Alvin Dark RIP

[mark evans]

Originally Posted by tj1943

Sorry for the Cerv duplication. Others alive are Harry Perkowski, Ed Fitzgerald, Tom Wright, Bob Kuzava, Alex Grammas and Randy Jackson.

OT-- I saw Bob Kuzava pitch in an industrial league game in Norfolk, Va around 1961. My dad took me. I was around 11 years old. Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino played in the same league during his active duty between his Naval Academy and AFL careers.

[Runscott]

Always nice to hear good things about people when they pass. When I think of Alvin Dark, I think of how many quadruplicates I had of his Indians manager cards. I think my bicycle spokes were half Alvin Dark cards.

[Tao_Moko]

He made it just past the USMC birthday. RIP brother. Semper Fi

[ethicsprof]

I remember watching him manage when I was a boy.
I had quite a few of his 60s cards back then and prized them.
my heartfelt condolences to family, friends, fans,

Barry

[T3s]

I had the good fortune of meeting and spending some time with Mr. Dark in the early 1990's. Bob Bolin is a friend and he and Bob were very close. I remember being impressed with how strong and tough he appeared physically. He pulled no punches while speaking, saying things straight but with a kind heart. Mr. Dark held extremely strong Christian beliefs and was often criticized for this in different ways during his playing and managing days. It was a great thrill meeting Alvin Dark. He was a Marine and true patriot, a wonderfully talented baseball player and athlete, a very successful manager, a dedicated Christian and a fine Southern gentleman. Rest in peace Mr. Dark. God bless.

As an aside, I'll always remember Alvin Dark as manager of the A's, a huge smile on his face wearing a bright white cap with a dark green A's emblem.

[ZenPop]

Originally Posted by T3s

I had the good fortune of meeting and spending some time with Mr. Dark in the early 1990's. Bob Bolin is a friend and he and Bob were very close. I remember being impressed with how strong and tough he appeared physically. He pulled no punches while speaking, saying things straight but with a kind heart. Mr. Dark held extremely strong Christian beliefs and was often criticized for this in different ways during his playing and managing days. It was a great thrill meeting Alvin Dark. He was a Marine and true patriot, a wonderfully talented baseball player and athlete, a very successful manager, a dedicated Christian and a fine Southern gentleman. Rest in peace Mr. Dark. God bless.

As an aside, I'll always remember Alvin Dark as manager of the A's, a huge smile on his face wearing a bright white cap with a dark green A's emblem.

As a die-hard Giants' fan, I always had mixed-emotions about Alvin Dark... So many things to admire... but the accusations of racism REALLY bothered me. How anyone that describes themselves as a "Christian" could hold those beliefs is always a puzzle to me. I hope I'm completely wrong about him... but if he did hold those beliefs, then I really hope he became more enlightened in his later years. Rest in peace.

[howard38]

Originally Posted by ZenPop

As a die-hard Giants' fan, I always had mixed-emotions about Alvin Dark... So many things to admire... but the accusations of racism REALLY bothered me. How anyone that describes themselves as a "Christian" could hold those beliefs is always a puzzle to me. I hope I'm completely wrong about him... but if he did hold those beliefs, then I really hope he became more enlightened in his later years. Rest in peace.

Now that the elephant in the room has been mentioned here is the 1964 quote that dogged his later career:

"We have trouble because we have so many Negro and Spanish speaking players on the team. They are just not able to perform up to the white players when it comes to mental alertness. You can't make most Negro and Spanish speaking players have the pride in their team that you get from white players".

At the time Dark said that the quote was taken out of context (I'm not sure if he ever claimed that he was mis-quoted) and several black players including Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson defended him as someone who treated blacks as equals.