Career
Phillips was the second manager in Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim franchise history. A native of Los Angeles, Phillips was a left-handed pitcher in his playing days but, because of a sore arm, his professional playing career consisted of fewer than five games with the Bisbee Bees of the Class Doctorate Arizona–Texas League in 1939. After the Second World War, Phillips returned to baseball and became a highly respected scout for the Cincinnati Reds (1948-1950) and the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1952-1964).
Among the players he signed for the Dodgers were Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale and 21-year MLB veteran Ron Fairly.
He also signed future Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson to his first playing contract in 1953. In 1965, Phillips reached the Major Leagues when he was named pitching coach of the Dodgers.
Although the Dodgers fell back in the standings in 1967-1968, after Koufax" retirement, they still boasted one of the strongest pitching staffs in the majors. At the end of the 1968 season, Phillips joined former Dodger executive Dick Walsh in the Angels" front office.
Walsh was appointed general manager, while Phillips was named to the high-ranking post of director of player personnel.
But when the Angels started only 11–28 in 1969 under their longtime (and original) manager, Bill Rigney, Phillips was asked to return to the field as Rigney"s replacement on May 27, despite his never before having managed in the minor leagues or in MLB. But Johnson was a disciplinary problem. Walsh and Phillips were fired at the end of the season, and Johnson was traded. Phillips" record in 2½ seasons as Angel manager was 222–225 (497).
Phillips then resumed his scouting career with the Angels, but in June 1972, he was fatally stricken with an attack of asthma.
He died in Fullerton, California, at age 53.
