Ken Staples

Kenneth Arthur Staples

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 185 lb.
• School College of St. Thomas
• High School Humboldt High School
• Born November 9, 1926 in St. Paul, MN USA
• Died September 8, 2014 in Maple Grove, MN USA

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Ken Staples was a minor league player who went on to have a successful career managing at the minor league level.

Primarily a catcher, he played professionally from 1945 to 1950 and from 1953 to 1954, hitting .264 in 672 games in his eight-year minor league career. Perhaps his best season was in 1946, when he hit .382 in 81 games for the Grand Forks Chiefs and St. Paul Saints.

He began his managerial career in 1966, leading the St. Cloud Rox of the Northern League to a 49-18 record, a first place finish, and a league championship in his very first season as manager. The following year, he led the team to a 44-26 record, another first place finish and another league championship. He next managed the Rox in 1971, and followed the pattern set forth: he led them to a 42-28 record, a first place finish and a league championship.

After a decade without managing, Staples returned to the helm for the 1981 season. Now manager of the Wisconsin Rapids Twins, he led his team to a 68-65 record and a fourth place finish in the Midwest League. In 1982, he led them to a 56-82 record and an 11th place finish.

Overall, Staples posted a minor league managerial record of 259-219 and a winning percentage of .542.

Following his minor league managing career, he become a part-time scout, hockey coach, Wayzata High School baseball coach and manager of the semi-pro Osceola Braves of the Wisconsin Baseball Association. He was inducted into the University of St. Thomas Hall of Fame and Mancini's St Paul Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, the Minnesota State High School Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame in 2006, the Osceola Braves Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on October 30, 2010. In the 1980s, he served as a Twins minor league instructor and in the 1990s he supervised Twins spring training facilities. He also instructed many Twins baseball clinics following his minor league career.

His brother, Arthur Staples, played in the minor leagues from 1961 to 1963. Arthur played for St. Cloud in 1962-1963, 3 years before Ken managed there.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs
1966	St. Cloud Rox	Northern League	49-18	1st	Minnesota Twins	none League Champs
1967	St. Cloud Rox	Northern League	44-26	1st	Minnesota Twins	none League Champs
1971	St. Cloud Rox	Northern League	42-28	1st	Minnesota Twins	none League Champs
1981	Wisconsin Rapids Twins	Midwest League	68-65	4th	Minnesota Twins
1982	Wisconsin Rapids Twins	Midwest League	56-82	11th	Minnesota Twins