Managers Who Went Ballistic

TOP EIGHT
HOTHEADS

BY MARK A. LARSON
Editor & Publisher

This time, the manager went too far and … Wham! … The umpire points toward the clubhouse and yells “You’re Outta Here!”

We’ve all seen it during a ballgame … especially when the score is close. There’s a hotly contested play or dispute involving balls and strikes. Like a locomotive, the manager steams out of the dugout barrelling toward the umpire who made the call.

Soon voices are being raised. Faces are getting red. The ump and manager are nose-to-nose. Blood is beginning to boil and tempers are flaring. … Then something snaps. That was the last straw. The manager has been ejected. Thrown out of the game. Sent to the showers. Given the old heave-ho. He usually continues to argue, but eventually stomps off.

Some managers are more prone to being ejected than others. Most times, they’re truly upset with the call on the field. Other times, the team’s skipper goes ballistic as a way to get their players motivated and excite the fans. In any case, there’s nothing quite like a good, old “rhubarb” to liven up a game.

Over the course of decades of major league baseball, managers have been told to head to the exit thousands of times. In this article, we will look at the top eight managers – in descending order – who’ve had the most total ejections during their careers.

– 1 –

BOBBY COX

—

162 TOTAL EJECTIONS
(Once Every 28 Games)

1978-81 • Atlanta Braves
1982-85 • Toronto Blue Jays
1990-2010 • Atlanta Braves

Record: 2,504 wins • 2,001 losses

—

– 2 –

JOHN McGRAW

—

121 TOTAL EJECTIONS
(Once Every 39 Games)

1899, 1901-02 • Baltimore Orioles
1902-32 • New York Giants

Record: 2,763 wins • 1,948 losses

—

– 3 –

LEO DUROCHER

—

100 TOTAL EJECTIONS
(Once Every 37 Games)

1939-46, 1948 • Brooklyn Dodgers
1948-55 • New York Giants
1966-72 • Chicago Cubs
1972-73 • Houston Astros

Record: 2,008 wins • 1,709 losses

—

– 4 –

EARL WEAVER

—

96 TOTAL EJECTIONS
(Once Every 26 Games)

1968-82, 1985-86 • Baltimore Orioles

Record: 1,480 wins • 1,060 losses

—

– 5 –

TONY LaRUSSA

—

93 TOTAL EJECTIONS
(Once Every 58 Games)

1979-86, 2021-22 • Chicago White Sox
1986-95 • Oakland Athletics
1996-2011 • St. Louis Cardinals

Record: 2,884 wins • 2,499 losses

—

– 6 –

BRUCE BOCHY

—

89 TOTAL EJECTIONS
(Once Every 51 Games)

1995-2006 • San Diego Padres
2007-19 • San Francisco Giants
2023-25 • Texas Rangers

Record: 2,252 wins • 2,266 losses

—

– 7 –

FRANKIE FRISCH

—

88 TOTAL EJECTIONS
(Once Every 25 Games)

1933-38 • St. Loius Cardinals
1940-46 • Pittsburgh Pirates
1949-51 • Chicago Cubs

Record: 1,138 wins • 1,078 losses

—

– 8 –

RON GARDENHIRE

—

84 TOTAL EJECTIONS
(Once Every 30 Games)

2002-14 • Minnesota Twins
2018-20 • Detroit Tigers

Record: 1,200 wins • 1,280 losses

—

ONE MORE
HOTHEAD OF NOTE

Surprisingly, Billy Martin – who  was known for his feistiness and getting into multiple brawls – is way down the list in 26th place with just 48 ejections. He was thrown out of ballgames at the relatively calm rate of only one ejection per 47 contests.

Maybe Martin saved some of his ire for his bosses (like George Steinbrenner of the Yankees) and even, at times, his own players. Apparently, umps were just part of the mix in setting off his hotheadedness.

During his playing career in the 1950s and early ’60s – and  into his managerial career starting in 1969 – Martin was known to have participated in a series of fistfights … usually involving drinking in bars. His already established “Bad Boy” reputation was well-known. And Topps took note.     

The company issued a gigantic 792-card baseball card set in 1972. Of these, six dozen were “In-Action” cards, with only one featuring a non-player. … You guessed it, Billy Martin. His reputation preceded him as he’s the only manager included in the subset. Naturally, Martin is shown “in action” arguing with an umpire. … Nice to know, Topps had a sense of humor.

HOTHEADS’
NUMBER ONE FOE

So, who’s the Number One ump in handing out ejections?

Between 1905-41, National League umpire Bill Klem tossed out the most managers (and ballplayers). The total varies from source-to-source, but it’s clear Klem sent over 250 ballistic hotheads packing – roughly one every 20-25 games.

Klem was enshrined in Cooperstown in 1953.

1992 Megacards “Conlon Collection”

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