Career
As a manager, he led the 1940 Detroit Tigers to the American League pennant. As a coach, he was known as one of the premier "sign stealers" in baseball. Born in Sherwood, Oregon, and raised in neighboring Wilsonville,Baker played extensively in the minor leagues.
He did appear in 172 Major League games over three seasons (1914-1916) with the Tigers, batting.209 with no home runs and 22 runs batted in (RBIs).
After managing Detroit"s Texas League farm team, the Beaumont Exporters, to 100 victories and the 1932 championship, Baker was named a Tigers coach under Bucky Harris for 1933. Baker, as Detroit"s "senior coach," took over as acting manager three times: in 1933, when Harris was fired at the end of the season, then temporarily in the midseasons of 1936 (when Cochrane took a leave of absence for a bout of depression) and 1937 (when Mickey was hit in the head by a pitched ball and suffered a fractured skull that ended his playing career).
Cochrane was released as skipper, and Baker was given the permanent job. He rallied Detroit to 37 wins in 56 games, enough to finish in the first division, but Detroit slipped to fifth in 1939.
The following season, 1940, saw the New York Yankees (league and world champions four years running) drop out of the race, and the Tigers and Cleveland Indians battle for the flag.
In the 1940 World Series, however, Detroit lost in seven games to the Cincinnati Reds, despite the pitching heroics of well-traveled veteran Bobo Newsom. With World World War II on the horizon, the 1941 season was marked by the call to active military service of several baseball stars. One was the Tigers" great power hitter, Hank Greenberg.
With him missing from the lineup, and with Newsom ineffective, Detroit fell below.500 that season, and again in 1942.
Baker was released, and replaced by Steve O"Neill. He then returned to the coaching ranks with Cleveland (1943-1944) and the Boston Red Sox (1945-1948.
1953-1960). From 1949-1951, 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. 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. Baker"s career major league managing record: 412 wins, 357 losses (536) over all or parts of nine seasons.
