Books and articles about Herman Franks

RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » "Life with Herman was one big nigsource.htmare": Orlando Cepeda Around the Web » Herman Franks from baseball-reference.com » Giants' farewell festivities run the gamut of love and hate from sfgate.com (9/24/99) Jump directly to Library content from any website!

A graduate of the University of Utah, Franks was a weak-hitting backup catcher for several NL teams. He scouted for the Giants for a dozen years, then became manager of their Salt Lake City club in 1961. He managed the Giants to four straight second-place finishes, 1965-68. He was also credited with straightening Willie Mays's financial affairs, which were a mess when Franks arrived in San Francisco. After leaving the Giants, he had a successful business career and formed a group that tried to buy the Yankees in 1972. He came out of retirement to manage the Cubs for three seasons beginning in 1977 as a favor to his friend, Cubs GM Bob Kennedy. (NLM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » October 4, 1964: Alvin Dark (90-72) is fired as manager of the Giants and replaced by Herman Franks. The Giants will finish in 4th places three games off the pace. » May 31, 1968: Don Drysdale's shutout streak apparently ends when Dick Dietz is hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and no outs in the 9th inning, but umpire Harry Wendelstedt rules Dietz did not try to avoid the pitch. Coach Herman Franks argues the call so long he is tossed by Wendelstedt. Dietz then pops out, and the next two batters make out. Los Angeles wins, 3–0, and Drysdale's 5th straight shutout ties the major-league record set in 1904 by Doc White. » October 11, 1968: Clyde King is named Herman Franks' replacement as manager of the Giants. » November 24, 1976: Bob Kennedy is named head of baseball operations for the Cubs. His first move is to inform Jim Marshall he's fired as manager and Salty Saltwell, after a year as GM, is named secretary and director of park operations. Herman Franks, briefly a Cubs coach under Leo Durocher, will be named the new manager. Ironically, Durocher turned down a Wrigley offer to manage the Cubs for the 1977 season. » September 24, 1979: With a week to go, Herman Franks resigns as Cubs manager, and is replaced by Preston Gomez, most recently a coach with the Dodgers. After resigning, Franks criticizes a number of Cubs players, including Foote, Vail, Buckner, and Sizemore.