Howard Rodney "Doc" Edwards (December 10, 1936 – August 20, 2018) was an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...

, and coach, who played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) with the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

Kansas City Athletics The Kansas City Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1955 to 1967, having previously played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Philadelphia Athletics. After moving in 1967, the team became the ...

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

, and

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

, over parts of five seasons, spanning nine years. Edwards also managed the Indians, for parts of three seasons (1987-1989).

Playing career

After a tour of duty in the United States Navy in 1956-1957, where he earned his nickname "Doc" as a Navy Corpsman, the 21-year-old signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians in 1958. He was signed by Indians' scout and future Baseball Hall of Famer

Ralph Kiner Ralph McPherran Kiner (October 27, 1922 – February 6, 2014) was an American Major League Baseball player and broadcaster. An outfielder, Kiner played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians from 1946 through 1955. Fo ...

. The Indians assigned him to their Class D affiliate in

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

, where he batted .359 and helped lead the North Platte Indians to the Nebraska State League pennant. Over the next three seasons, Edwards continued to produce at the plate as he progressed up the Indians farm system, batting .337, .279, and .331 for the Selma Cloverleafs, Burlington Indians, and the

Salt Lake City Bees The Salt Lake City Bees was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams, based in Salt Lake City, Utah between 1911 and 1970 under various names. After minor league baseball first began in Salt Lake City in 1900, the Bees were long-time ...

respectively, before earning his call up to the major league club in 1962. After batting .270 in 63 games in an Indians uniform, Edwards was traded to the

for Dick Howser during the 1963 season. He spent the full 1964 season with Kansas City, then was traded to the New York Yankees shortly after start of the 1965 season, where he caught 284 innings in 43 games while filling in for injured twelve-time All Star catcher

Elston Howard Elston Gene Howard (February 23, 1929 – December 14, 1980) was an American professional baseball player who was a catcher and a left fielder. During a 14-year baseball career, he played in the Negro league baseball, Negro leagues and Major Leag ...

. Following the season, he was traded back to the Cleveland Indians. With highly regarded Cuban catcher Joe Azcue seeing most of the playing time for the Indians, and eight-time All-Star and former World Series champion

Del Crandall Delmar Wesley Crandall (March 5, 1930May 5, 2021) was an American professional baseball player and manager. Crandall played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1949 to 1966, most prominently as a member of the Boston / Milwaukee Braves wh ...

providing senior leadership, there was no room for Edwards on the major league roster in 1966. He was sent down to the Indians AAA farm club in Portland. After one season with the Pacific Coast League Beavers, he was sent to the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...

and assigned to their PCL club in Oklahoma City, where he spent the 1967 season before being released. He was picked up by the

in November of that year, and after two years with their AAA affiliates in the PCL in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

(1968) and Eugene (1969), the Phillies named him as their bullpen coach for the 1970 season. It was this coaching assignment, and not his four years as a AAA player, which would guide his path back to playing in the major leagues. In June 1970, a series of injuries left the Phillies short a catcher where they activated the then 33-year-old Edwards. Doc responded with two hits and caught a

Jim Bunning James Paul David Bunning (October 23, 1931 – May 26, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher and politician from Kentucky who served in both chambers of the United States Congress, a member of the United States House of Representati ...

–

Dick Selma Richard Jay Selma (November 4, 1943 – August 29, 2001) was a professional baseball player who was a pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1965 to 1974. He played for the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Californ ...

two-hitter. In his unlikely return to the major leagues that season, Edwards caught 35 games and batted .269 for the Phillies in what would prove to be the final season of his playing career.

Coaching and managing career

In 1973, the 36-year-old Edwards was named Manager of the West Haven Yankees of the Class AA Eastern League, beginning a 40-year journey that would see him manage over 3,800 games in 33 seasons for 12 teams. Following a two-year stint in West Haven (1973–74), Edwards was hired by the Chicago Cubs, and he managed their AA affiliate in Midland, Texas, in 1975, and their AAA club in Wichita in 1976. From there he managed the Montreal Expos’ AA Quebec Metros (1977) and AAA

Denver Bears Denver ( ) is a consolidated city and county, the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Western United States, in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains east of th ...

(1978), before moving over to the Baltimore Orioles, where he was assigned to the International League's

Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Fie ...

. He spent three years at the helm of the Red Wings (1979-1981), where he managed in one of the most memorable games in minor league lore. In April 1981, the Red Wings and

Pawtucket Red Sox The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...

played in a 33-inning marathon, which remains as the longest game in professional baseball history. In 1982, Edwards was presented with the opportunity to return to his home state, and to the major league club that gave him his first shot in professional baseball. The Cleveland Indians assigned him to the AAA International League Charleston Charlies, located in the West Virginia capital not far from his hometown of Red Jacket. He managed the Charlies in 1982 and 1983, before the franchise was uprooted to

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

, where he continued with the team (rechristened as the Maine Guides), for two more years (1984–85). His allegiance to the Indians was finally rewarded in , when he was hired to replace

Pat Corrales Patrick Corrales (March 20, 1941 – August 27, 2023) was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1964 to 1973, primarily for the Cincinnati Reds as well as the Philadelp ...

as the manager of the big league club in midseason. Unfortunately for Edwards, the Indians futility continued (they had only two winning seasons between 1968 and 1987). On a positive note, despite the Indians finishing dead last that season, his 30-45 record through the remainder of the season was enough to garner a vote for the AL Manager of the Year Award. In his only full season in 1988, the Indians showed a 17-game improvement over the previous season, finishing 78-84 in the loaded AL East. With hopes of continued improvement in 1989, the Tribe started 54-54 and found themselves within 1 games of first place in early August. But the team lost 24 of their next 35 games to fall from contention. On September 10, with a 65-78 record, Edwards was relieved of his duties with 19 games remaining in the season and replaced by scout John Hart. Edwards also managed the independent

Atlantic City Surf The Atlantic City Surf were a professional minor league baseball team based in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Surf was most recently a member of the Can-Am League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. The Surf played its home gam ...

to the championship during their inaugural season of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 1998. He was the manager for the San Angelo Colts, a team in the independent

United League Baseball United League Baseball was an Independent league baseball, independent baseball league that operated in Texas. The league operated from 2006 to 2009. The league then temporarily merged with the Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), Northern L ...

, through 2014, having managed this team for 6 years. At the 2006 National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, new inductee

Bruce Sutter Howard Bruce Sutter (; January 8, 1953 – October 13, 2022) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1976 and 1988. He was one of the sport's dominant relievers in the late 1970 ...

thanked Doc Edwards for his help in developing Sutter's signature split-finger fastball while managing Sutter with the Midland Cubs of the Texas League in 1975.

Managerial Record

Awards

On September 2, 2009, Edwards was awarded the 2009 United League Baseball Manager of the Year award.

Death

Edwards died on August 20, 2018, at the age of 81.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Doc 1936 births 2018 deaths Baseball coaches from West Virginia Baseball players from West Virginia Buffalo Bisons (minor league) managers Burlington Indians players (1958–1964) Caribbean Series managers Cleveland Indians coaches Cleveland Indians managers Cleveland Indians players Eugene Emeralds players Kansas City Athletics players 20th-century American sportsmen Major League Baseball bullpen coaches Major League Baseball catchers Military personnel from West Virginia MiraCosta Spartans baseball players New York Mets coaches New York Yankees players North Platte Indians players Oklahoma City 89ers players People from Mingo County, West Virginia Philadelphia Phillies coaches Philadelphia Phillies players Portland Beavers players Rochester Red Wings managers Salt Lake City Bees players San Diego Padres (minor league) players Selma Cloverleafs players Sioux Falls Canaries managers Toledo Mud Hens players