Eddie Lopat

Eddie Lopat
Eddie Lopat
	Lopat in 1963 as manager of the Kansas City Athletics.
	Pitcher / Manager
	Born: June 21, 1918; New York City, New York, U.S.
	Died: June 15, 1992 (aged 73); Darien, Connecticut, U.S.
	Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
	April 30, 1944, for the Chicago White Sox
Last MLB appearance
	September 23, 1955, for the Baltimore Orioles
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	166–112
Earned run average	3.21
Strikeouts	859
Managerial record	90–124
Winning %	.421
Teams
	As player Chicago White Sox (1944–1947); New York Yankees (1948–1955); Baltimore Orioles (1955); As manager Kansas City Athletics (1963–1964);
Career highlights and awards
	All-Star (1951); 5× World Series champion (1949–1953); AL ERA leader (1953);

Edmund Walter Lopat (originally Lopatynski) (June 21, 1918 – June 15, 1992) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher, coach, manager, front office executive, and scout. He was sometimes known as "the Junk Man", but better known as "Steady Eddie", a nickname later given to Eddie Murray. He was born in New York City.

Playing career

A 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), 185 lb (84 kg) left-hander, Lopat began his playing career in 1937. After seven minor league seasons, he made his major league pitching debut on April 30, 1944, playing for the Chicago White Sox. He was traded to the New York Yankees on February 24, 1948, for Aaron Robinson, Bill Wight, and Fred Bradley. From 1948 to 1953 he was the third of the "Big Three" of the Yankees' pitching staff, together with Allie Reynolds and Vic Raschi. He pitched in the All-Star Game in 1951 for the American League. In 1953 he led the AL in both earned-run average and won/lost percentage.

On July 30, 1955, Lopat was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Jim McDonald and cash, finishing out the season and retiring. Over his 12-year AL career, Lopat won 166 games, losing 112 (.597) with an ERA of 3.21. He was also adept with the bat, compiling a .211 batting average with 5 home runs and 77 runs batted in during his career.

Ned Garver described Lopat's pitching style, writing that he "changed speeds a lot and never really threw an exceptional fastball."^[1]

Coaching career

Lopat managed the Triple-A Richmond Virginians for the Yankees from 1956 to 1958, compiling a cumulative record of 226–234 with one playoff berth. He then became a roving pitching coach in the Bombers' farm system in 1959. In 1960, he served one season as the Yankees' MLB pitching coach during Casey Stengel's final campaign as the club's manager. That year produced an American League pennant for the Yankees, but a defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. Lopat was not rehired by Stengel's successor, Ralph Houk, but he stayed in the league as pitching coach of the Minnesota Twins in 1961 and the Kansas City Athletics in 1962.

In 1963 Lopat was tapped to manage the Athletics and continued in this role until June 11, 1964.^[2] His 1963 squad finished in eighth place, registering one more victory than it had in 1962. But his 1964 A's were playing only .327 baseball at 17–35 on June 10, when he was replaced by Mel McGaha. His final major league managerial record was 90–124 (.421).

Lopat remained with the Athletics as a senior front office aide to team owner Charlie Finley until the club moved to Oakland after the 1967 season. He then scouted for the Montreal Expos during their early years in Major League Baseball.

Managerial record

Team	Year	Regular season					Postseason
Team	Year	Games	Won	Lost	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
KCA	1963	162	73	89	.451	Eighth in AL	–	–	–	–
KCA	1964	52	17	35	.327	Fired (June 10)	–	–	–	–
Total		214	90	124	.421		0	0	–

Later life

In 1978, Eddie Lopat was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame ^[3] He died at his son's home in Darien, Connecticut, on June 15, 1992.^[4] Lopat pitched for five victorious Yankees teams in the World Series, in 1949–53.

References

^ Garver, Ned; Bozman, Bill; Joyner, Ronnie (2003). Touching All the Bases. Pepperpot Productions, Inc. p. 53. ASIN B00B6JBVV6.
^ McGaha in, Lopat out
^ Eddie Lopat at Polish-American National Sports Hall of Fame Archived 2013-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
^ Yanks' pitching great Eddie Lopat dies at 73

External links

Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
Baseball Almanac
Eddie Lopat at Find a Grave

Sporting positions
Preceded by Luke Appling	Richmond Virginians manager 1956–1958	Succeeded by Steve Souchock
Preceded by Jim Turner	New York Yankees pitching coach 1960	Succeeded by Johnny Sain
Preceded by Bob Swift (Washington Senators)	Minnesota Twins pitching coach 1961	Succeeded by Gordon Maltzberger
Preceded by Ted Wilks	Kansas City Athletics pitching coach 1962–1963	Succeeded by Tom Ferrick

[Garver-1] Garver, Ned; Bozman, Bill; Joyner, Ronnie (2003). Touching All the Bases. Pepperpot Productions, Inc. p. 53. ASIN B00B6JBVV6.

[2] McGaha in, Lopat out

[3] Eddie Lopat at Polish-American National Sports Hall of Fame Archived 2013-09-28 at the Wayback Machine

[4] Yanks' pitching great Eddie Lopat dies at 73

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v t e New York Yankees 1949 World Series champions
1 Snuffy Stirnweiss 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Bobby Brown 7 Cliff Mapes 8 Yogi Berra 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Joe Page 14 Gene Woodling 15 Tommy Henrich 17 Vic Raschi 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Billy Johnson 25 Hank Bauer 27 Johnny Lindell 28 Tommy Byrne 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 36 Johnny Mize 38 Gus Niarhos 42 Jerry Coleman
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season Dodgers–Yankees rivalry Subway Series

v t e New York Yankees 1950 World Series champions
5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Bobby Brown 7 Cliff Mapes 8 Yogi Berra 10 Phil Rizzuto (AL MVP) 11 Joe Page 12 Billy Martin 14 Gene Woodling 15 Tommy Henrich 17 Vic Raschi 19 Whitey Ford 21 Fred Sanford 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Billy Johnson 25 Hank Bauer 26 Tom Ferrick 28 Tommy Byrne 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 32 Ralph Houk 35 Joe Ostrowski 36 Johnny Mize 38 Johnny Hopp 40 Jackie Jensen 41 Joe Collins 42 Jerry Coleman
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season

v t e New York Yankees 1951 World Series champions
1 Billy Martin 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Bobby Brown 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra (AL MVP) 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Johnny Sain 12 Gil McDougald (AL ROY) 14 Gene Woodling 17 Vic Raschi 19 Spec Shea 20 Art Schallock 21 Bob Kuzava 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Stubby Overmire 25 Hank Bauer 28 Tom Morgan 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 32 Ralph Houk 35 Joe Ostrowski 36 Johnny Mize 38 Johnny Hopp 40 Bobby Hogue 41 Joe Collins 42 Jerry Coleman
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 15 Tommy Henrich 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season Giants–Yankees rivalry Subway Series

v t e New York Yankees 1952 World Series champions
1 Billy Martin 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra 9 Hank Bauer 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Johnny Sain 12 Gil McDougald 14 Gene Woodling 17 Vic Raschi 18 Ray Scarborough 21 Bob Kuzava 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Tom Gorman 25 Irv Noren 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 32 Ralph Houk 36 Johnny Mize 40 Ewell Blackwell 41 Joe Collins
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season Dodgers–Yankees rivalry Subway Series

v t e New York Yankees 1953 World Series champions
1 Billy Martin 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra 9 Hank Bauer 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Johnny Sain 12 Gil McDougald 14 Gene Woodling 15 Joe Collins 16 Whitey Ford 17 Vic Raschi 18 Jim McDonald 21 Bob Kuzava 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Tom Gorman 25 Irv Noren 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 36 Johnny Mize 38 Art Schallock 45 Don Bollweg
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 32 Ralph Houk 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season Dodgers–Yankees rivalry Subway Series

v t e Oakland Athletics general managers
Philadelphia Athletics (1901–54)	Mack Cochrane Ehlers
Kansas City Athletics (1955–67)	Selkirk Carroll Lane Friday Peters Lopat Finley (de facto)
Oakland Athletics (1968–present)	Finley (de facto) Martin Alderson Beane Forst