomery Rebels. He stayed through 1948, winning two league titles. He became a Detroit Tigers coach in 1965 and the following year, he replaced manager Bob Swift, who was ill, and went 40-39 at the helm. Skaff also was a member of the Tigers staff in 1971.

He was later a Tigers scout and died of a heart attack while scouting a college game at Towson State University.

He was of Syrian ancestry.


Preceded by
Bob Swift
Detroit Tigers Manager
1966
Succeeded by
Mayo Smith

Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs Notes
1946 Montgomery Rebels Southeastern League 52-49 4th none Lost in 1st round replaced Joe Cavosie (1-4) on May 30
1947 Montgomery Rebels Southeastern League 74-65 3rd Detroit Tigers League Champs
1948 Montgomery Rebels Southeastern League 86-53 1st none League Champs
1949 Savannah Indians South Atlantic League 84-68 2nd Philadelphia A's Lost in 1st round
1950 Buffalo Bisons International League 16-32 -- Philadelphia A's -- replaced by Ray Schalk (40-65) on June 16
1951 Lincoln A's Western League 87-93 8th Philadelphia A's
1952 Ottawa A's International League 65-85 7th Philadelphia A's
1953 Ottawa A's International League 71-83 6th Philadelphia A's
1955 Durham Bulls Carolina League 69-69 4th Detroit Tigers Lost in 1st round
1956 Augusta Tigers South Atlantic League 10-11 -- Detroit Tigers -- replaced by Willis Hudlin (1-7) on May 11
Charleston Senators American Association 69-62 6th Detroit Tigers replaced Charlie Metro (5-17) on May 11
1957 Charleston Senators American Association 34-46 -- Detroit Tigers -- replaced by Don Griffin (1-2) on July 4
1959 Durham Bulls Carolina League 70-60 3rd Detroit Tigers Lost in 1st round
1960 Knoxville Smokies South Atlantic League 71-67 2nd Detroit Tigers Lost League Finals
1961 Birmingham Barons Southern Association 89-63 2nd Detroit Tigers none
1962 Denver Bears American Association 79-71 3rd Detroit Tigers Lost League Finals
1963 Knoxville Smokies South Atlantic League 43-39 5th Detroit Tigers replaced Frank Lary (1-1) on June 21
1966 Detroit Tigers American League 40-39 3rd Detroit Tigers replaced Chuck Dressen (16-10) and
Bob Swift (32-25) on July 14
milb Totals 16 Seasons 1,069-1,026 2 League Championships

Related Sites[edit]