Earlier this month I had the privilege of attending a symposium at the Baseball Hall of Fame on a legendary Oakland coach few know much about. His name is George Powles and he had a hand in the development of a host of major league players, hall-of-famers and civil rights luminaries. There may be something in the water in Oakland that produces such great athletes, but good coaches don't hurt either. Many of us have always known that we have a hotbed of talent in Oakland, but it was great to get some national shine as validation. Check out the Tribune article for full coverage of the symposium. Excerpt below.Also check out Bill Russell's interview with Tavis Smiley HEREUnquestionably, the late Powles (1910-1987) was a towering figure in the Oakland area during the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s. As a coach at McClymonds High and the Bill Erwin Post American Legion baseball team, Powles oversaw the development of 17 players who would eventually play major league baseball, including Hall of Famers Frank Robinson and Joe Morgan as well as Curt Flood, the man who challenged the reserve clause.
Powles also was a major influence on basketball legend Bill Russell, as well as a number of other prominent African American athletes pre-dating the civil rights movements of the 1960s. Click HERE for full article
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3 comments:
I played for George Powles on his E. Bercovich teams, and also against him in Babe Ruth League play. I don't remember learning much baseball from him, except for a winning attitude. He treated all of his players fairly and they played their hearts out for him. It was an honor to be on the same ballfield with him while growing up on the sandlots of Oakland in the late 50's and 60's.
hudson, can you expand on Powles as a coach? You say he didn't teach you much baseball but what were the things you took away from him? What were his strengths and weaknesses? what made him such a good coach?
I never heard George Powles raise his voice in anger or frustration with a player or umpire in all of the seasons I played for and against him. He seemed to get all of the best ballplayers in Oakland to play for him because of his reputation in developing such greats as Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, and Curt Flood. I enjoyed his batting practice sessions and quick paced infield and outfield practices. His greatest asset was his ability to have blacks and whites play together as a team, with no friction. I liked the way his gentle teasing was directed to both so no feelings were hurt. I don't remember Coach Powles ever attepting to change anyone's swing. He just let the players play and pretty much stayed in the backround.
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