1977 Topps Baseball #428 - Texas Rangers / Frank Lucchesi

• A good season by the Texas Rangers was overshadowed by a lot of managerial drama. The team went through four managers in eight days after Frank Lucchesi was fired in June. Eddie Stanky was hired, but quit after one game because he missed his home in Alabama. Third base coach Connie Ryan then managed the team on an interim basis until Billy Hunter was hired to manage the club on June 27. The Rangers were 33-35 at the time of Hunter's hiring, but played much better after that.
• March 28 - Lenny Randle punched manager Frank Lucchesi before a spring training game. Randle was upset because rookie Bump Wills was going to be the starting second baseman instead of him. Lucchesi was quoted as saying that he wouldn't let a "punk" who was making $80,000 a year make demands. Three days before (March 25), Randle was going to walk out of camp but was talked out of it by Bert Blyleven, Mike Hargrove, and Gaylord Perry. Randle was suspended after the incident and later traded to the New York Mets.
• Frank Lucchesi managed at the major and minor league levels for a total of 30 years. He started as an 18-year-old minor league outfielder in 1945. After spending one year in AA, Frank never again rose above Class B level.
• Lucchesi became a player-manager at the age of 24 in 1951. He continued to play and manage for various Class C and D teams through the 1957 season.
• Frank came to the Philadelphia Phillies organization in 1956. He managed in the organization and slowly worked his way up the ladder from 1956-1969.
• After having a successful season with AAA Eugene in 1969 (88-58, .603, 1st place), Lucchesi was hired to manage the Philadelphia Phillies for the 1970 season.
• The Phillies were still a building ballclub during Frank's tenure. Lucchesi managed the team through the 1970 and 1971 seasons and for part of the 1972 season. Frank was relieved of his managerial duties on July 10, 1972. Lucchesi continued with the organization for the rest of the season as a special assignments man.
• Lucchesi managed Cleveland's AAA team (Oklahoma City) in 1973.
• Frank was hired to replace Billy Martin as manager of the Rangers on July 22, 1975. Lucchesi was only guaranteed to manage the team for the rest of the year, but he was later given an extension.
• After the Randle incident in 1977, Frank had to recuperate for a time before taking over the ballclub. The Rangers didn't play as well as they should have, and Frank was let go in June. In September 1977 Lucchesi filed a civil suit against Randle.
• Frank was the "eye in the sky" coach for the Chicago Cubs in 1987 when on September 9 he was tapped as the interim manager after Gene Michael resigned.
• Lucchesi managed AAA Nashville in the Cincinnati Reds organization in 1988 and in 1989.
• Record: 94-68, .580 , 2nd in AL West (8 games behind Kansas City)
• Attendance:  1,250,722 (9th in AL)
• Team Batting: .270 (6th in AL)
• Team HR: 135 (7th in AL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 154 (4th in AL)
• Team ERA: 3.56 (2nd in AL)
• Team Fielding: .982 (2nd in AL)
• All Stars: Bert Campaneris (SS)
• Awards: Jim Sundberg (Gold Glove catcher); Juan Beniquez (Gold Glove OF)
• AL Leaders: Toby Harrah (Bases on Balls, 109); Bert Campaneris (Sacrifice Hits, 40; Caught Stealing, 20)
• Batting Leader: Mike Hargrove (.305)
• Home Run Leader: Toby Harrah (27)
• RBI Leader: Toby Harrah (87)
• Stolen Base Leader: Bump Wills (28)
• Victories Leader: Doyle Alexander (17)
• Losses Leader: Bert Blyleven, Gaylord Perry (12)
• Strikeout Leader: Bert Blyleven (182)
• Saves Leader: Adrian Devine (15)
• ERA Leader (starters): Bert Blyleven (2.72)
• ERA Leader (relievers): Darold Knowles (3.22)
• Players who could have had Rangers cards in 1977 (batters with over 100 AB, pitchers with over 40 innings) :
• Roger Moret (pictured with Atlanta Braves) - 3-3, 4 saves, 3.73 ERA in 18 games (8 starts)
• Darold Knowles (pictured with Chicago Cubs) - 5-2, 4 saves, 3.22 ERA in 42 games
• Paul Lindblad (pictured with Oakland A's) - 4-5, 4 saves, 4.20 ERA in 42 games (1 start)
• Adrian Devine (pictured with Atlanta Braves) - 11-6, 15 saves, 3.58 ERA in 56 games (2 starts)
• Dock Ellis (pictured with New York Yankees) - 10-6, 1 save, 2.90 ERA in 23 games (22 starts)
• Ken Henderson (OF-Pictured with Atlanta Braves) - .258, 5 HR, 23 RBI in 75 games
• Dave May (RF-no card) - .241, 7 HR, 42 RBI in 120 games
• Willie Horton (DH-pictured with Detroit Tigers) - .289, 15 HR, 75 RBI in 139 games
• Claudell Washington (LF-pictured with Oakland A's) - .284, 12 HR, 68 RBI in 129 games