Luman Harris

Chalmer Luman Harris (January 17, 1915 - November 11, 1996) was an American baseball player, coach, manager and scout.

Related Topics:
January 17 - 1915 - November 11 - 1996 - Baseball - Coach - Manager - Scout

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A right-handed pitcher, the Alabama native's playing career began with the Atlanta Crackers of the A1 Southern Association in 1937. The following year, catcher Paul Richards became Atlanta's player-manager, and he and Harris began a decades-long association in the game.

Related Topics:
Pitcher - Alabama - Atlanta Crackers - Southern Association - Catcher - Paul Richards

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Harris compiled a 35-63 record with a 4.16 earned-run average in 151 games with the Philadelphia Athletics and (briefly) Washington Senators of the American League from 1941-47. The remainder of his major league career would be spent working in tandem with Richards, initially as a coach with the Chicago White Sox (1951-54), Baltimore Orioles (1955-61), and Houston Colt .45s (1962-64). In each case, he worked under Richards, who was either his manager, general manager, or (in Baltimore from 1955-58) BOTH.

Related Topics:
Earned-run average - Philadelphia Athletics - Washington Senators - American League - Chicago White Sox - Baltimore Orioles - Houston Colt .45s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1965, he was promoted by Richards to manager of the newly rechristened Houston Astros, serving for the team's debut season in the Astrodome; he even briefly managed Baltimore in 1961 when Richards resigned that September to take the front office reins in Houston.

Related Topics:
Houston Astros - Astrodome

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Richards became general manager of the Atlanta Braves of the National League during 1966, Harris followed as manager of AAA Richmond, and, then, from 1968 to the middle of the 1972 season, as manager of the big-league Braves. Harris led Atlanta to the first-ever National League West championship in 1969, but his Braves lost the NLCS to the eventual world champion New York Mets in three straight games.

Related Topics:
Atlanta Braves - National League - Richmond - NLCS - New York Mets

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When the Braves slumped, Richards was fired during the 1972 season, and Harris was replaced as manager by Baseball Hall of Fame third baseman Eddie Mathews. Harris's final major league managerial record was 466-488.

Related Topics:
Baseball Hall of Fame - Third baseman - Eddie Mathews

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He died at age 81 in Pell City, Alabama, from diabetes.

Related Topics:
Alabama - Diabetes

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~