Gail Henley
From BR Bullpen
Gail Curtice Henley
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 9", Weight 180 lb.
- School University of Southern California
- Debut April 13, 1954
- Final Game May 6, 1954
- Born October 15, 1928 in Wichita, KS USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Gail Henley hit .300 in his only year in the big leagues, albeit in only 30 at-bats. In 1954, when Henley was on the Pittsburgh Pirates, two of the three outfielders hit under .240 and without power. However, the next year rookie Roberto Clemente captured one of those outfield positions.
Henley is one of three major leaguers to be named "Gail", along with Gail Hopkins and Gail Harris. Henley was the first to break into the majors.
George Gmelch wrote an article about playing in the minors, along with Jim Leyland, for manager Gail Henley in the 1960's in Daytona Beach and in the New York-Penn League. Gmelch, who went on to become a professor of anthropology at Union College, wrote that Henley remembered him and his skills in fine detail thirty years later in 2000 when Henley, Gmelch, and Leyland met. Gene Lamont also played with them. See Was I a Prospect?.
After managing in the minors for the Detroit Tigers, Henley joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a scout where he would stay until at least the mid-80's. He would go on to manage a few seasons in the Dodger chain also. He served three separate stints as manager of the Lethbridge Dodgers of the Pioneer League and won championships in three of his four seasons at the helm of the club.
[edit] Year-by-Year Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Montgomery Rebels | Alabama-Florida League | 56-62 | 4th | Detroit Tigers | none |
| 1962 | Thomasville Tigers | Georgia-Florida League | 76-41 | 1st | Detroit Tigers | none League Champs |
| 1963 | Lakeland Tigers | Florida State League | 60-61 | 5th | Detroit Tigers | none |
| 1964 | Duluth-Superior Dukes | Northern League | 61-55 | 3rd | Detroit Tigers | 2nd in Baukol Playoffs |
| 1965 | Jamestown Tigers | New York-Penn League | 47-75 | 5th (t) | Detroit Tigers | none |
| 1966 | Daytona Beach Islanders | Florida State League | 71-70 | 6th | Detroit Tigers | |
| 1972 | Ogden Dodgers | Pioneer League | 29-41 | 3rd | Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| 1973 | Ogden Dodgers | Pioneer League | 37-33 | 2nd | Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| 1977 | Lethbridge Dodgers | Pioneer League | 44-26 | 1st | Los Angeles Dodgers | League Champs |
| 1979 | Lethbridge Dodgers | Pioneer League | 38-30 | 1st | Los Angeles Dodgers | League Champs |
| 1980 | Lethbridge Dodgers | Pioneer League | 52-18 | 1st | Los Angeles Dodgers | League Champs |
| 1983 | Lethbridge Dodgers | Pioneer League | 39-31 | 2nd | Los Angeles Dodgers |
