Norm Sherry

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1960 Topps #529 Norm Sherry

Norman Burt Sherry

BR page

Biographical Information[edit]

Norm Sherry, brother and sometimes battery mate of pitcher Larry Sherry, was a catcher in the major leagues from 1959 to 1963, and managed the California Angels for two years in the 1970s. He also was a coach for the Angels for three years. Another brother, George Sherry, was a pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates chain in 1951.

Sherry was signed in 1950 and spent some of 1951 and 1954-1955 with the Fort Worth Cats. He missed the 1952 and 1953 seasons due to military service. From 1965 through 1976, when he wasn't at the major league level as a manager or coach, he was doing the same at the minor league level for the California Angels or Los Angeles Dodgers. After that, he was a coach with the Montreal Expos, and Gary Carter's biography at the Hall of Fame website gives Sherry credit for helping Carter become a good defensive catcher. Sherry was also a New York Yankees scout in 1968.

Sherry is often given credit for suggesting to Sandy Koufax that he throw a little less speedily in order to maximize his control, something that may have led to Koufax's tremendous success from 1962 to 1966.

Sherry's batting averages went steadily down in the five seasons he spent in the majors. After a cup of coffee at .333 with the Dodgers in 1959, he hit .283 and .256 in more at-bats in 1960 and 1961. But in 1962 and especially in 1963, his final season when he was with the New York Mets, he dipped under .200 all the way to .136.

With his brother Larry, he was half of a brother battery, although Norm was never the Dodgers' primary catcher. Major League baseball has featured several such fraternal pitcher-catcher tandems over the decades, the most famous of which are probably Wes Ferrell and Rick Ferrell, and Mort Cooper and Walker Cooper.


Preceded by
Dick Williams
California Angels Manager
1976-1977
Succeeded by
Dave Garcia

Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs Notes
1965 Santa Barbara Dodgers California League 61-79 6th Los Angeles Dodgers
1966 Santa Barbara Dodgers California League 69-71 4th (t) Los Angeles Dodgers
1967 Santa Barbara Dodgers California League 77-63 3rd Los Angeles Dodgers
1969 Idaho Falls Angels Pioneer League 30-42 6th California Angels
1972 Shreveport Captains Texas League 64-76 7th California Angels
1973 El Paso Sun Kings Texas League -- California Angels replaced by Moose Stubing
1974 Salt Lake City Angels Pacific Coast League 69-73 5th California Angels
1975 Salt Lake City Gulls Pacific Coast League 80-64 2nd California Angels Lost League Finals
1976 California Angels American League 37-29 4th California Angels replaced Dick Williams (39-57) on July 24
1977 California Angels American League 39-42 -- California Angels replaced by Dave Garcia on July 11
1992 Everett Giants Northwest League 35-41 7th San Francisco Giants
1993 Everett Giants Northwest League 42-34 2nd San Francisco Giants

Related Sites[edit]