Clarinda A's Baseball

BLACK NAMED MANAGER OF SAN DIEGO PADRES

Bud Black who pitched for the Clarinda A’s in 1977 and 1978 has recently signed to manage the San Diego Padres in 2007. He was announced as the new manager at the Padres 2006 Awards Dinner November 9. “His past record is part of what made him appealing,” said team General Manager Kevin Towers. Black has been in demand as a manager since 2003 when he turned down an over from the Boston Red Sox and last season the Los Angeles Dodgers. He interviewed for the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants positions also this fall.

Black had spent the past seven seasons as the Angels pitching coach. He was a special assistant to the Cleveland Indians in 1996, 97 and 99, serving as pitching coach for their AAA club in Buffalo in 1998.      

Drafted in the 17th round by the Seattle Mariners in the 1979 free agent draft, Black appeared in the major leagues with them in 1981; Kansas City Royals, 1982-88; Cleveland Indians 1988-90, 95; Toronto Blue Jays, 1990 and San Francisco 1992-94.

In his 15 years as a major league pitcher, he compiled a 121-116 record with 32 complete games, 12 shutouts, 11 saves and a 3.84 ERA (2053.1 innings pitched -875 earned runs given up) in 398 major league games. He was on the pitching staff of the Royals when they won the World Series in 1987.
     
Black came to the Clarinda A’s in 1977 following his sophomore year at Lower Columbia (WA) Junior College and again in 1978 after his junior year at San Diego State University. In 1977 the A’s finished 58-15 and Bud was 5-1, appearing in 10 games and leading the pitching staff with an ERA of 3.00. He pitched 70 innings, gave up 22 walks and had 69 strike outs. He was named to the All Regional Tournament team with other A’s Keith Spreckles, Jack Shupe, Darrell Miller, Jim Wilfong and Sam Solis.
     
During the 1978 season, Black went 8-3 for the 54-16 A’s who finished 11th at the NBC World Series. He was the workhorse of the pitching staff, hurling 80 innings, giving up 31 walks and striking out 82 to finish with a 2.25 ERA.
      
When he was with the Royals, Bud came up to help with two team fund raisers and joined Ozzie Smith and Von Hayes at the Hall of Fame banquet in 1987. That was the year the Cardinals and Royals were in the Series and even though there was a blizzard the night before the banquet, it was the largest crowd the A’s have ever had for the event. Black was inducted into the Clarinda Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
 
With his wife Nan and daughters Jamie and Jessie, Black makes his home in Rancho Sante Fe, CA, just north of San Diego.