Dallas Green (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dallas Green |
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Green in 2009
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| Pitcher / Manager | |||
| Born: August 4, 1934 Newport, Delaware, U.S. |
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| Died: March 22, 2017 (aged 82) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 18, 1960, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 12, 1967, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 20–22 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.26 | ||
| Strikeouts | 268 | ||
| Managerial record | 454–478 | ||
| Winning % | .487 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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George Dallas Green (August 4, 1934 – March 22, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher, manager, scout, and executive in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators, and New York Mets from 1960 to 1967. Green was very tall, standing at 6 feet 5 inches. He was known for being very direct and having a loud voice. He had a successful baseball career that lasted over 60 years.
After his time as a pitcher, Green managed minor league teams and worked in the Phillies' farm system. He then managed the Phillies, New York Yankees, and Mets for parts of eight seasons between 1979 and 1996. In 1980, he led the Phillies to their first World Series championship in the team's 97-year history. They beat the Kansas City Royals that year.
Green also served as the general manager for the Chicago Cubs from 1981 to 1987. He built the team that won a division title in 1984. This was the Cubs' first time in the postseason in 39 years! In 1983, he was honored by being added to the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Playing Career
Green was born in Newport, Delaware. He was the middle child of three. He went to Conrad High School and then the University of Delaware. At the university, he played both baseball (as a pitcher and right fielder) and basketball.
In 1955, during his junior year, Green had an amazing baseball season. He won 6 games and lost none, with a very low earned run average (ERA) of 0.88. Because of this, a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies signed him as a free agent.
Green made his first appearance in Major League Baseball with the Phillies in 1960. During his career, pitching for the Phillies, Senators, and Mets, he played in 185 games. He had a career record of 20 wins and 22 losses, with a 4.26 ERA.
Managing and Front Office Career
Philadelphia Phillies
After his playing days, Green started managing minor league teams. He managed the Huron Phillies in 1968 and the Pulaski Phillies in 1969. His Pulaski team won the Appalachian League championship! In 1970, he joined the Phillies' front office. He worked as an assistant to the director of the team's farm system, Paul Owens. When Owens became general manager in 1972, Green took over his old job as director of player development.
On August 31, 1979, the Phillies made Green their new field manager. He was known for being very direct and not holding back his thoughts. He even said, "I'm a screamer, a yeller, and a cusser." His tough style sometimes led to arguments with star players. However, Green led the Phillies to win the 1980 World Series. This was the team's very first World Series title in its 98-year history! In 1981, the Phillies made the postseason again but lost to the Montreal Expos.
Chicago Cubs
After the 1981 season, the Tribune Company bought the Chicago Cubs. They hired Dallas Green to be their executive vice president and general manager. Green quickly made his mark with a new slogan: "Building a New Tradition." This was a way of saying he wanted to change the Cubs' history of losing.
Green brought many coaches and scouts from the Phillies to the Cubs. He also made important trades, bringing in players like Ryne Sandberg. These moves helped the Cubs become a strong team for the first time in over ten years. In 1984, Green made more key trades, including getting pitcher Dennis Eckersley and Rick Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe had an amazing season, winning 16 games and losing only 1. This helped the Cubs win the National League East title, which was their first time in the postseason since the 1945 World Series.
That year, Green was named The Sporting News Executive of the Year. Also, the Cubs' manager Jim Frey won NL Manager of the Year, Sutcliffe won the NL Cy Young Award, and Sandberg won the NL Most Valuable Player Award.
Green also faced a big challenge with Wrigley Field, the Cubs' home stadium. He strongly believed the stadium needed lights for night games. However, a city rule prevented lights from being installed because the stadium was in a residential area. Green argued that if there were no lights, the Cubs might have to move to a new stadium outside the city. His strong stance helped change the discussion. Eventually, the city allowed the Cubs to install lights in 1988.
Green also did a great job rebuilding the Cubs' farm system. This helped develop future stars like Greg Maddux and Mark Grace. The Cubs went on to win another division title in 1989.
New York Yankees
After the 1988 season, the New York Yankees hired Green as their manager. The team's owner, George Steinbrenner, wanted a manager who would be tougher on the players. Green managed the Yankees to a record of 56 wins and 65 losses. He was fired in August 1989.
New York Mets
In 1991, the New York Mets hired Green as a scout. Then, during the 1993 season, he became the Mets' manager. He managed the team to a record of 229 wins and 283 losses. The Mets fired Green in 1996.
Late Career
In 1998, Green returned to the Phillies as a senior advisor to the General Manager. He continued to work for the Philadelphia organization in different roles for the rest of his life.
Overall, Dallas Green's record as a manager was 454 wins and 478 losses, which is a .487 winning percentage.
Managerial Record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
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| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| PHI | 1979 | 30 | 19 | 11 | .633 | 4th in NL East | – | – | – | – |
| PHI | 1980 | 162 | 91 | 71 | .562 | 1st in NL East | 7 | 4 | .636 | Won World Series (KC) |
| PHI | 1981 | 55 | 34 | 21 | .618 | 1st in NL East | 2 | 3 | .400 | Lost NLDS (MON) |
| 52 | 25 | 27 | .481 | 3rd in NL East | ||||||
| PHI total | 299 | 169 | 130 | .565 | 9 | 7 | .563 | |||
| NYY | 1989 | 121 | 56 | 65 | .463 | fired | – | – | – | – |
| NYY total | 121 | 56 | 65 | .463 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
| NYM | 1993 | 124 | 46 | 78 | .371 | 7th in NL East | – | – | – | – |
| NYM | 1994 | 113 | 55 | 58 | .487 | 3rd in NL East | – | – | – | – |
| NYM | 1995 | 144 | 69 | 75 | .479 | 2nd in NL East | – | – | – | – |
| NYM | 1996 | 131 | 59 | 72 | .450 | fired | – | – | – | – |
| NYM total | 512 | 229 | 283 | .447 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
| Total | 932 | 454 | 478 | .487 | 9 | 7 | .563 | |||
Personal Life
On January 31, 1958, Dallas Green married Sylvia Lowe Taylor. They had four children and were married until his death.
Green's nine-year-old granddaughter, Christina Taylor-Green, passed away in 2011. Her father, John Green, is also involved in baseball and works for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Death
Dallas Green passed away on March 22, 2017, in Philadelphia. He died from kidney failure and pneumonia.
To honor him, the Phillies wore a special patch on their uniform sleeves during the 2017 season. The patch featured a capital D with the team's old logo from the 70s and 80s, which was used when he was their manager.
