The Chicago Cubs were in a little bit of a slump after the 1960 season, when it was decided that Lou Boudreau, hired to finish out the season, would not be coming back for 1961. The Cubs had not won a NL Pennant since 1945 and a World Series since 1908. Owner Phillip K Wrigley had an interesting idea. It was decided that the Cubs would employ a coaching staff with a Head Coach. In addition, the HC would rotate among the coaches throughout the season. The premise of this idea is kind of what is used today in the NFL. But in football, the Head Coach is picked first, then the coaching staff is assembled. The Cubs had decided to go without a manager; instead with multiple managers with just one in charge at a time.
So it was set for the 1961 season that the Cubs would go with this manager by committee plan. The coaching staff that composed the College of Coaches was 44 year old Vedie Himsl, 46 year old Harry Craft, 34 year old El Tappe and 42 year old Lou Klein. Only Craft had managed in the big leagues before, having skippered the Kansas City Athletics from 1957-1959. In fact, Tappe was one of the catchers on the 1960 Cubs, also catching some for the Cubs in 1954-1956, 1958. He would make another brief MLB appearance for the team in 1962.
The first to lead the team was Himsl, who led the Cubs to a 5-6 record until Craft took over. The team would go 4-8 for Craft. Himsl ran the team once again, and the Cubs went 5-12. Tappe would be in charge as the Cubs won their next two games (2-0). Craft managed the next 4 games (3-1), with Himsl getting the next 3 (0-3). At 19-30, the Cubs went with Tappe again, this time allowing to lead the team for the next 78 games (35-43). Klein got his chance, leading the Cubs to a 5-6 record in 11 games. Tappe was in charge for the final 16 games, leading them to a 5-11 record. Overall, the club went 64-90, finishing 7th out of the 8 team NL. For the record, Himsl went 10-21, Craft 7-9, Tappe 42-54 and Klein 5-6.
After the season, Craft chose to take the helm of the expansion Colt 45s. It was decided that Himsl would not return to the staff. Tappe and Klein would return for the 1962 season, joined this time by 44 year old Charlie Metro. They threw a wrench into this. Each of the three would get a chance to run the show; the season was split into three sections. Of course, the sections would not be determined, leaving it up to the play on the field to determine when the coaches would rotate. Tappe started the season with the Cubs losing 16 of their first 20 games (4-16). Klein had a little more success, with the Cubs going 12-18 in the 30 games under Klein. The rest of the season was led by Metro, where the Cubs would go 43-69. The Cubs, for the season, would go 59-103. They were lucky to be in the same league as the expansion New York Mets, who would go 40-120. Craft's Colt 45s would go 64-96, finishing 6 games ahead of the Cubs in 7th place.
The College of Coaches idea was done likely before the 1962 season finished. The next season, the Cubs hired Bob Kennedy to be the sole manager of the club. Kennedy led the 1963 Cubs to a 82-80 season. Among the College of Coaches for the 1961 and 1962 season, other than Craft, only Metro (1971 Athletics 19-33) would manage again for another organization. Klein would be back with the Cubs in 1965, being the replacement for the fired Kennedy (48-58). Kraft would stick around in Houston until there was 14 games to go in the 1964 season.
So it was set for the 1961 season that the Cubs would go with this manager by committee plan. The coaching staff that composed the College of Coaches was 44 year old Vedie Himsl, 46 year old Harry Craft, 34 year old El Tappe and 42 year old Lou Klein. Only Craft had managed in the big leagues before, having skippered the Kansas City Athletics from 1957-1959. In fact, Tappe was one of the catchers on the 1960 Cubs, also catching some for the Cubs in 1954-1956, 1958. He would make another brief MLB appearance for the team in 1962.
The first to lead the team was Himsl, who led the Cubs to a 5-6 record until Craft took over. The team would go 4-8 for Craft. Himsl ran the team once again, and the Cubs went 5-12. Tappe would be in charge as the Cubs won their next two games (2-0). Craft managed the next 4 games (3-1), with Himsl getting the next 3 (0-3). At 19-30, the Cubs went with Tappe again, this time allowing to lead the team for the next 78 games (35-43). Klein got his chance, leading the Cubs to a 5-6 record in 11 games. Tappe was in charge for the final 16 games, leading them to a 5-11 record. Overall, the club went 64-90, finishing 7th out of the 8 team NL. For the record, Himsl went 10-21, Craft 7-9, Tappe 42-54 and Klein 5-6.
After the season, Craft chose to take the helm of the expansion Colt 45s. It was decided that Himsl would not return to the staff. Tappe and Klein would return for the 1962 season, joined this time by 44 year old Charlie Metro. They threw a wrench into this. Each of the three would get a chance to run the show; the season was split into three sections. Of course, the sections would not be determined, leaving it up to the play on the field to determine when the coaches would rotate. Tappe started the season with the Cubs losing 16 of their first 20 games (4-16). Klein had a little more success, with the Cubs going 12-18 in the 30 games under Klein. The rest of the season was led by Metro, where the Cubs would go 43-69. The Cubs, for the season, would go 59-103. They were lucky to be in the same league as the expansion New York Mets, who would go 40-120. Craft's Colt 45s would go 64-96, finishing 6 games ahead of the Cubs in 7th place.
The College of Coaches idea was done likely before the 1962 season finished. The next season, the Cubs hired Bob Kennedy to be the sole manager of the club. Kennedy led the 1963 Cubs to a 82-80 season. Among the College of Coaches for the 1961 and 1962 season, other than Craft, only Metro (1971 Athletics 19-33) would manage again for another organization. Klein would be back with the Cubs in 1965, being the replacement for the fired Kennedy (48-58). Kraft would stick around in Houston until there was 14 games to go in the 1964 season.
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