Books and articles about Gene Michael

The 6'2" Michael was dubbed Stick for his long, lean look. As a Kent State basketball star, he was coveted by several NBA teams, but chose to play baseball. After a season each with the Pirates and Dodgers, he found a home with the Yankees in 1968. Eager to please, he even pitched that year, hurling three shutout innings. A notoriously poor hitter, he remained the everyday Yankee shortstop for five years because of his smooth glovework and heads-up play; he became noted for pulling off the hidden-ball trick.

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Michael became a minor league manager, a coach, and a GM for the Yankees. He was soon caught in the revolving door of Yankee skippers. Though he led the team to a first-half title in the 1981 split season, George Steinbrenner replaced him with Bob Lemon on September 6. Michael replaced Lemon the next April, registered a 44-42 record, and was fired in August.

In June 1986, Cub GM Dallas Green chose Michael as manager. In his first game, Michael was automatically ejected when his pitcher, after being warned, threw too close to a batter. By the end of the season, Green was openly criticizing Michael for not being tough enough. Late in 1987, Michael told a reporter he was not returning in 1988; he soon resigned before he could be fired. (DB)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » December 1, 1966: Dodgers SS Maury Wills is traded to the Pirates for SS Gene Michael and 3B Bob Bailey. A deal has been expected since he bolted the Los Angeles trip to Japan. » November 30, 1967: The Yankees purchase Gene Michael from the LA Dodgers. » June 13, 1970: In a 9–4 Yankee win over Kansas City, Yankee infielder Gene Michael successfully pulls the hidden ball trick on the Royals Joe Keough in 6th after Joe singles in tying run. Michael will pull it again next month. » July 27, 1970: The Yankees 5–2 beat California, 5–2, behind Mel Stottlemyre, who is helped by Gene Michael in the 9th. With the score tied, Michael pulls the hidden ball trick on Angel pinch runner Jarvis Tatum. The Yanks score three in 10th to win. » August 1, 1973: Thurman Munson and Carlton Fisk brawl at Fenway. With a 2–2 score in the top of the 9th, Munson, attempting to score from 3rd on a missed bunt by Gene Michael, crashes into Fisk and they both come up swinging. Boston wins 3–2 in the bottom of the inning. » November 21, 1980: Ending weeks of speculation that he would be fired despite having led the Yankees to 103 wins last season, manager Dick Howser "resigns" and is immediately replaced by GM Gene Michael. » September 6, 1981: Despite having won the first-half pennant, Yankee manager Gene Michael is replaced by Bob Lemon, who managed the club in 1978-79. The Yankees are only two games above .500 in the 2nd half of the season. » December 9, 1981: One day after announcing that manager Bob Lemon will return in 1982, the Yankees announce that former manager Gene Michael, whom Lemon replaced on September 6th, will return as manager for the 1983 season. They won't wait that long. » April 25, 1982: Just 14 games into the season, George Steinbrenner fires manager Bob Lemon and replaces him with Gene Michael, the man Lemon had replaced last September. » August 3, 1982: The White Sox sweep a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium 1–0 and 14–2, prompting Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to fire manager Gene Michael and replace him with pitching coach Clyde King. King is the Yankees' 3rd manager this season. » June 12, 1986: The 5th-place Cubs (23-33) fire manager Jim Frey and 3B coach Don Zimmer. John Vukovich will manage for two games before new manager Gene Michael takes over. » September 8, 1987: With the Cubs in 5th place in the National League East (68-68, 13 games behind), the club fires manager Gene Michael and replaces him with Frank Lucchesi. » October 23, 1995: The Yankees name Bob Watson GM, replacing Gene Michael.