NL Player of the WeekAl Lopez
AL Lopez (HA41) is one of only a small handful of Dodgers worth mentioning from the 1934 season and the only team member to make the Hall of Fame, albeit as a manager.
He began his career in Brooklyn in 1928 and remained until 1936, when he was traded to Boston (NL). From there he went to Pittsburgh and finally spent one final season in Cleveland in 1947.
He made two All Star appearances but never placed higher than 10th in MVP voting. Only twice did he exceed the league average, and was frequently below it. He had a good arm, and showed quickness behind the plate. Because of WWII, he was able to extend his career several years and held the record for games caught for a while as result.
Lopez's managerial career was a different story though. He managed Cleveland from 1951 through 1956, including the pennant winning 1954 team that won 111 games only to be shocked by the Giants in the World Series. In 1957, Lopez moved to the White Sox, and managed them through 1969, winning the AL pennant with the "Go Go Sox" of 1959. In all, his record as a manager was 1410 and 1004.
Lopez was elected to the Hall of Fame (as a manager) in 1977.
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