Un-Covering the Past.(Hall of Fame manager Al Lopez)

AL LOPEZ: Manager Appeared on Baseball Digest Cover 32 years ago

ELECTED TO THE HALL OF FAME AS A manager in 1977, Al Lopez, now 92, considers winning American League pennants with the Cleveland Indians in 1954 and Chicago White Sox in 1959 among his fondest memories from the days he spent in the majors.

"My biggest thrill, though," he said, "came when I joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1928 as a 20-year-old catcher. It was an incredible feeling when I became a major league player."

During his years behind the plate, starting fulltime from 1930 through 1947, Lopez was considered one of the finest defensive catchers in the majors and was highly regarded for his ability in working with pitchers.

He led National League catchers four times in fielding, and tied a league record in 1941 by allowing no passed balls in 114 games. When he retired as an active player, he had caught 1,918 games, a record that stood for many years.

A native of Tampa's Ybor City in Florida, he played for the Dodgers, Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and Indians. He managed the Indians from 1951 through 1956, and the White Sox from 1957 through 1965, and then briefly in 1968-1969.

From 1951 through 1959, his teams, besides winning two pennants, finished second seven times. "Those were the years," he ...