Bob Scheffing

Robert Boden Scheffing (August 11 1913 - October 26 1985) was an American baseball player, coach, manager and front-office executive. Nicknamed "Grumpy," the native of Overland, Missouri is most often identified with the Chicago Cubs, for whom he played as a catcher (1941-42, 1946-50), coached (1954-55), and managed (1957-59).

Scheffing also spent 2½ years (1961 through June 1963) as manager of the Detroit Tigers, leading them to 101 victories and a second-place finish in the American League in 1961. Victimized by the Tigers' slow start in 1963, he was replaced as Detroit's skipper by Chuck Dressen.

After serving as a Detroit scout, Scheffing joined the front office of the New York Mets and became general manager early in 1970 following the sudden passing of Johnny Murphy. The Mets won the 1973 National League pennant during his tenure, then fell in a seven-game World Series to the Oakland Athletics. But Scheffing is most remembered by many Met fans for his trade of young pitcher Nolan Ryan to the California Angels following the 1971 season. Ryan went on to set the all-time career strikeout record and earn a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, while third baseman Jim Fregosi, the Angels' star whom the Mets received in the deal, struggled in New York. Scheffing was replaced by Joe McDonald as Mets' GM in 1975, although he continued in the organization as a scout.

A righthanded hitter, Scheffing batted .263 in 517 games with the Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. His career major league managerial record with the Cubs and Tigers was 418-427 (.495). He also managed the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League to the 1956 PCL championship, and coached for the St. Louis Browns (1952-53) and Milwaukee Braves (1960).

He died in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 72.

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/schefbo01.shtml Baseball Reference]
* [http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Scheffing.Bob.Obit.html The Deadball Era]

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