Intro

Bill McKechnie remains the only manager to ever guide three different teams to the World Series, and he won championships in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, both in seven games. Despite eight seasons at the helm of the Braves, where he won less than 46% of the time, McKechnie retired with a respectable .524 winning mark and more than 1,800 victories. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962.

Best Season

The 1940 Cincinnati Reds finished 12 games ahead of Brooklyn, winning 100 games. McKechnie's team led the National League in pitching by more than a half-run, with a 3.41 ERA. Starters Paul Derringer, Bucky Walters (a converted infielder), and Junior Thompson combined to log 59% of the Reds' innings. The three right-handers ERA was 2.92; Derringer and Walters won 20 games apiece, and Thompson gathered 16. The #4 starter, "Milkman Jim" Turner, was 14-7 with a 2.89 ERA. Big first baseman Frank McCormick (at 6'4" he was very large for that era), won the MVP Award with a .309 average, 44 doubles, 19 homers, 127 RBI and just 26 strikeouts. Ernie Lombardi did his usual splendid job with the stick while catching two out of every three games: .319 with 14 homers and 74 RBI in 376 ABs. Second baseman Lonny Frey led the league in steals, and right fielder Mike McCormick hit over .300. The Reds survived the Detroit Tigers in a tight seven-game World Series, winning the finale 2-1 behind Derringer. Jimmy Ripple, a well-traveled outfielder acquired from the Dodgers in mid-season, emerged as the unlikely star of the series, hitting .333 with three extra-base hits and six RBI.

Factoid 1

Bill "Deacon" McKechnie is the only skipper to lead three different franchises to the World Series.