The best coaches are what legends are made of. Through their commitment to players and innovative strategies, they are able to push the team to levels the players never thought was possible. Out of all of the legendary coaches who have come and gone, these five coaches are some of the best ever.
Sparky Anderson
Born as George Lee Anderson, Sparky Anderson played baseball in the Major Leagues before he started to manage teams. While he was with the Cincinnati Reds, his team reached the championships in both 1975 and 1976. A third title was added in 1984 when he was with the Detroit Tigers. He holds the record for being the first coach to win the World Series in both leagues. Over the course of his career, his teams garnered 2,194 wins. He was later admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa was born in 1944. He quickly rose up the ranks as a major league baseball player before turning into a head coach. Interestingly, he received a law degree from Florida State University following his MLB career, so he is one of the few managers who is also allowed to practice law. As a manager, Tony led his teams to a total of 12 division titles, 3 World Series titles and 6 league championships. Over the course of the last 33 seasons, his teams have won 2,728 games. This places him as the manager with the third most wins in the history of the major league. IN 2013, he was inducted to the Hall of Fame for his years playing and coaching baseball.
Joe Torre
Joe Torre was born in Brooklyn, New York. As he grew up, he became one of the top players in Major League Baseball with 2,000 hits. As a coach, he attained 2,000 wins, which makes him the only person to achieve both of these goals. He spent 29 seasons working as a manager and started with the Mets. Torre’s greatest success was a .605 winning percentage for the regular season with the Yankees. While he was managing the team, the Yankees achieved six American League pennants and four World Series titles. While he was there, the Yankees made the playoffs every year. By 2014, his impressive track record in the game led him to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Casey Stengel
Nicknamed the Old Professor, Casey Stengal was a baseball manager and outfielder in the American League. Throughout his management career, Stengal coached a number of teams. His most popular work was in New York City. Stengel is currently the only person to ever wear all four uniforms from New York’s baseball teams. In addition, Casey Stengal is one of only four people who have managed the Yankees and the Mets.
Joe McCarthy
Although he passed away decades ago, Joe McCarthy remains famous for leading the New York Yankees from 1931 to 1946. He was the first manager ever to win pennants in both leagues. In addition, his team won seven World Series championships. This record is only tied by Casey Stengel. When all of the games are added up, his teams gained a .698 winning percentage. This is the highest in major league history, and was fueled by his 2,125 career wins over the course of his managerial career.
Although many of these coaches have passed away or are no longer coaching, they continue to inspire modern players. Books about their lives and quotes still exist that motivate young players to reach for the stars. Through their dedication, commitment and talent, these baseball coaches have become legendary in the sport of baseball.
