Remembering Yankees of the Past: Buck Showalter

With Buck Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles readying themselves to play in the American League Championship Series against the Kansas City Royals I thought this would be the best time to remember a Yankee of the past, Buck Showalter.

William Nathan “Buck” Showalter III was promoted to the New York Yankees coaching staff in 1990 and eventually replaced Stump Merrill as manager before the 1992 season. Showalter spent four seasons as the Yankees manager posting a 313-268 record. The Yankees finished in first place during the strike shortened 1994 season in which the World Series was cancelled and won the first ever Wild Card in 1995. Buck was named Manager of the Year for the American League by the Associated Press in 1994 and was the American League manager for the 1995 All Star Game. Showalter was the manager that lef the Yankees to the playoffs for the first time since 1981 when the team lost to the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.

Showalter and Gene Michael will always be credited with building the team that won five World Series championships, seven American League Pennants, and thirteen American League East division titles. Showalter went on to manage the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks after leaving the Yankees in 1996 and even won 100 games in 1999 but was replaced after the 2000 season. 

The Yankees fired Showalter in 1995 and the team won the World Series in 1996. Arizona fired Showalter in 2000 and won the World Series in 2001. Ironic?