After nearly a dozen phone interviews, and then pairing it down to six face to face interviews, I had my three finalists for the Managerial job. They were as follows.
Joe Rigoli - Played three years in the minors, then at the tender age of 24, managed the Gastonia Cardinals in the South Atlantic League. He then went on to manager four years in the New York-Penn League with the Erie Cardinals, and sandwiched in between with a year at the Springfield Cardinals in the Midwest League. Liked his enthusiasm, passion for the game, and his strength at working with younger players. A bit concerned that at 31, is he ready to make a move to a professional league, where he will be dealing with older players at times.
Dick Berardino - Dick started managing full time in 1971 as the skipper of the Williamsport Red Sox, and then moved to Elmira in 1973 where he managed the Pioneers for 13 straight years. His most recent position was with the Greensboro Hornets of the South Atlantic League. I liked Dick's experience, and even at the age of 51, he gave me the impression that he could "connect" with the young players, and not be intimidated by the older players. From references I received, all three said he was an excellent "teacher' of the game, and drilled the "fundamentals" of the game into his teams.
Ed Bane - Ed came highly recommended from several of my reliable sources, and for good reason. Ed actually had MLB experience, having pitched for the Twins in 1973, 75, and 76, after spending 1974 in the minors. In 1976 he started 15 games, and had a record of 4-7. And while he only had two years of managing experience(Batavia in the NYPL), his major league experience to me was so valuable. And during our conversation, we talked as if we had known each other for years.
So after laying everything out to Bill, and reviewing all of my notes, I decided to go with Ed. He was absolutely excited about the opportunity, and mentioned how much his family enjoyed their visit to Chester County, and how he new this would be a perfect fit for all of them. He also had a scout already in mind, a bench coach, as well as a pitching and hitting coach. He had already planned ahead as he was hoping things would fall in place.
And by the way, I also hired one staff member to assist me in the daily office responsibilities, marketing, sales, and assisting with sponsors. Her name is Kirsten. Her father coached high school baseball for 30 years, and whenever I attended a game, she was always there. From a young age, through high school/college. Keeping the book, talking to scouts, calming down the parents, etc.
