Harry Warner (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Harry Clinton Warner is a retired American
coach
in Major League Baseball
and a former first baseman
and manager
at the minor league
level. He served as a coach for the Toronto Blue Jays
during their first three seasons (1977-79) in the American League
, and was a member of the Milwaukee Brewers
' staff in , the first and only Brewer team to win an American League pennant.
Warner's 17-year playing career (1946-62) peaked at the Double-A level. He spent much of his active career in the farm systems of the Boston/Milwaukee Braves
and the Washington Senators
. In his finest season, 1954, he batted
.317 with 17 home runs for the Salem Senators of the Class A Western International League
. Overall, he hit .279 in 1,671 minor league games with 147 home runs. Warner batted left-handed and threw right-handed, stood 6'2" (1.9 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (89 kg).
His managing career began in with the Class D Erie Sailors
of the New York-Penn League, a Washington affiliate. He remained with the organization (the Minnesota Twins
after the 1960 campaign) and managed at all levels of the minor leagues through 1976. The following season, he joined the coaching staff of the first Blue Jay manager, Roy Hartsfield
, and worked with him for three seasons. In , Hartsfield was succeeded by Bobby Mattick
as Toronto's manager, and Warner managed the Jays' Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs farm club of the International League
before rejoining the Toronto coaching staff for the final month of the season. In , he became the third-base coach of the Brewers and in his two seasons in that post the Brewers made the 1981 playoffs
, then won the 1982 AL pennant
. His career concluded with a return to the Twins' organization in 1983, when he led the Class A Visalia Oaks
of the California League
to a division title. One of his players that season with future Twins star Kirby Puckett
. All told, Warner accumulated 1,129 wins and 1,067 losses (.514) in 19 seasons as a minor league manager. Later in the 1980s, Warner scouted for the Twins and then the San Diego Padres
, based in Reeders, Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and a former first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
at the minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
level. He served as a coach for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
during their first three seasons (1977-79) in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, and was a member of the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
' staff in , the first and only Brewer team to win an American League pennant.
Warner's 17-year playing career (1946-62) peaked at the Double-A level. He spent much of his active career in the farm systems of the Boston/Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. In his finest season, 1954, he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.317 with 17 home runs for the Salem Senators of the Class A Western International League
Western International League
The Western International League was a mid- to higher-level circuit in American and Canadian minor league baseball. It operated in 1923, 1937-42, and 1946-54. In 1955, it changed its name to the Northwest League, and still operates today as a Short Season A loop under that name.The WIL consisted of...
. Overall, he hit .279 in 1,671 minor league games with 147 home runs. Warner batted left-handed and threw right-handed, stood 6'2" (1.9 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (89 kg).
His managing career began in with the Class D Erie Sailors
Erie Sailors
The Erie Sailors was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1906 and 1994.-Pre-1930s:Several unrelated teams used the Erie Sailors name in the Interstate League , the Ohio-Pennsylvania League , and the Central League .-1938-1963:During these years,...
of the New York-Penn League, a Washington affiliate. He remained with the organization (the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
after the 1960 campaign) and managed at all levels of the minor leagues through 1976. The following season, he joined the coaching staff of the first Blue Jay manager, Roy Hartsfield
Roy Hartsfield
Roy Thomas Hartsfield was a second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball; his MLB playing and managing careers each lasted three years. Hartsfield played his entire major-league career with the Boston Braves from 1950 to 1952. He was then traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers for outfielder Andy...
, and worked with him for three seasons. In , Hartsfield was succeeded by Bobby Mattick
Bobby Mattick
Robert James Mattick was a shortstop, manager and scout in Major League Baseball, most notably in the Toronto Blue Jays organization....
as Toronto's manager, and Warner managed the Jays' Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs farm club of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
before rejoining the Toronto coaching staff for the final month of the season. In , he became the third-base coach of the Brewers and in his two seasons in that post the Brewers made the 1981 playoffs
1981 Milwaukee Brewers season
The Milwaukee Brewers' 1981 season involved the Brewers' finishing 1st in American League East during the second half of the split schedule with an overall record of 62 wins and 47 losses. They proceeded to lose to the New York Yankees in the ALDS...
, then won the 1982 AL pennant
1982 Milwaukee Brewers season
The 1982 Milwaukee Brewers season resulted in the team winning its first and only American League Championship.- Offseason :*October 23, 1981: Rickey Keeton was traded by the Brewers to the Houston Astros for Pete Ladd....
. His career concluded with a return to the Twins' organization in 1983, when he led the Class A Visalia Oaks
Visalia Oaks
The Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
to a division title. One of his players that season with future Twins star Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
. All told, Warner accumulated 1,129 wins and 1,067 losses (.514) in 19 seasons as a minor league manager. Later in the 1980s, Warner scouted for the Twins and then the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, based in Reeders, Monroe County, Pennsylvania.