Jim Turner

James Riley Turner
(Milkman Jim)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
• High School Cane Ridge High School
• Debut April 30, 1937
• Final Game September 13, 1945
• Born August 6, 1903 in Antioch, TN USA
• Died November 29, 1998 in Nashville, TN USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"In 1937, 33-year-old rookie Jim Turner, who had started in the minor leagues at the age of 19 in 1922, and 30-year-old rookie Lou Fette each won 20 games, astonished the baseball world, and elevated the National League Boston team to a fifth-place finish." - from the book Reynolds, Raschi and Lopat

Jim Turner spent 51 consecutive years in pro baseball. He began his playing career in the minors in 1922 and finally reached the big leagues in 1937, when he won 20 games as a rookie for the Boston Bees. After his playing career ended, he managed the 1946 Beaumont Exporters and 1947-1948 Portland Beavers. He was the New York Yankees pitching coach under Casey Stengel from 1949 to 1959. He managed the Nashville Vols in 1960 and then spent five seasons as the Cincinnati Reds pitching coach before returning to the Yankees in 1966. He retired in 1973.

In addition to his nine-year major league stint, Turner compiled a 204-132 record in the minor leagues with a 3.85 ERA. He led the 1929 Piedmont League with 25 wins.

Turner earned his "Milkman" nickname because of his offseason job.

Notable Achievements

• NL All-Star (1938)
• NL ERA Leader (1937)
• AL Saves Leader (1945)
• NL Complete Games Leader (1937)
• NL Shutouts Leader (1937)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (1937)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 1 (1937)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1937 & 1938)
• Won two World Series with the Cincinnati Reds (1940) and the New York Yankees (1943; he did not play in the World Series)

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs
1946	Beaumont Exporters	Texas League	70-83	5th	New York Yankees
1947	Portland Beavers	Pacific Coast League	97-89	3rd	none	Lost in 1st round
1948	Portland Beavers	Pacific Coast League	89-99	5th	none
1960	Nashville Vols	Southern Association	71-82	6th	Cincinnati Reds