Books and articles about Bobby Bragan

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Bragan served in almost every capacity in his lengthy baseball career. He was the Phillies' regular shortstop his first three years in the major leagues, then became a catcher. A minor-league manager for seven years, he attracted attention as a major-league skipper for wrangling with umpires. He made every sports section when, one day, he walked on the field sipping a soft drink through a straw, discussing the play in question with the umpires and offering each a taste of his drink. A scout and major-league coach, Bragan was also, for many years, president of the Texas League. (AL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 10, 1943: Brooklyn scores 10 runs in the first and fourth innings as they whip the visiting Pirates 23-6. This follows a pregame attempted strike by the players following Leo Durocher's 3-game suspension of P Bobo Newsom for insubordination. Minutes before the game SS Arky Vaughan handed his uniform to Durocher and refused to play. Durocher called for volunteers to play, but by game time he had just a battery of Curt Davis and Bobby Bragan. Branch Rickey intervened, and Vaughan and the others agreed to play. Newsom, 9-4, will be traded to the Browns on July 15th. » November 2, 1955: The Pirates name Bobby Bragan as their new field manager, replacing Fred Haney. » July 31, 1957: The Pirates lose to the Braves and Bob Buhl 4-2. Bucs manager Bobby Bragan is ejected in the bottom of the fifth for making obscene gestures. Before he departs, he strolls onto the field sipping an orange drink through a straw and offers the umpires a drink. Two days later Bragan will be fired by the Pirates. » August 3, 1957: The news that Danny Murtaugh will succeed Bobby Bragan as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates is leaked to the press, and Bragan hears it on the radio before Joe L. Brown can inform him. » September 29, 1957: Bobby Bragan signs with Cleveland to replace manager Kirby Ferrell, released two days earlier. » June 26, 1958: Joe Gordon replaces Bobby Bragan as manager of the Cleveland Indians, signing a contract through 1959. » July 30, 1965: Milwaukee manager Bobby Bragan says his pitchers threw 75 to 80 spitballs in a 9–2 loss to the Giants. Bragan says he ordered the spitters to prove rules against them are not being enforced. » August 9, 1966: The Braves fire Bobby Bragan (52-59) and install coach Billy Hitchcock as their new manager. » April 7, 1976: At Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, a controversy arises about metal cleats prior to a PCL game with Tacoma. Despite the ban on the cleats in the stadium, Tacoma P Bill Butler insists on wearing them and stadium officials switch off the lights during warm-up. Thirty minutes to game, umpire Bill Lawton awards a forfeit to Tacoma since the home team is responsible for playing conditions. The PCL will uphold the forfeit, but minor league prexy bobby Bragan will overrule it (according to historian Rich Marazzi). » May 7, 1976: At Honolulu's Aloha Stadium, in a PCL game between the Tacoma Twins and Hawaii, Twins P Bill Butler ignores the stadium ban against metal cleats and begins warming up. Stadium officials then turn the outfield lights off, and after 30 minutes of darkness, umpire Bill Lawson forfeits the game to Tacoma. PCL President Roy Jackson supports the umpire, but a few weeks later, Minor League head Bobby Bragan overrules Jackson and orders the game replayed.