RIP, Chuck Tanner

Former White Sox, A's, Pirates and Braves manager has died at 81 after several years of poor health.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/11/chuck-tanner-1929-2011/

 

A guy who always thought he had a good club.

 

Tanner had one of my favorite quotes of all time. When asked if his aunt who had just won the lottery was his favorite, he replied, "She is now".

 

Damn. RIP to one of the most relentessly positive people I've ever met.

 

R.I.P. to a man who treated players as adults and took being stuck with Jason Thompson and George Hendrick with class

 

Was the manager of some truly terrible Braves teams of my youth. RIP, Chuck.

 

What a shame. Seemed like a genuine guy who gave his all. Glad he got to capture one title after being in the league for so long. I think his mother died during the '79 WS, too.

I enjoyed that 'We Are Family' team.

 

What the story linked above doesn't mention --- but what I always found interesting --- was that Tanner was the first manager in major-league history to be traded for a player, when Charlie Finley dealt him from the A's to the Pirates for catcher Manny Sanguillen prior to the 1977 season.

 

Tanner might have been the only guy capable of handling, and getting that MVP season, out of Dick Allen in 1972 with the Chicago White Sox. RIP.

 

RIP, Chuck. Just another reminder of how long it's been since the Bucs have been relevant.

 

I remember he had a reputation of being positive to a fault.

Don't remember who said it, but my favorite quote about him was "If he was the captain of the Titanic, he'd be telling all the passengers 'Don't worry, folks, we're just stopping off to get a little ice and we'll be on our way.'"

 

RIP

Thanks for 1979.