- Don Osborn
-
Donald Edwin Osborn (June 23, 1908 — March 23, 1979) was an American pitcher and manager in minor league baseball and a scout, farm system official and pitching coach at the major league level. Born in Sandpoint, Idaho, Osborn threw and batted right-handed, stood 6' (183 cm) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg).
Osborne's professional playing career began in 1929, and while he never reached the major leagues as a pitcher, he enjoyed great success in the Pacific Coast League (1936-38; 1943-47) and the Western International League (1938-42). He won 22 games for the 1936 Seattle Indians, and in 1942 led the WIL in victories (22), winning percentage (.815) and earned run average (1.63) as the playing manager of the league champion Vancouver Capilanos. It was Osborn's first year as a manager. He would lead teams in the farm systems of the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies through 1957 before joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1958 as a roving troubleshooter and consultant in their minor league system.
In 1963, Osborn was named pitching coach of the Pirates, and he would serve three terms in that post — 1963-64; 1970-72; and 1974-76. During most of that time, he worked under manager Danny Murtaugh, and he was a member of the 1971 World Series champion Pirates club. At age 70, Osborn was appointed pitching coach of the Bucs for a fourth time after the 1978 season — this time by skipper Chuck Tanner — but ill health forced his resignation a few weeks after his appointment. He died in Torrance, California, during spring training in March 1979. As a minor league pitcher, Osborn won 199 games, losing 119 for a stellar .626 winning percentage. His record as a minor-league manager was 929-751 (.553) with four championships.
External links
References
- Marcin, Joe, ed., The Baseball Register, 1970 edition. St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1970.
Preceded by
Bill Burwell
Vern Law
Mel WrightPittsburgh Pirates pitching coach
1963–1964
1970–1972
1974–1976Succeeded by
Clyde King
Mel Wright
Larry SherryPittsburgh Pirates 1971 World Series Champions 2 Jackie Hernández | 4 Charlie Sands | 7 Bob Robertson | 8 Willie Stargell | 9 Bill Mazeroski | 11 José Pagán | 14 Gene Alley | 15 Gene Clines | 16 Al Oliver | 17 Dock Ellis | 18 Vic Davalillo | 20 Richie Hebner | 21 Roberto Clemente (World Series MVP) | 23 Luke Walker | 25 Bruce Kison | 27 Bob Johnson | 28 Steve Blass | 29 Milt May | 30 Dave Cash | 31 Dave Giusti | 32 Bob Miller | 34 Nelson Briles | 35 Manny Sanguillén | 38 Bob Moose | 39 Bob Veale
Manager 40 Danny Murtaugh
Coaches: 5 Dave Ricketts | 41 Bill Virdon | 42 Don Osborn | 43 Don Leppert | 44 Frank OceakRegular season • National League Championship Series Categories:- 1908 births
- 1979 deaths
- Minor league baseball players
- Minor league baseball managers
- Major League Baseball coaches
- Major League Baseball pitching coaches
- Pittsburgh Pirates coaches
- People from Sandpoint, Idaho
- Baseball players from Idaho
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.