Frank Quilici

Frank Quilici
Second baseman / Manager
Born: (1939-05-11)May 11, 1939 Chicago, Illinois
Died: May 14, 2018(2018-05-14) (aged 79) Burnsville, Minnesota
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 18, 1965, for the Minnesota Twins
Last MLB appearance
September 29, 1970, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
Batting average	.214
Home runs	5
Runs batted in	53
Managerial record	280–287
Winning %	.494
Teams
As player Minnesota Twins (1965, 1967–1970) As coach Minnesota Twins (1971–1972) As manager Minnesota Twins (1972–1975)

Francis Ralph Quilici (May 11, 1939 – May 14, 2018) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager who spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the Minnesota Twins. Quilici served the team for all or part of five years as an infielder, 11⁄2 years as a coach, and 31⁄2 years as manager, then spent six more years as a broadcaster for them. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 170 pounds (77 kg).

Playing career[]

Quilici was born in Chicago, where he graduated from St. Mel High School. He attended Loras College and Western Michigan University. In 1961, he signed with the Twins during their first year in Minneapolis–Saint Paul after they transferred from Washington. Upon entering the Twins' farm system, he rose from Class D to Triple-A over the next 41⁄2 seasons and was batting .277 with the Denver Bears when the pennant-bound 1965 Twins called him to the majors in July. With veteran incumbent second baseman Jerry Kindall suffering from a chronic hamstring injury,^[1] Quilici quickly assumed a key role in the Minnesota lineup, starting 39 games at second base during the season's final ten weeks.

Then, in the 1965 World Series, Quilici started all seven games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and collected four hits (with two doubles) in 20 at bats and a run batted in. One of his doubles touched off a six-run, third inning rally against eventual Baseball Hall of Famer Don Drysdale in Game 1. When the Twins batted around in that frame, Quilici came to the plate again and chased Drysdale with a single. His two hits in one inning tied a record and sparked an 8–2 Minnesota victory.^[2] In the field, Quilici played every inning of all seven games, making two errors in 36 chances for a .944 fielding percentage. But the Twins succumbed to another future Hall of Famer, Sandy Koufax, in Game 7, 2–0, to lose the series. Quilici had a double in three at bats in that final contest against the Dodger southpaw.^[3]

The following year, 1966, was a setback for Quilici. He spent the entire season at Triple-A Denver, as the Twins alternated Bernie Allen and César Tovar as their regular second basemen. When Quilici returned to Minnesota in 1967 it was as a utility infielder: standout rookie Rod Carew, yet another future Hall of Famer, won the Twins' second base job and would hold it for the next eight seasons. Quilici spent all of 1968, 1969 and 1970 on the Twins' roster, playing in an average of 109 games each year, mostly at second base, third base and shortstop, batting a career-high .245 in 1968.

Coach, manager and broadcaster[]

During the 1970–1971 offseason, a vacancy opened on manager Bill Rigney's coaching staff when Sherry Robertson was killed in an automobile accident. Looking to save a roster spot, but retain Quilici as potential insurance in case one of their infielders were injured,^[4] the Twins named the 31-year-old to fill Robertson's slot as the club's fifth coach. Quilici never returned to the active list, and the arrangement lasted for all of 1971 and into 1972.

But on July 6, 1972, with owner Calvin Griffith seeking to shake up his 36–34 team, he ousted Rigney and promoted Quilici, now 33, to manager;^[5] he was the youngest pilot in the major leagues that season and throughout his managerial term. The Twins went 41–43 under Quilici, finishing third in the American League West Division, and followed with records of 81–81 (1973) and 82–80 (1974) and two more third-place finishes. But when the 1975 club fell off to 76–83, Quilici was replaced by veteran former National League skipper Gene Mauch. He remained associated with the Twins, however, as a radio commentator on the team's broadcasts in 1976–1977, 1980–1982 and 1987.^[4] Outside of baseball he was active in business and charitable activities in the Twin Cities region.

As a player, Quilici batted .214 in 405 games played; his 146 MLB hits included 23 doubles, six triples and with five home runs. He collected 53 runs batted in. His record as Minnesota's manager was 280–287 (.494).

Frank Quilici died on May 14, 2018 at the age of 79 in Burnsville, Minnesota, after suffering from kidney disease.^[6]

References[]

External links[]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs
• Frank Quilici managerial career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com