| Doc Prothro | |
|---|---|
 Prothro with theMemphis Chicks in 1924 | |
| Third baseman /Manager | |
| Born:(1893-07-16)July 16, 1893 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| Died: October 14, 1971(1971-10-14) (aged 78) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 26, 1920, for the Washington Senators | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 24, 1926, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .318 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 81 |
| Managerial record | 138–320 |
| Winning % | .301 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| As player As manager | |
James Thompson "Doc"Prothro Sr. (July 16, 1893 – October 14, 1971) was an Americaninfielder andmanager inMajor League Baseball (MLB). Prothro was so nicknamed because he was a practicing dentist before signing his first professional baseball contract at age 26.[1] After playing five seasons in MLB, Prothro became a manager, compiling what remains the worst careerwinning percentage among major league managers.
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As a player, Prothro was discovered by baseball promoter Joe Engel, who managed theChattanooga Lookouts atEngel Stadium.[1] Prothro played in the major leagues as a right-handed hittingthird baseman andshortstop for theWashington Senators,Boston Red Sox andCincinnati Reds (1920; 1923–26),batting .318 with no home runs and 81RBI in 180 games.[2]
In 1928, Prothro became a manager in theSouthern Association (SA), then one of the higher-level minor leagues, leading theMemphis Chicks andLittle Rock Travelers to four SA pennants through 1938.
In 1939, Prothro replacedJimmie Wilson as manager of thePhiladelphia Phillies. In his three full seasons (1939–1941) at the helm of the Phillies, the club remained locked in theNational League cellar — losers of 106, 103 and 111 games. Prothro's career mark of 138–320 has the lowest managerialwinning percentage, .301, in major league history.[3][a]
Prothro was fired after the 1941 season and replaced byHans Lobert and thereafter returned to the Southern Association, where he piloted the Chicks from 1942 to 1947. After he retired as Memphis' manager, he remained active as a co-owner of the club.
A native ofMemphis, Tennessee, Prothro attended theUniversity of Tennessee Health Science Center. He died in Memphis in 1971 at the age of 78. His son,Tommy Prothro, became a successful coach incollege football (atOregon State University andUCLA) and, during the 1970s, led theLos Angeles Rams andSan Diego Chargers of theNational Football League.[1]