Signed as a first baseman by the Dodgers in 1942, Ozark played and managed in their farm system until 1964. He then coached under Walter Alston until he was named Phillies manager in 1973. He tried an easy-going, kid-glove approach, but by September 1973, the players were in rebellion and the press was on his back. "I felt like I was fighting five other clubs and the press," he said. In a closed meeting near the end of the season, he told the players off, accusing them of acting like spoiled brats. He finished third the next year, then second. The Phillies won three Eastern Division titles from 1976 to 1978 but lost the LCS each time. Ozark was known to throw equipment in frustration and to toss reporters out of the clubhouse for dumb questions. Fired September 1, 1979, he returned to the Dodgers as a coach until 1982, then moved to the Giants, where he was interim manager for the last two months of 1984. (NLM)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»August 31, 1979:
The Phillies fire Danny Ozark, senior manager (since 1973) in the NL. Farm director Dallas Green takes over as interim manager. The Phils remove the "interim" on October 18th.
»August 5, 1984:
Frank Robinson, who had led his club to a 42-64 record, is fired as manager of the Giants and will be replaced Danny Ozark.
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