Herman Franks, 1914-2009

by perseman on Mar 31, 2009 12:07 PM CDT

For those Cub fans who are too young to remember Herman's tenure as Cubs manager in the late 1970's, his teams were overachievers. The mid 70's were a very dismal time for the Cubs as they made the transition from the Banks/Santo/Williams/Jenkins era to the fabulous Dave Rosello-Pete Lacock era. The Cubs in the mid-70 were simply awful, and not in a loveable losers way. They just plain sucked. When Herman arrived in 1977, they began to be competitive. In 1977, they jumped to a big lead in the NL East before collapsing down the stretch. Rick Reuschel and Ray Burris became servicable major league starters, and Herman played a big role in the development of Bruce Sutter to a Hall of FAme Reliever. Remember, this was 1977, and the inflexible "closer" role had not yet been developed. Herman often brought Sutter into the game in the 7th or 8th, and not always with the Cubs in the lead. The "Split finger" was a fairly new pitch, and to with the WGN centerfield camera, it was always exciting to watch Sutter's split finger dive away from the batter at the last minute.

Herman was a portly, tobbaco chewing, irascible "old school" manager. For his three years at the helm, the Cubs player competitive and exciting baseball. The years immediately before and after his tenure were pretty grim. Herman Franks deserves to be remembered well by Cub fans for his contributions during an otherwise bleak time in Cubs history.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Here is the obit...

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090331&content_id=4093736&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

by perseman on Mar 31, 2009 12:14 PM CDT reply actions

First manager

First manager I really remember.

RIP Mr. Franks.

My friend had his heart transplant on 3/21. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

by puckishcubsfan on Mar 31, 2009 12:25 PM CDT reply actions

well that really wans't that long ago

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Mar 31, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

you don't remember the any of these?

Jim Marshall or Whitey Lockman or Leo Durocher (come on Leo the Lip!) or Bob Kennedy (heck he was eventually a GM), how about Sweet Lou Boudreau….

of course the memory lane afterward takes us to great bosses like Joey Amaflitano, or how about the great Preston Gomez, the man who didn’t like the unemployed—-Lee Elia, or Jim Frey and Jim Fox, how about the NYY named stick, Gene Michael or the John Lucchesi where upon we finally reach Herman Franks.

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Mar 31, 2009 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions

and...

…as noted in a post sometime last season, HF was Leo’s 3rd base coach/spy from an office window in center field at the Polo Grounds when the Giants stole the pennant.

I just hate it when pieces of baseball history fade away.

by leothelip on Mar 31, 2009 12:36 PM CDT reply actions

A very solid manager

I fondly remember Herman Franks. GM Bob Kennedy handed over a craptastic roster to Franks, but somehow he was able to keep the Cubs competitive. The man could flat out manage. And I will forever relish his infamous run-ins with the umpires where he would go stomach to stomach to appeal his case.

Rest in peace Herman. You were a great Cub.

by BLou on Mar 31, 2009 12:40 PM CDT reply actions

Peace Herman

I remember him always looking like he needed to shave. Seemed gruff and angry.
He got the best out of his players, Steve Onteveros, Larry Bittner and the boys.

"Have You heard of the Boom on Mizar 5?"

by Grockcubs on Mar 31, 2009 12:53 PM CDT reply actions

I added the 77

to my screenname to honor the ’77 team.

He was also briefly the Cubs GM before Dallas Green, during the strike season of 1981. His only real significant move was trading Rick Reuschel (for Doug Bird, Mike Griffin and Cash). He also signed Bobby Bonds, an old player of his from SF days, to his final contract.

Franks is also credited, for better of for worse, with creating the idea of a closer. It was his idea, in order to preserve Bruce Sutter’s fragile arm, to only use him in a “save” situation. Of course, that might be in the seventh or eighth inning with Franks. It wasn’t until LaRussa and Eckersley that the closer would only come in to start the ninth inning.

Finally, it should be noted that Franks was rich. When he was out in San Francisco managing in the 1960s, he invested heavily in real estate which made him a millionaire many times over. While managing the Cubs, he always had a kind of “I don’t need this s#%t attitude” because he could always retire and spend his days playing golf. Again, this was both good and bad. Good in that he didn’t take gruff from any of his players, but bad in that he quit on the 1979 team.

by Josh Timmers on Mar 31, 2009 1:06 PM CDT reply actions

Hermans Franks also was the GM who selected Joe Carter in the June draft

Franks was a great baseball man. And one of the more colorful members of baseball.

by BLou on Mar 31, 2009 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions

Wish I could give him credit for that

but Carter was the consensus best college player in the nation. Every team would have taken him if Seattle passed on him (which they did for Mike Moore).

The only other major leaguer taken in that draft was Hawk’s partner DJ—Darrin Jackson was taken in the second round. He passed on guys like Mark Langston, Frank Viola and Mark Gubicza to take DJ, too.

Vance Lovelace was the Cubs supplemental first—he pitched fewer than five innings in the majors and none for the Cubs.

The other 26 Cubs draft picks were busts. And actually, Lovelace was a bust too, although he was part of the package that got us Ron Cey.

In the third round, the Cubs took Mitch Cook four picks before the Padres took Tony Gwynn.

In defense of Franks though, he took over as GM less than a month before the draft and he inherited the Wrigley family’s complete and utterly incompetent amateur scouting staff. So I really don’t blame Franks for the lousy draft. But I don’t give him any credit either.

by Josh Timmers on Mar 31, 2009 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions

I was seven years old in 1977...

…so Franks was probably the first Cubs manager I was consciously aware of. I seem to recall him being a pretty colorful guy.

My condolences to his family and friends.

"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09

by daver on Mar 31, 2009 1:45 PM CDT reply actions

I always have a special place in my heart for Herman and the '77 team

It was the first Cubs team of my youth that was actually GOOD-a powerhouse even (that is until mid-August reared it’s head and they came crashing down to earth).

Still Herman managed to somehow coax career years out of journeyman like Larry Biittner, Steve Ontiveros and Greg Gross.

If only they had had some money to spend when injuries kocked out key players like Morales and Sutter, they might actually have made the post season and franks would’ve forever been a Cubs folk hero.

by bluekoolaide on Mar 31, 2009 3:15 PM CDT reply actions

1977 was truly a Tale of Two Seasons....

The first half was bliss, the second half was brutal. Unlike 1969, at least the flameout came before the stretch drive.

Check out the splits:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/1977_sched.shtml

by perseman on Mar 31, 2009 3:55 PM CDT reply actions

May he rest in peace

and be remembered by Cubs fans forever.

Life is a crazy game of poker

by Steve Sax on Mar 31, 2009 4:19 PM CDT reply actions

Meetings on the Mound

In the ill-fated 1979 season, my brother and I used to love watching Franks go to the mound with Rick Rueschel pitching and Barry Foote catching. That was a whole lot of ballplayer out there. I will always remember him as the coach of my favorite Cub team (at least until the one that wins it all), the 1977 club.

"Any old kind of run wins it!"--Jack Brickhouse

by MannyTrilloFlipsTo1B on Mar 31, 2009 6:34 PM CDT reply actions

Heavy beer commercial...

Don’t overlook the other hefty players Franks had on those mound visits, like catcher George Mitterwald and relief pitcher Paul Reuschel.

Where is Mick Kelleher when we need him?

by 3744nsheffield on Apr 2, 2009 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Herman Franks...

… got more out of the 1977-79 Cubs than seemed humanly possible. Those teams had only modest overall talent, yet he had all three of them contending. Condolences to his family.

After he left baseball, he invested very astutely and became a very wealthy man.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 31, 2009 6:48 PM CDT reply actions

Actually, that was before he left baseball

He was very wealthy when he was managing the Cubs. He made his money after his playing days, but before his managing days, investing in California real estate. He also helped Willie Mays invest his money during his days as manager of the Giants and he made Mays pretty wealthy too.

by Josh Timmers on Mar 31, 2009 7:00 PM CDT up reply actions

I should add

His wealth was often credited with making him a great manager because he had an “I don’t care who I piss off” attitude because he didn’t fear being fired.

by Josh Timmers on Mar 31, 2009 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Right, that's what I meant.

After he left baseball as a player. Thanks for the clarification.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 31, 2009 7:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, I doubt if anybody of the age that remembers

Herman knew that fact, at the time. (I never knew until years later.) This guy didn’t need to work at all. If he had more to work with, he would have had more success. Dave Kingman couldn’t hit 100 home runs.

He tried, though.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Mar 31, 2009 10:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Strange

I just referred to Franks (and his use of Sutter) in a comment yesterday, before I learned of Franks’ death. Sometimes he put Sutter in as early as the sixth – maybe even the fifth.

"Hey hey, kiss it goodbye! That one's in Milwaukee! Man oh man did he hit it. Isn't that something?" - Lou Boudreau, May 17, 1979

by danimal15 on Mar 31, 2009 8:42 PM CDT reply actions

Myth buster!

Not once in Sutter’s three years under Herman Franks did he come into the game before the sixth inning.

Number of times Sutter came into a game under Franks IN the sixth inning: One. April 7, 1977, the first game of that season.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 1, 2009 1:03 AM CDT up reply actions

Franks

Is the first Cub manager I remember.

My babysitter used to say at the time (and I was very amused by this): “Herman Franks had hot dogs for dinner; Cookie Rojas had cookies and Peanuts Lowery had peanuts.” That’s how I got to know the Cubs managing and coaching staff as a 6 year old in 1977.

"Hey hey, kiss it goodbye! That one's in Milwaukee! Man oh man did he hit it. Isn't that something?" - Lou Boudreau, May 17, 1979

by danimal15 on Mar 31, 2009 8:43 PM CDT reply actions

Dirt Kicking

My Dad took me to a game (I believe it was the ’77 season) when Franks threw a major nutty and kicked dirt all over the home plate Ump. My Dad and I laughted our asses off! Billy Martin could kick some mean dirt, but that day no one could hold a candle to Herman Franks.

I really miss those kind of crazy things in MLB. These days that kind of act would probably get a manager dragged in front of a Senate hearing.

Booze, Broads and Bullshit. What else do you need? - Harry Caray

by Bears31765 on Mar 31, 2009 10:36 PM CDT reply actions

I'm happy someone remembered this

Although I’d guess other managers had done this before Franks, Franks was the first one I ever saw kick dirt at an ump. And when Franks kicked dirt, he didn’t mess around. Martin’s tirade was lots of rapid-fire kicks, creating small puffs of dirt, mere child’s play to Franks’ style, where his trunk of a leg stretched all the way back, sweeping forward and burying the ump in avalanches of dirt. Martin was only stealing Franks’ thunder IMO.

Loved me some Herman Franks in those days.

by BucknerKongCardenal on Apr 1, 2009 8:05 PM CDT up reply actions

My favorite Franks story

This was obviously before my time, but I read this story related by George Castle:

There was one year where Franks got sick of questions from the media about the batting order (where does this sound familiar?). Herman got so sick of it that he basically told the media, “You think you can do better? You assholes make out the lineup and bring it to me.” Classic example of the “I don’t need this s—-” attitude that being wealthy will do to you. (I would guess, anyway). The media huddled together in one of the Wrigleyville bars for an hour or so, and came back with their finished product, which Franks actually used in the next day’s game. Bill Buckner batted fourth in the game and went 0-4. After the game, Buck somehow got wind of the fact that the media had created that day’s lineup, and apparently he and Franks had a classic screaming match over the incident. Great story.

RIP Herman. My condolences to his family.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Apr 2, 2009 11:15 AM CDT reply actions

Did the Cubs win that game?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 2, 2009 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions

Not sure.

The story is related on page 1 of George Castle’s book “Entangled in Ivy: Inside the Cubs’ Quest for October”, which is a great read, by the way. It does not list a date or outcome of the game, it simply says it happened, “during a down spell in the late ’70s”.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Apr 2, 2009 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Let's check

Assuming the story is true, Bill Buckner started a game batting 4th for the Cubs four times while Herman Franks was the manager.

Two of those were in 1977, but both times it was the second game of a double-header when other guys were getting the second game off. Seems unlikely anyone would try that stunt during a doubleheader when the availability of certain players was iffy. Also seems unlikely Buckner would be upset when he batted third in the first game both times.

Once was on Aug 22, 1978. This was a game in Houston that came after the Cubs had lost four of six. The Cubs lost that game 2-1. It’s possible that it was this game. DeJesus got moved back into the leadoff spot after three games with Rodney Scott leading off. DeJesus had batted leadoff most of the season and Scott seventh, but Franks had switched them three games earlier. This game switched them back, moved Larry Biitner from the five hole to number 3 (Kingman had missed the previous two games) and Buckner and Murcer both moved back one spot. If this is what the writers came up with, it wasn’t very creative.

But this came in the middle of a series in Houston, so they couldn’t have gone to the “Wrigleyville Bars” as the story went.

The other was May 22, 1979, a 4-2 loss to the Mets at Shea. It came after an off-day and was on the heels of a five game Cubs losing streak. But again, if this is what the sportswriters came up with, it wasn’t very creative. All they did was return Murcer to the lineup in the two hole where he had been playing earlier. Murcer had been sitting while Mike Vail and Scot Thompson played. He may have been injured. The only other change made here was that Buckner and Kingman got flipped. Seems pretty pointless if that’s the only change you are going to make.

So assuming this actually happened, there are two possible games, both losses, and both games showed the sportswriters didn’t make any big changes. The 1979 game is more likely because it came after a travel day and a losing streak, and at least they were in Chicago the game before. But you kind of have to wonder what the point would have been if that’s what the writers did.

by Josh Timmers on Apr 2, 2009 5:06 PM CDT up reply actions

May have been the '78 or the '79 game.

When Al asked if the Cubs lost the game in question, I went and got that book and located that particular story. I guess it didn’t say that they went to a Wrigleyville bar, nor did it say that Buckner went 0-4. (I was telling the story from memory when I originally posted it.) It simply says, “so after huddling after hours in a bar, the scribes handed in their batting order with Bill Buckner batting cleanup. Buckner, who did not do well in the game, discovered the writers’ handiwork and screamed at Franks”. Nothing about the game being at Wrigley. So it may very well have been the game in Houston or New York. Could also simply be a partially true media legend, but even if that’s the case, it’s still a funny story.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Apr 2, 2009 5:39 PM CDT up reply actions

Buckner did go 0 for 4

in both games though.

If I had to guess, I’d say the 1978 game, since in the 1979 game, the only real change was switching the batting positions of Buckner and Kingman. The 1978 game wasn’t real creative either, but at least it restored DeJesus to the leadoff spot and moved Biittner into the #3 hole.

The 1979 game has the virtue of being the game after an off-day and during a six-game losing streak, which is when you’d likely try something like that.

by Josh Timmers on Apr 3, 2009 1:44 AM CDT up reply actions