| DATE SHOT: 1946-49 SUBJECT: Al Dark APPROXIMATE SIZE: 4-1/2"x3-1/4" MARKS / STAMPING: Hand-signed by Al Dark ORIGINAL or REPRINT: Signature is original, Photo is Original - Printed from the original negative in the time period in which it was shot SIGNER: Al Dark COMMENTS / CONDITION: Offered is a vintage snapshot photo of Al Dark in his street clothes circa 1946-49 which has been vintage hand-signed by Dark as shown. As with all of my signed items, the signature is guaranteed to pass further inspection by any major authenticator, or your money back. See scans for signature quality and photo condition. BIO: Alvin Ralph Dark (Blackie, The Swamp Fox) was born in 1922 in Comanche, OK and died in 2014 in Easley, SC. He went to college at Louisiana State University. He played major league baseball from 1946 to 1960 as infielder for the Boston Braves, New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and the Milwaukee Braves, appeared in the 1948, 1951 and 1954 World Series, and was selected 3 times as an All-Star. He was the 1948 Rookie of the Year with the Boston Braves. After his playing career ended, he took over as manager of the San Francisco Giants in 1961 and led the team to the 1962 World Series. That was where he earned his nickname Swamp Fox, when he tried flooding the basepaths at Candlestick Park in order to impede the fast baserunners of the Los Angeles Dodgers. After four years at the helm of the Giants, he was a Chicago Cubs coach in 1965. The next season, he took over as skipper of the Kansas City Athletics, a position he held for almost two seasons. In 1968, Dark became manager of the Cleveland Indians, and the next season he was given the title of the team's General Manager as well. He was fired from both posts in 1971. In 1974, he was named manager of the Oakland Athletics, replacing Dick Williams who had quit in disgust over owner Charles Finley's shenanigans after winning the 1973 World Series. Dark took the club back to the World Series in his first year with them, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. He remained with the A's through 1975, winning a second division title that year. Dark began the 1977 season as part of the Cubs coaching staff and ended the year as the San Diego Padres manager. He later worked in the Chicago White Sox front office in the mid-1980s. SKU: L07029
Item: L07029
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