Monday, April 11, 2011

Lawrence W. Shepard / Pirates manager in 1968 and '69 also was a respected pitching coach


From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette-

Larry Shepard, the former Pirates manager who coached Roberto Clemente and Bill Mazeroski, died Tuesday in Lincoln, Neb. He was 92.

Mr. Shepard managed the Pirates to an 80-82 record in 1968, and the Pirates were 84-73 when the team fired him in 1969.

"He was so good with young pitchers," said Pirates broadcaster and former pitcher Steve Blass, who played for Mr. Shepard both in the minor leagues and with the Pirates.

"You're just getting started professionally and there's so much to learn. He really helped me stay grounded and learn the secrets of pitching and the instincts and the feel of the game."

Lawrence William Shepard was born in Lakewood, Ohio, on April 3, 1919, and had a 179-84 record as a minor-league pitcher from 1941 to 1958.

He missed the 1942-45 seasons due to military service during World War II.

He became a minor-league player-manager in the second half of his career, managing teams in the Pirates' and the Brooklyn Dodgers' organizations. He led the Billings Mustangs, a Dodgers affiliate, to a Pioneer League championship in 1950, and helped the Lincoln Chiefs, a Pirates affiliate, to a Western League championship in 1956.

More here-

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11098/1137859-122.stm

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