Cal Ermer---1968
Some guys are just born to manage.
Case in point, we give you Cal Ermer.
Ermer was a wiry second baseman
known for heady play and a good
glove. He fashioned an 8-year minor
league career; hitting anywhere from
.230, with a career high nine long
balls for Savannah (1949) in the
Sally League to batting .297 for
Charlotte of the Tri-State League in
1951. Steady, but far from eye-
opening results.
However, he did manage to play in
one major league game for the
Washington Senators in 1947. The
right-handed hitter went 0-for-3 and
flawlessly handled seven chances in
the field. Cal, who frequently attends
Chattanooga Lookouts games and
sits in the press box, recalled his big
day.
I hit a bullet to third my first time up
and followed that with a hard hit ball
to short which resulted in a double
play. My third at-bat, I laid down a
perfect bunt, but the runner was
thrown out at third base for a fielder’s
choice.
After the game, Senators' manager
Ossie Bluege asked Ermer why he
was limping. The hard-nosed kid did
not realize it, but then recalled
fouling a ball off his foot a few weeks
prior while in the minor leagues. Sure
enough, Ermer had a broken foot
and never got a second chance in
the bigs.
Interestingly, Calvin Griffith who was
in the Senators front office told him
after the season, that he didn’t think
Ermer was going to be a major
league player, “but I think you are
going to be a major league manager.”
When his playing career came to a
close in 1951, Ermer took to
coaching in the minors. It was Griffith
(then the owner, who moved the
Senators to Minnesota) who gave
him an opportunity to manage in the
bigs. Ermer guided the Minnesota
Twins to a second place finish in
1967 (66-46) after taking over for
Sam Mele and a 79-83 mark
(seventh place) in 1968. He was
replaced in 1969 by the fiery Billy
Martin, who led the Twins to the
playoffs.
So, while many kids probably looked
at the card and said, "Cal who?"---
we are reminded that behind every
card is a story.
(7/2/08)
Case in point, we give you Cal Ermer.
Ermer was a wiry second baseman
known for heady play and a good
glove. He fashioned an 8-year minor
league career; hitting anywhere from
.230, with a career high nine long
balls for Savannah (1949) in the
Sally League to batting .297 for
Charlotte of the Tri-State League in
1951. Steady, but far from eye-
opening results.
However, he did manage to play in
one major league game for the
Washington Senators in 1947. The
right-handed hitter went 0-for-3 and
flawlessly handled seven chances in
the field. Cal, who frequently attends
Chattanooga Lookouts games and
sits in the press box, recalled his big
day.
I hit a bullet to third my first time up
and followed that with a hard hit ball
to short which resulted in a double
play. My third at-bat, I laid down a
perfect bunt, but the runner was
thrown out at third base for a fielder’s
choice.
After the game, Senators' manager
Ossie Bluege asked Ermer why he
was limping. The hard-nosed kid did
not realize it, but then recalled
fouling a ball off his foot a few weeks
prior while in the minor leagues. Sure
enough, Ermer had a broken foot
and never got a second chance in
the bigs.
Interestingly, Calvin Griffith who was
in the Senators front office told him
after the season, that he didn’t think
Ermer was going to be a major
league player, “but I think you are
going to be a major league manager.”
When his playing career came to a
close in 1951, Ermer took to
coaching in the minors. It was Griffith
(then the owner, who moved the
Senators to Minnesota) who gave
him an opportunity to manage in the
bigs. Ermer guided the Minnesota
Twins to a second place finish in
1967 (66-46) after taking over for
Sam Mele and a 79-83 mark
(seventh place) in 1968. He was
replaced in 1969 by the fiery Billy
Martin, who led the Twins to the
playoffs.
So, while many kids probably looked
at the card and said, "Cal who?"---
we are reminded that behind every
card is a story.
(7/2/08)
