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Paul Owens (baseball)

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Paul Owens
General manager/Manager
Born:(1924-02-07)February 7, 1924
Salamanca, New York,U.S.
Died:December 26, 2003(2003-12-26)(aged 79)
Woodbury, New Jersey,U.S.
Batted:Right
Threw:Right
MLB statistics
Games managed319
Win–loss record161–158
Winning %.505
Teams
As general manager
As manager
Career highlights and awards

Paul Francis Owens(February 7, 1924 – December 26, 2003), nicknamed "the Pope",was an AmericanMajor League Baseball(MLB) front office executive,manager,andscout.Earlier, during his playing career, Owens was afirst basemanandcatcher,and then a manager, inminor league baseball.[1]

Owens' entire Major League career was spent with thePhiladelphia Phillies.He was thegeneral managerand principal architect of the1980 Phillies,who won the thirdNational League(NL)pennantand became the firstWorld Serieschampion in franchise history — breaking a 97-year streak of futility dating to the team's founding in1883.Owens was general manager of the Phillies from June 3,1972,through the end of1984,and twice (1972; 1983–1984) added the title of field manager to his job description.

In1983,he took the managerial reins of the Phillies in mid-season and led them to their fourth pennant, but lost to theBaltimore Oriolesin the1983 World Series.After his tenure as manager ended the following year, he remained with the team as an advisor and scout for the rest of his life.

Background[edit]

Nicknamed "the Pope" because of his resemblance toPope Paul VI,[2]Owens was born inSalamanca, New York,and attendedSt. Bonaventure University.[3]He served in theUnited States Armyas a sergeant duringWorld War II.[3]Prior to 1951, Owens spent several years in thesemiprofessionalranks with the Salamanca Merchants in what was then the Suburban League, the localTown Team Baseballcircuit.[4]

Owens and his wife, Marcelle, had two children.[3]

Playing career[edit]

Owens' professional playing career began in 1951 at the relatively advanced age of 27. He played exclusively at the lower ends of theminor leagues,with his active career largely centered in his native westernNew York.Afirst basemanwho batted and threw right-handed, he twice (1951 and 1957)batted.407 with theOlean Oilersof the Class DPONY League(later called theNew York–Penn League) and set a league record by hitting safely in 38 consecutive games in 1951. During his relatively brief playing career, Owens compiled a lifetime average of.374.[1]

Managerial and front office career[edit]

In 1955, Owens was named Olean's playing manager; the following year, the Oilers became a Phillies' affiliate and Owens moved into their organization. In 1958 and 1959, he managed Class CBakersfieldof theCalifornia League.In 1960 he became ascout,and, in1966,director of the entire Philadelphiafarm system.On June 3, 1972, he replacedJohn Quinnas the Phillies' general manager. Then, five weeks later, on July 10, Owens fired managerFrank Lucchesiand assumed that job as well, to get a closer (if temporary) look at the last-place Phillies' on-field struggles. He guided the Phillies to a 33–47 record for the remainder of the1972 campaign.[5]

After relinquishing managerial duties toDanny Ozarkon November 7, 1972,[6]he then returned to the front office and proceeded to turn the Phils into pennant contenders within three seasons. His farm system, one of the most productive in the game at the time, bore fruit—yielding players such asMike Schmidt,Greg Luzinski,Bob Boone,Larry BowaandDick Ruthven.In addition, Owens aggressively swung trades to add missing pieces such asrelief pitcherTug McGrawandoutfieldersGarry MaddoxandBake McBride.The Phils won theNL Eastin1976–1977–1978—each time falling short in theNational League Championship Series.

Owens thought he added the final piece in1979when he signedfree agentPete Rose,but the Phils stumbled and finished fourth. In 1980, under managerDallas Green,the Phillies beatHoustonin an intenseNLCSand then defeated theKansas City Royalsfor the team's firstworld championship.

Owens assumed the managerial role for a second time on July 18, 1983 after firingPat Corralesdespite the Phillies having a 43–42 record and being tied for first place with theSt. Louis Cardinalsin theNational League East.[5][7]The Owens-led ballclub went from one game over.500 to 47 wins in its last 77 matches to clinch the division title. They then defeated theLos Angeles Dodgersin four games in theNLCSto win the Phillies' fourth pennant. During the World Series, the Phils lost to Baltimore in five games.

Owens returned to managing in1984,but the results were disappointing. The Phillies played only.500 ball and finished fourth, 15½ games behind the division champChicago Cubs.

Owens was relieved of both his GM and managing jobs during the off-season, but remained with the Phillies as a senior advisor and special scout until his death on December 26, 2003, aged 79, at a hospital inWoodbury, New Jersey.[3]For the 2004 season, the Phillies wore a patch on their right shoulder featuring a banner reading "Pope" in honor of Owens, and a shamrock in honor of former relief pitcher McGraw, who had also died that winter. His career managing record was 161–158 (.505).

Honors[edit]

  • Starting in 1986, the Phillies established the annualPaul Owens Award.This award is given each season to both the top pitcher and the top position player within the Phillies' minor-league system. In 1988, Owens was elected to thePhiladelphia Baseball Wall of Fame(the first non-Phillies player elected and enshrined). A plaque bearing his likeness is displayed in Ashburn Alley at Citizens Bank Park.

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^ab"Paul Owens Minor Leagues Statistics & History".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedMarch 25,2019.
  2. ^Obituary,USA Today
  3. ^abcd"Paul Owens, 79; Shaped Champion Phillies".The New York Times.Associated Press.December 28, 2003. p. 36.RetrievedApril 13,2023.
  4. ^Reader remembers Salamanca's Paul Owens.Olean Times Herald(November 30, 2015). Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  5. ^ab"Corrales Is Dismissed by Phils,"The Associated Press(AP), Tuesday, July 19, 1983.Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  6. ^"Ozark Is Named Phils’ Manager,"The Associated Press(AP), Tuesday, November 7, 1972.Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  7. ^Puskar, Gene J. "Brewers cut ties with skipper Yost,"The Associated Press(AP), Tuesday, September 16, 2008.Retrieved March 27, 2022.

References[edit]

  • Johnson, Lloyd, ed.,The Minor League Register.Durham, North Carolina:Baseball America,1994.

External links[edit]

Sporting positions
Preceded by Philadelphia PhilliesGeneral Manager
1972–1984 		Succeeded by
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