| Art Mazmanian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Infielder | |
| Born:(1927-05-01)May 1, 1927 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Died: March 22, 2019(2019-03-22) (aged 91) San Dimas, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
Arthur S. Mazmanian (May 1, 1927 – March 22, 2019) was an Americanbaseballcoach andmanager. He was the longtime baseball coach atDorsey High School ofLos Angeles, his alma mater, then spent 31 seasons (1968–98) as head coach of baseball atMount San Antonio College ofWalnut, California, where his teams won 709 games and had only two losing campaigns.[1] He also was asecond baseman,scout, instructor andmanager in professional baseball from1949 through1987. He died at the age of 91 on March 22, 2019.
Mazmanian was born inDetroit, Michigan, to parents who were born inArmenia.[2] After Dorsey High School, he graduated from theUniversity of Southern California, where he was an All-American and the second baseman on the Trojans' 1948 national championship team. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg).[3]
Mazmanian's six-year playing career (1949–54) was largely spent in theNew York Yankees'farm system, including 2½ seasons at the Triple-A level with theKansas City Blues of theAmerican Association. In 1955, he became acoach in theSt. Louis Cardinals' organization, then launched his managing career the following season with theGrand Island Athletics, Class DNebraska State League affiliate of theKansas City Athletics of theAmerican League. During the 1960s he scouted for the Athletics and theCleveland Indians. He resumed his managerial career in 1971 and achieved sustained success later in the decade when he rejoined the Yankees as skipper of their Short Season Class-ANew York–Penn League affiliate, theOneonta Yankees. He managed the O-Yankees to five consecutive division championships (1977–81) and four league playoff championships (1977; 1979–81). He then managed in the New York–Penn League for theBaltimore Orioles for three seasons and recorded his last season in organized baseball with a "co-op" team in the same circuit in 1987.
Apart from a temporary assignment with theVisalia Oaks of theCalifornia League in 1960, all of Mazmanian's years as a professional baseball manager were spent in "short season" or rookie-level leagues. He compiled a managing record of 663–487 (.576).[3][4] In 1984, he took a leave of absence from the Orioles to serve as an assistant coach for theUnited States Olympic Baseball Team.