Robert Boden Scheffing (August 11, 1913 – October 26, 1985) was an American professional baseball player, coach, manager and front-office executive. Nicknamed "Grumpy", the native of Overland, Missouri, is most often identified with the Chicago Cubs, for whom he played as a catcher (1941–42, 1946–50), coached (1954–55), and managed (1957–59). Scheffing threw and batted right-handed; he was listed as 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 180 pounds (82 kg).
Over the course of his eight-year MLB playing career, Scheffing batted .263 with 357 hits in 517 games with the Cubs, Cincinnati Reds (1950–51) and Cardinals (1951).
Manager of Cubs and Tigers
Scheffing with the Cubs, circa 1957
As a full-time manager, Scheffing led the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League to 107 victories and the 1956 PCL championship, and was promoted to skipper of the parent Cubs the following season. In three full years at the Cubs' helm, Scheffing compiled a 208–254 (.450) record. His 1957 team finished 62–92 and tied for seventh place in the eight-team National League, but his 1958 and 1959 clubs won 72 and 74 games respectively and finished tied for fifth place each season.
Scheffing also spent 21⁄2 years (1961–June 16, 1963) as manager of the Detroit Tigers. Taking over a sixth-place team, he led the 1961 Tigers to 101 victories and second place in the American League. Although the Tigers eventually finished eight games out of first place, they led the league until July 25 and battled the world champion New York Yankees for the pennant until a devastating three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium in early September. The 1962 Tigers, handicapped by Al Kaline's prolonged absence due to a broken collarbone,[2] won 16 fewer games than 1961's team, and finished fourth. Then the 1963 club got off to a poor start (24–36) and was in ninth place in the ten-team league when Scheffing was replaced on June 18 by Chuck Dressen.[3] Although Scheffing's mark with the Tigers was 210–173 (.548), his career managerial record fell nine games short of .500, at 418–427 (.495).
As a coach, Scheffing also served with the St. Louis Browns (1952–53) and Milwaukee Braves (1960, under Dressen), in addition to his tenure with the Cubs.
Scheffing's tenure as Mets general manager is most noted for his trade in which Nolan Ryan was one of four players sent to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi on December 10, 1971.[5] Ryan went on to set the all-time career strikeout record and earn a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, while Fregosi struggled in New York. Scheffing was replaced by Joe McDonald as Mets' GM on October 2, 1974, although he continued in the organization as a scout.[6]
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