Books and articles about Chuck Dressen

Dressen never doubted his own baseball savvy. "Hold them, boys," he often told his team. "I'll think of something." The 5'5' 146-lb extrovert took up diverse challenges: picking racetrack winners, quarterbacking George Halas's Decatur Staleys (forerunner of the Chicago Bears) and the Racine Legion of the early NFL, and playing eight years as a NL third baseman.

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He is most famous as a major-league manager. He managed successive pennant winners for the Dodgers in 1952-53, but bucked owner Walter O'Malley's policy by asking for a multi-year contract. O'Malley replaced him with Walter Alston. Dressen spent a year at Oakland of the Pacific Coast League, then returned to the majors with the talent-less Senators. Two seasons after leading Brooklyn to 105 victories, the same tactician took Washington to 101 losses. A second losing season and a poor 1957 start cost Dressen his job.

In 1960, he took over the Milwaukee Braves. Late in 1961, with the team in third place, he was summoned to the front office. Expecting photographers to record his signing of a new contract, he dressed in his best suit. Instead, he was told he was being let go.

Dressen managed Toronto in the minors the next season, then joined the Dodgers as a special scout in 1963. In June, he received his fourth major-league command, with the ninth place Tigers. He brought them in fifth and followed with two straight fourth-place finishes. On May 15, 1966 the 67-year-old Dressen managed his last victory. The next day he checked into a hospital. Twelve weeks later he died of a heart attack.

Dressen had a gambler's love for number 7 and wore it whenever he could. When the Dodgers acquired star Joe Medwick from St. Louis in 1940, he asked for number 7, then worn by Dressen as a coach. Chuck agreed; the next day he went to his coaches box sporting his new number: 77. As usual, he'd "thought of something." (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 7, 1926: Chuck Dressen's 4th hit of the game, in the Reds 3-run 9th, drives in the winning run in a 6–5 win over the Phils. » July 28, 1934: Chuck Dressen, who will win pennants in Brooklyn and manage 16 seasons in the ML, begins by replacing Bob O'Farrell at the helm for the Cincinnati Reds. » October 15, 1936: Cincinnati rewards Chuck Dressen with a new managerial contract. » April 9, 1947: Commissioner Happy Chandler suspends manager Leo Durocher of the Brooklyn Dodgers for the entire season for incidents detrimental to baseball. Larry MacPhail and the Dodger organization are fined $2,000 each, and Yankee coach Charley Dressen is set down for 30 days. A feud involving Durocher, MacPhail, and Dodger officials rocked the training season. The Yankees' signing of Dressen and Red Corriden, longtime Brooklyn coaches, charges of consorting with Cuban gamblers against MacPhail, and charges and counter charges that Durocher had sought—or been offered—the Yankee managerial post were included in the hearing before Chandler. » November 28, 1950: Having ousted Branch Rickey, Walter O'Malley now fires Burt Shotton as manager. Oakland (PCL) manager Chuck Dressen is his replacement. » July 5, 1951: At Ebbets Field, Gil Hodges hits his 27th HR of the year to lead the Dodgers to a 8–4 win over the Giants. Andy Pafko also homers, off Larry Jansen. Don Newcombe notches his 12th win, giving up seven hits. After sweeping the Giants in the 3-game series, Dodger manager Chuck Dressen declares, "We knocked 'em out. They won't bother us anymore." The Dodgers now lead the Giants by seven 1/2 games. » July 18, 1951: The Pirates Ralph Kiner drives in seven runs hitting three HRs, including his 10th grand slam, in a 13–12 slugfest win over the Dodgers. His final homer, a solo shot of Erv Palica in the eighth, breaks a 12–12 tie. Manager Chuck Dressen berates Palica, publicly questioning the pitcher's courage by clutching his throat in a choke signal. In Kiner's final at bat, in the ninth, Carl Furillo pulls down the sluggers long drive near the CF gate. Garagiola and Bell also homer for the Bucs, while Campanella and Robinson homer for Brooklyn. » September 28, 1954: Two days after firing Bucky Harris, the Senators sign Chuck Dressen to a 2-year deal to manage in 1955. » September 2, 1961: Milwaukee manager Chuck Dressen (71-58) is axed and executive vice president Birdie Tebbetts becomes the new skipper. » June 17, 1963: Bob Scheffing (24-36) is axed as manager of the Tigers. Dodgers scout Charlie Dressen replaces him. » March 7, 1965: Tigers manager Chuck Dressen suffers a mild coronary occlusion. He will be sidelined until May 19th. Coach Bob Swift will be acting manager. » May 31, 1965: Chuck Dressen is back managing the Tigers after a preseason heart attack. » May 16, 1966: Chuck Dressen suffers his 2nd heart attack in two years. Coach Bob Swift again takes the helm of the Tigers. » August 10, 1966: Chuck Dressen dies of a heart attack in Detroit, age 67. He had managed the Tigers earlier in the season.