Del Baker

Delmer David Baker (May 3, 1892 – September 11, 1973) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. During his time as a player, he spent three years (1914–1916) in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a backup catcher for the Detroit Tigers. As a manager, he led the 1940 Tigers to the American League pennant. He worked as a coach for 20 years for three American League teams, and was known as one of the premier sign stealers of his era. In 1914 he was promoted to the Detroit Tigers, and played in 172 games over three seasons as a back-up for Oscar Stanage, batting .209 with 63 hits, including nine doubles and four triples. In 1917, the Tigers farmed him out to the PCL's San Francisco Seals. In 1918 he joined the war effort, serving in the US Navy, then returned to the PCL in 1920, this time with the Portland Beavers. After three seasons there, Baker spent a season with the Mobile Bears of the Class A Southern Association, then returned to the PCL for three more seasons with the Oakland Oaks.

In 1938, the Tigers compiled an early-season record of 47-51; on August 7, Baker replaced Cochrane as manager. He rallied Detroit to 37 wins in 56 games, enough to finish in the first division, but Detroit slipped to fifth in 1939.

With World War II on the horizon, the 1941 season was marked by the call to active military service of numerous baseball stars, including Greenberg. With their star power hitter out of the lineup, and Newsom ineffective, Detroit fell below .500 that season, and again in 1942. Baker was replaced after the 1942 season by Steve O'Neill.

Later career Baker returned to the coaching ranks with Cleveland (1943–44) and the Boston Red Sox (1945–48; 1953–60). From 1949–51, he served as skipper of the Sacramento Solons and the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League. In his final season, 1960, Baker managed one last time in the big leagues as Boston's interim pilot from June 8–12 between Billy Jurges' firing and Pinky Higgins' rehiring. Under Baker, the last-place Red Sox won two games and lost five. He retired from the game after his 50th season in baseball, his last day overshadowed by Ted Williams' last game as a player. Baker died at age 81 in Olmos Park, Texas.

Tigers shortstop Dick Bartell wrote that the Tigers were unusually successful against Feller in 1940 because Baker was reading all of Feller’s pitches. Among Detroit hitters, it was said that Greenberg was the biggest beneficiary of Baker's tip-offs, although Greenberg himself said that "the importance of such information ... has been exaggerated."

Another apparent beneficiary was Don Larsen, who wrote in his memoir:

In response, Larsen adopted a "no-windup" delivery, which he used in the 1956 World Series to pitch the only perfect game in Series history, in Game Five.

Managerial record Team Year Regular season PostseasonGamesWonLostWin %Finish Won Lost Win % ResultDET 220 5th in AL – – – –DET 341816 interim – – – –DET 644123 interim (two stints) – – – –DET 563719 4th in AL – – – –DET 1548173 5th in AL – – – –DET 1549064 1st in AL 3 4 .429 Lost World Series (CIN)DET 1547579 4th in AL – – – –DET 1547381 5th in AL – – – –DET total 772 417 355 3 4 .429 BOS 725 interim – – – –BOS total 7 2 5 0 0 – Total 779 419 360 3 4 .429