Red Sox in Cooperstown Pt. 39: Joe McCarthy

JOE McCARTHY

Years in Boston: (1948-1950)

Best Year in Boston: 1948 (96-59)

I skipped a couple of managers that I will circle back to, mostly because I just got this card, so this post doubles as a mailday post.  This is the only Red Sox card of McCarthy to my knowledge, so I had to have it.

Joe McCarthy is in the Hall of Fame exclusively because of his managerial career.  He was not much of a player and did not even make the Major Leagues.  But he was one hell of a manager.  He started out managing the Chicago Cubs for five years.  In that time period, his teams never lost more than they won and he led them to the World Series in 1929 where they lost to the Philadelphia Athletics.  He was fired toward the end of the 1930 season and then joined the Yankees the next year where he enjoyed an unparalleled level of success.

McCarthy was the Yankees' manager from 1931 through 1946.  He saw the ends of the careers of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and the bulk of the Joe DiMaggio career.  His teams were an absolute juggernaut, going to eight World Series, and winning seven of them.  He retired as the winningest manager in Yankees' history.  He is still yet to be surpassed.  He lost his job in 1946, but was not unemployed long.  He signed on to manage the Boston Red Sox after a year away.

The Red Sox were also a terrific team during McCarthy's tenure.  In his first season, the Red Sox tied the Cleveland Indians for the American League lead during the 144-game regular season.  A one-game playoff was ordered.  But for some reason, McCarthy decided to start journeyman pitcher Denny Galehouse in the game instead of one of his aces, Mel Parnell or Joe Dobson.  Galehouse was roughed up early and Boston fell way behind.  It was a terrible decision.

The next season, the Red Sox finished with the exact same record as they did the year before (minus the one-game playoff), but again missed the World Series.  The problem this time was a close race with the Yankees.  Entering the final two games of the season, Boston needed to beat New York just one time to win the pennant.  Unfortunately, due to more managerial blunders, they lost both games.  Part of the problem was due to a lack of pitching.  Parnell and Ellis Kinder basically pitched everyday down the stretch. 

The 1950 season started strong, but the lack of pitching and McCarthy's drinking eventually did him in.  McCarthy retired for good.  He still boasts the highest all-time winning percentage as a manager.  With Boston, his winning percentage was .606.

McCarthy was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1957.  He wears a Yankees' cap on his plaque.  He certainly managed some good teams in Boston, but his inability to win it all is a black mark on his career.  His tactics were simply not good enough to win in Boston.  He will always be remembered as a Yankee.