Story about Charlie Manuel’s long baseball career which began in Wytheville, VA, in 1963.
A four-sport star athlete (basketball, baseball, football, track and field) at Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista, VA, Charlie Manuel received college basketball offers and was pursued by several major league teams. He chose baseball signing with the Minnesota Twins following graduation in 1963. Signing bonus: $20,000.
The Twins sent the 19-year-old to Wytheville, VA, their rookie club in the Appalachian League. In 58 games, he hit 7 homers, drove in 45 runs and finished fourth in the league in hitting, .358. No record of his swing path, launch angle or bat speed.
Memories
“I actually went to first and second grades in Wytheville. My dad was a Pentecostal evangelist in that area at the time.
“My aunt lived in Wytheville, so I lived with her during my first pro season. She drove me to the ballpark and took good care of me. Red Norwood was the manager. Another red head Virginian, Harrisonburg. I remember my number, 9…Ted Williams you know.
“We worked out for a week-10 days before the season started. We had something like 50–52 players. Some went to other Twins minor league teams and I saw some get released. That was a first….(laughing)…years later I was the guy releasing players. I was signed as a pitcher but hit some out of the park in squad games. Sherry Robinson (the Twins farm director) was there. He came up to me and said, ‘Grab your glove and go to right field.’ I spent most of my career, in the outfield, some at first base and pinch hitting.
“First game, I hit an opposite field home run just inside the left field foul pole. Hit off Roger Nelson of the Middlesboro Cubsox at home.
“When we played a road game, we got 50 cents as meal money. That could buy a hot dog or burger. When we had overnight trips, we got a raise, $1.50. Hotels were new to me, just the start of hundreds in my career if you know what I mean.
“I remember playing the Bluefield Orioles one time. Billy Hunter was their manager. He came up to me at the cage, ‘Son, what cornfield did you walk out of?’’
Teammate
Only one other player from that team climbed the ladder to the major leagues, outfielder Reggie Smith.
Minor League Manager
Following his playing career, Charlie returned to the minor leagues as a manager of the Wisconsin Rapids (WI) Twins in the Midwest League in 1983. He had played there in 1967.
“When you are in the low minors, you do everything. I had no coach. I’d be the first one at the park and last one to leave. I dragged the infield, lined the batter’s box/foul lines, helped put the tarp on, mowed the grass.
“We had a Sunday game where I went to the mound to take out the pitcher. He complained that there was something wrong, the mound and home plate didn’t seem lined up. Wasn’t sure what he was talking about. Next morning, I went out with some nails, measuring tape and a ball of twine, ran the twine from home plate to the pitcher’s mound. Found out the rubber was 18 inches closer to home plate than it should be.
“We had a terrible start like 9–27. The second half we got a good hitter, Jeff Trout, a fifth-round third baseman out of the University of Delaware…yeah, Mike’s dad. We got rolling and went into Appleton, a half-game out of first. Won the first game to move into first place for the first time. Lost the next two. The first loss was to a right-hander, Steve Noworyta.”
Overall Career
Spent 11 seasons as a player in nine different minor league cities . . . Played against the likes of Greg Luzinski, John Vukovich, Larry Andersen, Mike Schmidt, Larry Christenson . . . Played six years in the majors with the Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers . . . Six years in Japan (1976–81); 1980 with Kintetsu Buffaloes was best season: 48 homers, 129 RBI, .325 . . . Managed nine years in the minors and 12 years in the majors, including nine with the Phillies (2005–13); winningest manager in Phillies history; World Champions in 2008 . . . Has also scouted, been a minor league roving hitting instructor, major league hitting coach and interim hitting coach (2019 Phillies) . . . Special Assistant to Phillies GM Ed Wade (2003) and Senior Advisor (since 2014).
Job description of a Senior Advisor?
“Talk hitting in spring training with big club and minors, do some scouting of high school and college ballplayers for the draft, pal with Larry Bowa in visiting our minor league teams during the summer, stop by Citizens Bank Park to watch the big club. Hey, I’m a baseball lifer…I belong at the ballpark.”
(Steve Potter and Larry Shenk are teammates on a book planned for early 2021, “Life In The Minors, 5th annual Phillies Minor League Digest”. Book includes capsules of the 115 teams in Phillies minor league history plus other features and rare photographs. Foreword by Tom McCarthy.)
