81 - Whitey Lockman MGR

About This Manager
Whitey Lockman only managed the Chicago Cubs for parts of three seasons, but he had a career in baseball that spanned more than 59 years.

Lockman started his 15-year playing career with the New York Giants in 1945 at the age of 18.  He hit a home run in his first Major League at bat. During his career, Lockman played in two World Series (losing to the Yankees in 1951 and winning against the Indians in 1954) and was named the starting first baseman in the 1952 All-Star Game. In addition to his time with the New York and San Francisco Giants, Lockman also played with the Cardinals, Orioles, and Reds before playing his final game in 1960.

Immediately after his playing career ended, Lockman started coaching. He joined the Reds coaching staff in 1960 and, then, joined the Giants as a third base coach in 1961. Lockman joined the Cubs in 1965, first, as a minor league manager, then an MLB coach, and later as supervisor of player development.

Lockman succeeded Leo Durocher to manage the Cubs in 1972 and revitalized the team with a 39-26 record to finish the season and jump two places in the standings. However, poor records in 1973 and 1974 cost Lockman his job and he moved back to the front office.

For more information:
Sports Illustrated - May 28, 1973 - First Place Always Rattles A Cub Fan

Lockman served as the Cubs' vice president of player development in his front office return and remained in the role through 1989. Lockman also served in front office roles with the Expos (1990-1992) and Marlins (1993-2001). Lockman retired from baseball in 2001.

Lockman died March 17, 2009 at age 82.

About This Card
In addition to Whitey Lockman, this card also features Hank Aguirre (16-year All-Star pitcher), Ernie Banks (19-year Cubs Hall of Famers), Larry Jansen (9-year All-Star pitcher) and Pete Reiser (10-year All-Star outfielder).

549 - Whitey Herzog MGR

About This Manager
Whitey Herzog, who had an eight-year playing career, took his first managerial post in 1973, taking over the previously Ted Williams run Texas Rangers club that lost 100 games in the previous season. Although he was signed to a two-year contract, Herzog was fired during the season so that the Rangers' owner, Bob Short, could hire Billy Martin, who had just been fired by the Detroit Tigers.  Short told reporters, "If my mother were managing the Rangers and I had the opportunity to hire Billy Martin, I'd fire my mother."

Herzog's managerial career only got better from there.  After an interim stint with the California Angels in 1974, Herzog joined the Kansas City Royals in 1975. During his five seasons with the Royals, Herzog led his teams to three consecutive American League West Division championships.
Herzog joined the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980, with whom he led the club to three National League pennants and a World Series Championship in 1982.

Herzog employed a strategy that the media called "Whiteyball."  He concentrated on pitching, speed and defense to win games. His lineups typically started with one or two base stealers at the top of the order, a power threat batting third or fourth protected by one or two lesser power hitters and followed with more base stealers.

"They seemed to think there was something wrong with the way we played baseball, with speed and defense and line-drive hitters. They called it 'Whitey-ball' and said it couldn't last."
- Whitey Herzog, White Rat - A Life in Baseball

Herzog was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 and his number "24" was retired by the St. Louis Cardinals.

About This Card
This card is the only manager card in the 1973 Topps set to feature only three coaches.  (All other manager cards feature four.)  This card also features former All-Star pitcher, Chuck Estrada, former second baseball, Chuck Hiller and former catcher, Jackie Moore.

377 - Gene Mauch MGR

About This Manager
Gene Mauch spent 26 seasons as a Major League manager with four different teams. After Mauch ended a nine-year playing career in 1975, he went on to manage the Minneapolis Millers, the Triple-A affiliate in the Red Sox organization.  In 1960, Mauch got his first big league managerial position with the Phillies after taking over for Eddie Sawyer, who resigned from the club after the opening game of the season.  After nine seasons with the Phillies, Mauch went on to become the expansion club Expos' first manager in 1969 and remain there for seven seasons.  Mauch went on to manage the Twins from 1976 to 1980 and the Angels in 1981 and 1982 and again from 1985 to 1987.

Mauch was a strong advocate for "small ball," which emphasized defense, speed and base-to-base tactics rather than power hitting.

Mauch is regarded as the winningest manager to never win a league pennant.  His 1964 Phillies finished in 2nd place in the National League and only one game back from the Cardinals.  His Angels teams in 1982 and 1986 won the American League West, but both lost in the ALCS.

Mauch died August 8, 2005 from lung cancer at 79.

About This Card
In addition to Gene Mauch, this card also features Dave Bristol (former Reds and Brewers who would later manage the Braves and Giants), Larry Doby (the first African-American to play in the American League), Cal McLish (former All-Star pitcher of 15 seasons) and Jerry Zimmerman (former Reds and Twins catcher).

136 - Earl Weaver MGR

About This Manager
Earl Weaver spent 17 seasons as manager of the Baltimore Orioles.  During his tenure, the Orioles won four American League Championship and the World Series in 1970.  In addition to his winning success, Weaver is known for his managerial philosophy and tactics.  His oft-quoted philosophy was "Double-Plays and the Three Run Homer" and instead of using aggressive tactics such as the stolen base, hit and run or sacrifice bunt, preferred waiting for the home run.  Weaver made extensive use of statistics to create favorable matchups for his pitchers and batters and to take advantage of his bench effectively.

Weaver's number 4 was retired by the Baltimore Orioles in 1982 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.

About This Card
In addition to Earl Weaver, this card also features George Bamberger (former Giants and Orioles pitcher who would later manage the Brewers and Mets), Jim Frey (who would later manage the Royals and Cubs), Billy Hunter (former All-Star shortstop who would later manage the Rangers) and George Staller (one-time A's right fielder).

49 - Frank Quilici MGR

About This Manager
Frank Quilici is the only person to play, coach, manage and broadcast for the Twins.  Quilici enjoyed five seasons as a utility infielder for the Minnesota Twins from 1965 through 1970.  Quilici, however, started in 56 games in 1965, after second basemen, Bernie Allen, went down to injury.  He also started all seven games of the 1965 World Series.  In Game 1, Quilici singled and doubled off of Don Drysdale in the third inning to tie a World Series record for most hits in an inning.  Immediately after his playing career ended, Quilici became a coach for the Twins and took over the role of manager in 1972.  In his four seasons as a manager, Quilici finished with a 280-284 record and never the Twins never finished above third place in the AL West.  After he was dimissed as manager, Quilici went on to work in the broadcast booth calling Twins games throughout the '70's and '80's.

About This Card
In addition to Frank Quilici, the card also features Vern Morgan (former Cubs third baseman), Bob Rodgers (former Angels catcher and future Major League manager), Ralph Rowe (career minor leaguer) and Al Worthington (former Twins pitcher).

356 - Chuck Tanner MGR

About This Manager
Chuck Tanner spent 19 seasons as a manager in Major League Baseball.  Six of his seasons as manager were spent with the White Sox.  In 1972, Tanner led the Chicago to a second place finish.  He led them to a fifth place finish in 1973.  Tanner is probably best remembered for his time with the Pirates which includes a World Series championship in 1979.

Tanner also spent eight seasons as an left fielder with the Braves, Cubs, Indians and Angels from 1955 through 1962.

About This Card
I like that the manager cards in 1973 also feature the coaches.  Throughout the history of Topps baseball, manager cards have been a regular issue, but including coaches has been on and off.  Personally, I would like to see manager/coaches card in new sets, such as we had seen in 2008 Topps Heritage.

It is also amazing to see coaches on these manager cards who have also had significant careers as players, such as Johnny Sain, the former Braves and Yankees pitcher who was a three-time All-Star and four-time 20-game winner.