The American Association Manager of the Year Award was an annual award given to the best manager in Minor League Baseball's American Association based on their regular-season performance. Though the league was established in 1902, the award was not created until 1953. It continued to be issued through the 1962 season, after which the league disbanded. In 1969, both the league and the award were revived, and the honor continued to be given until the league disbanded for a second time after the 1997 season.
Nine managers won the award on multiple occasions. Joe Sparks won the award five times, more than any other manager. Marc Bombard and Vern Rapp each won three times. Kerby Farrell, Jim Fregosi, Jim Marshall, Gene Mauch, Jack McKeon, and Rick Renick each won the award twice. Sparks (1986, 1987, and 1988) won three of his five awards consecutively, while Mauch (1958 and 1959), McKeon (1969 and 1970), and Bombard (1994 and 1995) won in back-to-back seasons.
Fourteen managers from the Indianapolis Indians won the Manager of the Year Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Denver Zephyrs and Omaha Royals (4); the Evansville Triplets and Minneapolis Millers (3); the Iowa Cubs, Louisville Redbirds, Nashville Sounds, and Wichita Aeros (2); and the Buffalo Bisons, Louisville Colonels, Oklahoma City 89ers, Omaha Dodgers, and Toledo Sox (1).
Eight managers from the Montreal Expos Major League Baseball (MLB) organization won the award, more than any other, followed by the Cincinnati Reds organization (6); the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals organizations (4); the Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Braves organizations (3); the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and St. Louis Cardinals organizations (2); and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Texas Rangers
Winners
+KeyLeagueThe team's final position in the league standingsDivisionThe team's final position in the divisional standingsRecordThe team's wins and losses during the regular seasonNumber of wins by managers who won the award multiple times^Indicates multiple award winners in the same year*Indicates league champions
+WinnersYearWinnerTeamOrganizationLeagueDivisionRecord 1953Toledo SoxMilwaukee Braves1st90–641954 Indianapolis IndiansCleveland Indians1st95–571955Minneapolis Millers*New York Giants1st92–621956 Indianapolis Indians*Cleveland Indians1st92–621957Wichita BravesMilwaukee Braves1st93–611958 Minneapolis Millers*Boston Red Sox3rd82–711959 Minneapolis Millers*Boston Red Sox2nd2nd95–671960Louisville Colonels*Milwaukee Braves2nd85–681961Indianapolis IndiansCincinnati Reds1st86–641962^Indianapolis IndiansChicago White Sox1st89–58Omaha DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers2nd79–681969 Omaha Royals*Kansas City Royals1st85–551970 Omaha Royals*Kansas City Royals1st1st73–651971 Indianapolis IndiansCincinnati Reds1st1st84–551972 Wichita AerosChicago Cubs1st1st87–531973 Iowa OaksChicago White Sox1st1st83–531974 Indianapolis IndiansCincinnati Reds1st1st78–571975Evansville Triplets*Detroit Tigers2nd1st77–591976 Denver Bears*Montreal Expos1st1st86–501977 Denver Bears*Montreal Expos3rd1st71–651978Evansville TripletsDetroit Tigers2nd2nd78–581979Evansville Triplets*Detroit Tigers1st1st78–581980Denver BearsMontreal Royals1st1st92–441981 Omaha RoyalsKansas City Royals1st1st79–571982Iowa CubsChicago Cubs2nd (tie)2nd (tie)73–621983 Louisville RedbirdsSt. Louis Cardinals1st1st78–571984Indianapolis IndiansMontreal Expos1st91–631985^ Louisville Redbirds*St. Louis Cardinals3rd1st74–68Oklahoma City 89ersTexas Rangers1st1st79–631986 Indianapolis Indians*Montreal Expos1st1st80–621987 Indianapolis Indians*Montreal Expos3rd74–641988 Indianapolis Indians*Montreal Expos1st1st89–531989Indianapolis Indians*Montreal Expos1st1st87–591990Omaha Royals*Kansas City Royals1st1st86–601991Denver Zephyrs*Milwaukee Brewers2nd1st79–651992 Buffalo BisonsPittsburgh Pirates1st1st87–571993 Nashville SoundsChicago White Sox2nd1st81–621994 Indianapolis Indians*Cincinnati Reds1st86–571995 Indianapolis IndiansCincinnati Reds1st88–561996 Nashville SoundsChicago White Sox4th3rd77–671997Indianapolis IndiansCincinnati Reds2nd2nd89–59
Wins by team
Team Award(s) Year(s)Indianapolis Indians141954, 1956, 1961, 1962, 1971, 1974, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1997Denver Zephyrs (Denver Bears)41976, 1977, 1980, 1991Omaha Royals1969, 1970, 1981, 1990Evansville Triplets31975, 1978, 1979Minneapolis Millers1955, 1958, 1959Iowa Cubs (Iowa Oaks)21973, 1982Louisville Redbirds1983, 1985Nashville Sounds1993, 1996Wichita Aeros (Wichita Aeros)1957, 1972Buffalo Bisons11992Louisville Colonels1960Oklahoma City 89ers1985Omaha Dodgers1962Toledo Sox1953
Wins by organization
Organization Award(s) Year(s)Montreal Expos81976, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989Cincinnati Reds61961, 1971, 1974, 1994, 1995, 1997Chicago White Sox41962, 1973, 1993, 1996Kansas City Royals1969, 1970, 1981, 1990Detroit Tigers31975, 1978, 1979Milwaukee Braves1953, 1957, 1960Boston Red Sox21958, 1959Chicago Cubs1972, 1982Cleveland Indians1954, 1956St. Louis Cardinals1983, 1985Los Angeles Dodgers11962Milwaukee Brewers1991New York Giants1955Pittsburgh Pirates1992Texas Rangers1985
Notes
References Specific
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