Buck Showalter
| Birthdate | 5/23/1956 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1992 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Diamondbacks, Orioles, Rangers, Yankees |
| Position | Manager |
Buck Showalter managed for 20 years, guiding his teams to more than 1,500 wins; all that’s missing from his HoF resumé is a World Series title.
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Questionnaire filled out by Buck Showalter 15 years before his big league debut
Questionnaire filled out by Buck Showalter 15 years before his big league debut
Before Buck Showalter became a successful Major League manager he had big league dreams as a player. This questionnaire was filled out and signed by a 21-year Showalter after the conclusion of his first season as a professional player.
Near the bottom of the questionnaire Showalter is asked to identify what was then his greatest thrill in baseball. In the reply he references the Cape Cod League, the premier summer college league in the United States.
His words reveal serious accomplishments, “Being named 1st team All American for major universities in 1977 and breaking Thurman Munson batting average record in the Cape Cod League”.
In 2017, 1 in 7 Major Leaguers played in the Cape Cod League as well as 1 in 3 of all Major Leaguers who played in college.
Showalter’s playing career ended after seven minor league seasons, all in the George Steinbrenner’s employ. After hanging up his spikes, Showalter managed in the Yankees farm system before getting his chance to pilot the big club in 1992.
The three-time Manager of the Year won the award with New York in 1994, for the Rangers in 2004, and with the Baltimore Orioles in 2014.
Many believe that Showalter’s managerial success put him in the Cooperstown conversation while others say the only way he’ll punch his ticket to the Hall of Fame is by winning the World Series.
