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1961 Topps #13, Chuck Cottier
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Chuck Cottier's 1961 Topps card is shown here, both front and back: http://home.triad.rr.com/ovis/images/013_Cottier-a.jpg http://home.triad.rr.com/ovis/images/013_Cottier-b.jpg It is not common that one of these players from the 1961 set is still active in baseball, but Chuck is still making headlines. As recently as a couple of months ago, Chuck was a leading contender to take over Yankees bench coach duties from the departing Willie Randolph. I believe Joe Girardi ended up getting the job, but I'm guessing the soon to be 69 year old Cottier will remain in his roll as Advance Scout for the team, a position he has held since 2002. Chuck was a 'good field/no hit' kind of infielder, the kind of player clubs would like to have in the order, but, in the end, just can't deal with their lack of hitting. Chuck was brought up by the Milwaukee Braves in the spring of 1960, but was only in 10 games that year before being sent back down to the minors. The braves brought him back up in 1960 and he hit for a .227 average in 95 games. In the off season, Chuch was traded to Detroit, but Detroit used him little in 1961, before dealing him off to the Senators. In the woefully bad expansion Senators, Chuck found a team who would give him a regular starting spot, but after a couple of years of .230s and .240s with the bat, his average dropped to .205 in 1963. Even the Senators couldn't keep him in the lineup after that. He only played in 73 games in 1964 with a .168 average. Then just 7 games in '65. During the off season '67/68 he was acquired by the Angels, but he got little playing time in '68, and just a couple of games in '69, his last year as a player. Chuck's lifetime batting average was .220. I don't know what Chuck did from 1970 through 1979, but that year through 1981, he was a coach for the Mets, and from 1982 until 1984 he coached the Mariners. In 1984 he was named to replace manager, Del Crandall after Crandall was fired late in the season. The Mariners finished 5th that year. Chuck then managed the club for all of 1985, and finished 6th. Then in May of '86, he too is fired and replaced by Dick Williams. The Mariners finish 7th that year. Chuck would go on to coaching duties with the Cubs from 1988 through 1994, and for one year with the Orioles in 1995. There is a short, personal story about Chuck from his year with the Orioles, written by Dave Howell, a radio reporter at the time. It is well done, and brings Chuck to life. Read it he http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...well_Dave2.stm Chuck was a coach for Philadelphia from 1997 to 2000, and from 2002 until now has been with the Yankees. There are some years missing from this coaching history. If someone knows where Chuck was during these missing years, please fill in the blanks. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Wade |
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On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 18:36:00 GMT, John Wade wrote:
Chuck was brought up by the Milwaukee Braves in the spring of 1960, but was only in 10 games that year... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is an error. It should read, "in the spring of 1959". ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Wade |
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