Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1985
- Class:
- 1967
KSU CAREER: Lettered in baseball and basketball at Kent State…One of the smoothest fielding shortstops in KSU history, played for Moose Paskert and Matt Resick…Teamed with another ex-Major Leaguer and KSU Hall of Famer Rich Rollins…Also ran cross country for KSU…Michael was equally adept on the basketball court and the baseball diamond, and was the Flashes leading scorer in 1957-58 averaging 14.0 points per game…A capable shooter and excellent ballhandler…HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Graduated from Akron East High School in 1955…Lettered four times each in baseball and basketball for the Orientals…Was an All-Ohio pick in baseball and earned All-City and All-District honors in basketball…POST KSU CAREER: Was offered a chance to play basketball with the New York Knicks but opted for baseball instead…Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates…Let Northern League shortstops in double plays in 1959 with 87 and again in 1960 with 90…Also led Southern League with 85 DP’s in 1961 and the International League with 78 in 1965…Made his major league debut with the Pirates in 1966…Closed out his major league playing career in 1976 after playing for the Dodgers, Yankees, Tigers, and Red Sox…Returned to the Yankees front office and was named manager of the Columbus Clippers, the Yanks’ AAA farm club…Led Clippers to the International League Championship in 1979…Served as the General Manager of the Yankees in 1980 and was named to succeed Dick Howser as the manager of the Bronx Bombers in 1981…PERSONAL: Born in Kent of June 2, 1938…Received his B.S. degree in education from KSU in 1967…Elected to the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame in 1980…Is the father of three children (a daughter and two sons).
