| Norm Sherry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Catcher /Manager /Coach | |
| Born:(1931-07-16)July 16, 1931 New York City, U.S. | |
| Died: March 8, 2021(2021-03-08) (aged 89) San Juan Capistrano, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 12, 1959, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 26, 1963, for the New York Mets | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .215 |
| Home runs | 18 |
| Runs batted in | 69 |
| Managerial record | 76–71 |
| Winning % | .517 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Managerial record at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Norman Burt Sherry (July 16, 1931 – March 8, 2021) was an American baseballcatcher,manager, andcoach who played five seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB). He played for theLos Angeles Dodgers andNew York Mets from1959 to1963. Sherry went on to coach and manage theCalifornia Angels, and also served as coach of theMontreal Expos,San Diego Padres andSan Francisco Giants.
Sherry was noted for helping futureHall of Fame pitcherSandy Koufax with his pitching control, his advice during a spring training game in1961 being one of reasons for Koufax turning around his career and becoming one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball history. Years later, he also mentored a youngGary Carter and helped him turn into aHall of Fame catcher.
Sherry was born inNew York City on July 16, 1931.[1] He was the second of four sons of Harry Scharaga Sherry and Mildred "Minnie" (Walman) Sherry.[1] His father worked in the dry cleaning business, while his mother was employed as a seamstress and milliner. Both sides of the family were Jewish immigrants from Russia, and his maternal great-grandfather was arabbi. The families escaped separately fromantisemiticpogroms. Some of his relatives who settled in Europe were killed inthe Holocaust. His paternal grandparents, Max and Sarah Scharaga, came to the United States in 1898, and around 1920 his father changed their surname to Sherry. The Sherry family moved toLos Angeles during the early 1930s.[1]
Sherry attendedFairfax High School, graduating in 1950. He was initially intending to study at theUniversity of Southern California, having been awarded a full baseball scholarship.[1]
He was signed as an amateur free agent by theBrooklyn Dodgers before the 1950 season. His brotherLarry Sherry also played in Major League Baseball (MLB). The two played together on theLos Angeles Dodgers from 1959 to 1962, and occasionally formed abattery, with Larry pitching and Norm catching.[1]
A right-handed hitter who stood 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg), Sherry spent seven years working his way up through the Dodgerfarm system. He spent another two years in military service with theUS Army in the4th Infantry Division.[1][2]
By the time he reached the Dodgers, in 1959 for a two-game "cup of coffee," he was 28 years of age and the team had moved to his home city of Los Angeles. He made the team as second-stringbackstop (behindJohn Roseboro) from 1960 through 1962.[1]
In 1961, Sherry's advice contributed to the career turnaround of futureHall of Fame pitcherSandy Koufax, who was his during his time with the Dodgers.[1] Before a B-squad game against theMinnesota Twins inOrlando, Florida, Sherry told Koufax: "If you get behind the hitters, don't try to throw so hard." Koufax had a tendency to lose control of his temper and throw hard when he got into trouble. The strategy worked initially before Koufax temporarily reverted to throwing hard and walked the bases loaded with no out in the fifth. Sherry reminded Koufax of their discussion, advising him to settle down and throw to his glove and to throw more breaking pitches. The advice worked; Koufax struck out the side and then went on to pitch seven no-hit innings.[3][4]
As for Sherry, hebatted .283 with eighthome runs in a part-time role in1960, a career high. His average then dropped to .256 (1961) and .182 (1962).[5] The Dodgers sold Sherry's contract to theNew York Mets on October 14, 1962.[6] He batted only .136 in a career-high 63 games played (and 147at-bats) in New York in1963, and his major league playing career ended.[5]
In his overall career, Sherry played in 194 games over parts of five seasons, batting .215 with 18 home runs, and .288 with runners in scoring position. He collected 107 totalhits.[5]
In1965, Sherry began his managerial career in the Dodger organization,scouted for a year with theNew York Yankees, and returned to managing in theCalifornia Angels' system in1969.[1] He coached for the Angels in1970 and1971 under skipperLefty Phillips, and returned to theminor leagues to manage theirDouble-A andTriple-A affiliates from1972 through1975 before rejoining the California coaching staff for1976 underDick Williams. Williams had been extremely successful in his previous terms with theBoston Red Sox andOakland Athletics, but his cold and hard-edged demeanor did not go over well with a losing Angels club.[1] The Halos were 18 games under the .500 mark on July 23, 1976,[7] when Williams was given his walking papers.[1]
Sherry, named his replacement, salvaged the season somewhat with a 37–29 record as skipper.[8] That winter, the Angels signed high-profile free agents such asBobby Grich andJoe Rudi and expected to contend in theAmerican League West in1977. But the team struggled and was only 39–42 and in fifth place on July 11[8] when Sherry was released in favor of his third-base coach,Dave Garcia. The firing marked the end of his major league managing career, with a career ledger of 76 wins and 71 defeats (.517).[8] Through 2018, he was one of nine Jewish managers in MLB history.[9] The others wereGabe Kapler,Brad Ausmus,Jeff Newman,Lipman Pike, andLefty Phillips.[9][10][11] However, Sherry returned to the coaching ranks, ultimately as an "official" pitching coach, working with Williams with theMontreal Expos andSan Diego Padres, and with another ex-Dodger,Roger Craig, with theSan Francisco Giants.[1]
Sherry's brothers, George andLarry Sherry, were pitchers in professional baseball.[1] Larry had an 11-season MLB career as arelief pitcher and was the Most Valuable Player of the1959 World Series; he was Norm's teammate from 1959 through 1962, and on May 7, 1960, they became the first Jewish brothers to be Major League Baseball batterymates.[12]
After retiring from baseball, Sherry returned toSan Diego.[13] He underwent open heart surgery in November 1978, and had a heart attack less than three years later in March 1981.[1] He was inducted into theSouthern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.[14]
Sherry addressed theSan Diego Jewish Film Festival as a guest speaker when it screenedJews and Baseball: An American Love Story in February 2011.[1] He often went to Padres games, and was present in 2014 for the 30th anniversary celebration of the team's first championship.[1][13]
Sherry died on March 8, 2021, at an assisted living facility inSan Juan Capistrano, California. He was 89, and died of natural causes.[13][15]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | San Diego Padrespitching coach 1982–1984 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | San Francisco Giantspitching coach 1986–1992 | Succeeded by |
