| Paul Owens | |
|---|---|
.jpeg) | |
| General manager /Manager | |
| Born:(1924-02-07)February 7, 1924 Salamanca, New York, U.S. | |
| Died: December 26, 2003(2003-12-26) (aged 79) Woodbury, New Jersey, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Games managed | 319 |
| Win–loss record | 161–158 |
| Winning % | .505 |
Managerial record atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
Paul Francis Owens (February 7, 1924 – December 26, 2003), nicknamed "the Pope", was an AmericanMajor League Baseball (MLB) front office executive,manager, andscout. Earlier, during his playing career, Owens was afirst baseman andcatcher, and then a manager, inminor league baseball.[1]
Owens' entire Major League career was spent with thePhiladelphia Phillies. He was thegeneral manager and principal architect of the1980 Phillies, who won the thirdNational League (NL)pennant and became the firstWorld Series champion in franchise history — breaking a 97-year streak of futility dating to the team's founding in1883. Owens was general manager of the Phillies from June 3,1972, through the end of1984, and twice (1972; 1983–1984) added the title of field manager to his job description.
In1983, he took the managerial reins of the Phillies in mid-season and led them to their fourth pennant, but lost to theBaltimore Orioles in the1983 World Series. After his tenure as manager ended the following year, he remained with the team as an advisor and scout for the rest of his life.
Nicknamed "the Pope" because of his resemblance toPope Paul VI,[2] Owens was born inSalamanca, New York, and attendedSt. Bonaventure University.[3] He served in theUnited States Army as a sergeant duringWorld War II.[3] Prior to 1951, Owens spent several years in thesemiprofessional ranks with the Salamanca Merchants in what was then the Suburban League, the localTown Team Baseball circuit.[4]
Owens and his wife, Marcelle, had two children.[3]
Owens' professional playing career began in 1951 at the relatively advanced age of 27. He played exclusively at the lower ends of theminor leagues, with his active career largely centered in his native westernNew York. Afirst baseman who batted and threw right-handed, he twice (1951 and 1957)batted .407 with theOlean Oilers of the Class DPONY League (later called theNew York–Penn League) and set a league record by hitting safely in 38 consecutive games in 1951. During his relatively brief playing career, Owens compiled a lifetime average of .374.[1]
In 1955, Owens was named Olean's playing manager; the following year, the Oilers became a Phillies' affiliate and Owens moved into their organization. In 1958 and 1959, he managed Class CBakersfield of theCalifornia League. In 1960 he became ascout, and, in1966, director of the entire Philadelphiafarm system. On June 3, 1972, he replacedJohn Quinn as the Phillies' general manager. Then, five weeks later, on July 10, Owens fired managerFrank Lucchesi and assumed that job as well, to get a closer (if temporary) look at the last-place Phillies' on-field struggles. He guided the Phillies to a 33–47 record for the remainder of the1972 campaign.[5]
After relinquishing managerial duties toDanny Ozark on November 7, 1972,[6] he then returned to the front office and proceeded to turn the Phils into pennant contenders within three seasons. His farm system, one of the most productive in the game at the time, bore fruit—yielding players such asMike Schmidt,Greg Luzinski,Bob Boone,Larry Bowa andDick Ruthven. In addition, Owens aggressively swung trades to add missing pieces such asrelief pitcherTug McGraw andoutfieldersGarry Maddox andBake McBride. The Phils won theNL East in1976–1977–1978—each time falling short in theNational League Championship Series.
Owens thought he added the final piece in1979 when he signedfree agentPete Rose, but the Phils stumbled and finished fourth. In 1980, under managerDallas Green, the Phillies beatHouston in an intenseNLCS and then defeated theKansas City Royals for the team's firstworld championship.
Owens assumed the managerial role for a second time on July 18, 1983 after firingPat Corrales despite the Phillies having a 43–42 record and being tied for first place with theSt. Louis Cardinals in theNational League East.[5][7] The Owens-led ballclub went from one game over .500 to 47 wins in its last 77 matches to clinch the division title. They then defeated theLos Angeles Dodgers in four games in theNLCS to win the Phillies' fourth pennant. During the World Series, the Phils lost to Baltimore in five games.
Owens returned to managing in1984, but the results were disappointing. The Phillies played only .500 ball and finished fourth, 15½ games behind the division champChicago Cubs.
Owens was relieved of both his GM and managing jobs during the off-season, but remained with the Phillies as a senior advisor and special scout until his death on December 26, 2003, aged 79, at a hospital inWoodbury, New Jersey.[3] For the 2004 season, the Phillies wore a patch on their right shoulder featuring a banner reading "Pope" in honor of Owens, and a shamrock in honor of former relief pitcher McGraw, who had also died that winter. His career managing record was 161–158 (.505).
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Philadelphia PhilliesGeneral Manager 1972–1984 | Succeeded by |
Members of thePhiladelphia Phillies Wall of Fame | ||
|---|---|---|
| Inducted as Phillies |
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| Inducted as Athletics | ||
