| Eddie Popowski | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coach/Interim manager | |
| Born:(1913-08-20)August 20, 1913 Sayreville, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Died: December 4, 2001(2001-12-04) (aged 88) Sayreville, New Jersey, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
Managerial record atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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Edward Joseph Popowski (August 20, 1913 – December 4, 2001), nicknamed "Pop", was an Americancoach and interimmanager for theBoston Red Sox ofMajor League Baseball. Popowski spent 65 years inorganized baseball—all of them in the Boston organization. He was a native and lifelong resident ofSayreville, New Jersey.
Only 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m) tall, Popowski, asecond baseman, began playing in the Red Soxfarm system in1937 after touring with thebarnstorming, semi-professional baseball club "the House of David" as the only non-bearded player on the squad. He never played in the big leagues, but began a 21-yearminor league managerial career in 1941 with theCentreville Red Sox in the Class DEastern Shore League. With time out for U.S. Army service during World War II, he would manage and coach with Red Sox farm teams through 1966. He spent many years managing at theClass A andDouble-A levels, working patiently with Boston prospects. In his onlyTriple-A managerial role, in 1960, he was the last skipper in the history of theMinneapolis Millers of theAmerican Association. Led by futureBaseball Hall of FamerCarl Yastrzemski, whobatted .339, the Millers posted an 82–72 record but finished out of the playoffs. They were succeeded by the major leagueMinnesota Twins in1961.
Not counting his Centreville tenure, Popowski compiled a record of 1,568 wins and 1,357 losses (.536), with four pennants, during his career as a minor league manager.[1] He also served as a coach for the Triple-ALouisville Colonels in 1951–52.
In 1967, Popowski was promoted to the parent Red Sox as third-base coach underDick Williams. That season, the Red Sox, who had finished ninth in the ten-teamAmerican League in 1966, stunned the baseball world by winning their first pennant since 1946. Popowski was Boston's third-base coach for seven seasons, through 1973.[2] As a third-base coach, he was notable for flipping the ball behind his back to the pitcher when one came to rest inside his coach's box. He had learned the trick with the House of David.
Popowski twice served out a season as acting manager, relieving Williams in1969,[3] andEddie Kasko in1973, the latter for only one game.[4] Popowski won six of the ten major league contests that he managed.[2]
Popowski remained on Boston's MLB staff under new managerDarrell Johnson as first-base coach in 1974,[2] and was a special assignment coach in 1975, when the Red Sox once again won the American League pennant. He was a bench coach for the Red Sox during the1975 World Series.
In 1976, Popowski began the year as a minor league instructor but he returned to the Boston coaching staff to fill the vacancy created July 19 whenDon Zimmer was promoted to manager after Johnson's firing. Popowski coached at third base for part of the season,[2] and in the dugout.
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| BOS | 1969 | 9 | 5 | 4 | .556 | 3rd in AL East | – | – | – | – |
| BOS | 1973 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2nd in AL East | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 10 | 6 | 4 | .600 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
In 1977, he returned to Boston's farm system for good as a rovinginfield instructor and coordinator of Boston'sextended spring training program. Although his responsibilities were gradually reduced as he grew older, he remained active in the Red Sox system through 2001, and his 88th birthday. A field inBoston's training base atFort Myers, Florida, was named in his honor.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minneapolis Millersmanager 1960 | Succeeded by Franchise disbanded |
| Preceded by Franchise established | Reading Red Soxmanager 1963–1964 | Succeeded by Franchise relocated |
| Preceded by Franchise established | Pittsfield Red Soxmanager 1965–1966 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Boston Red Soxthird-base coach 1967–1973 1976 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Boston Red Soxfirst-base coach 1974 | Succeeded by |