Mel McGaha

Mel McGaha
Personal information
Born	September 26, 1926; Bastrop, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	February 3, 2002 (aged 75); Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school	Mabelvale (Mablevale, Arkansas)
College	Arkansas (1943–1947)
NBA draft	1948: -- round, --
	Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career	1948–1949
Position	Point guard
Number	8
Career history
As player:
1948–1949	New York Knicks
As coach:
1953–1955	Arkansas–Monticello
Career BAA statistics
Points	176 (3.5 ppg)
Assists	51 (1.0 apg)
Games played	51
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference

Fred Melvin McGaha (/məkˈɡeɪheɪ/ mək-GAY-hay;^[1] September 26, 1926 – February 3, 2002) was an American coach and manager in Major League Baseball as well as a professional basketball player. Born in Bastrop, Louisiana, he stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 198 pounds (90 kg). McGaha graduated from the University of Arkansas and played a season of professional basketball with the New York Knicks of the NBA.

Manager of Indians and Athletics

He signed his first baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1948. An outfielder who batted and threw right-handed, McGaha never played in the Major Leagues. However, he achieved great success as a minor league manager. At 27, he became a playing skipper in 1954 in the Double-A Texas League, leading the Shreveport Sports to 90 victories and a regular-season pennant in his first season, and then to 87 wins and a playoff title the following year. In 1959, his Mobile Bears won the Double-A Southern Association championship and 89 regular-season games. Then, in 1960, McGaha led the Triple-A Toronto Maple Leafs to 100 victories and the International League's Governors' Cup playoff championship.

In 1961, he was promoted to a coaching position with the parent Cleveland Indians, then became their manager at age 35 in 1962, succeeding Jimmie Dykes. McGaha was fired with two games remaining in his maiden season with Cleveland at 78–82 in sixth place in the ten-team American League.

In 1963, McGaha became a coach for the Kansas City Athletics. In June 1964, with the Athletics in last place under manager Eddie Lopat, owner Charlie Finley, known for his quick trigger finger in hiring and firing, abruptly shifted McGaha into the Kansas City front office; then, a few days later, moved him back onto the field as Lopat's successor. The A's revived somewhat, but still finished in last place. McGaha was fired by Finley in on May 15, 1965, season after a 5–21 start; on that day, his team was still locked in the league basement, 131⁄2 games out of the lead.^[2] He was replaced by Haywood Sullivan.

In part of three seasons as a Major League manager, McGaha posted a 123–173 record (.416). Following his big-league managing career, he worked for the Houston Astros as pilot of the Triple-A Oklahoma City 89ers (1966–67) and MLB first-base coach (1968–70).

Managerial record

Team	Year	Regular season					Postseason
Team	Year	Games	Won	Lost	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
CLE	1962	160	78	82	.488	6th in AL	–	–	–	–
KCA	1964	110	40	70	.364	10th in AL	–	–	–	–
KCA	1965	26	5	21	.192	Fired	–	–	–	–
KCA total		135	45	91	.331		0	0	–
Total		296	123	173	.416		0	0	–

Basketball coach

In addition to his baseball managing, McGaha also spent two years as the head men's basketball coach at Arkansas A&M College (now the University of Arkansas at Monticello), serving as the head coach in 1953-54 and 1954–55. He posted a 32–15 (.681) record during his two years as the Boll Weevils' head coach.

Personal life

McGaha was a member of the 1948 Duluth Dukes and was one of the survivors of a July 24 bus crash in which four players and their manager were killed in a head-on accident with a truck.

He died in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at age 75.

BAA career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played
FG%	Field-goal percentage
FT%	Free-throw percentage
APG	Assists per game
PPG	Points per game

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	FG%	FT%	APG	PPG
1948–49	New York	51	.318	.591	1.0	3.5
Career		51	.318	.591	1.0	3.5

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	FG%	FT%	APG	PPG
1949	New York	2	.000	.500	1.0	.5
Career		2	.000	.500	1.0	.5

References

^ Eck, Frank. "McGaha Hopes to Harness Tito Who Would Relish More Homers," The Associated Press (AP), Tuesday, March 27, 1962. Retrieved May 29, 2021
^ Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.92, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0

External links

Baseball-Reference.com – career managing record
NBA statistics @ basketballreference.com
Mel McGaha at SABR (Baseball BioProject)
Historic Baseball

Preceded by Mickey Livingston	Shreveport Sports manager 1954–1957	Succeeded by Les Peden (1959)
Preceded by Don Heffner	Mobile Bears manager 1958–1959	Succeeded by Al Hollingsworth
Preceded by Dixie Walker	Toronto Maple Leafs manager 1960	Succeeded by Johnny Lipon
Preceded by Grady Hatton	Oklahoma City 89ers manager 1966–1967	Succeeded by Cot Deal
Preceded by Nellie Fox	Houston Astros first base coach 1968–1970	Succeeded by Hub Kittle

[1] Eck, Frank. "McGaha Hopes to Harness Tito Who Would Relish More Homers," The Associated Press (AP), Tuesday, March 27, 1962. Retrieved May 29, 2021

[2] Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.92, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0

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