26 years in MLB, said "Lopez had a better handle on all the facets of the game than any manager I ever played for. He knew about hitting, offense, defense, pitching, catching, and strategy. The Senior, as he was dubbed, also understood player psychology, and knew how to communicate with his players. He was tough to play for in that he demanded so much out of you, but that just made you a better performer. Al was the type of manager who was smart enough, and secure enough, not to overmanage. He threw the bats and balls out on the field and simply let you play." Because of his Spanish ancestry and his "gentlemanly" nature, López was given the nickname "El Señor". Managerial record López's .584 winning percentage is 9th all time in Major League Baseball history. At the time of his retirement, his 1,410 MLB managerial wins ranked 11th all-time, and were the 26th most wins as of the end of the 2016 season. In 18 full seasons as a minor league and major league manager, he never had a losing record. His 1954 Indians and 1959 White Sox teams were the only non-Yankee clubs to win the AL pennant between and inclusive, and his 840 wins with the White Sox still rank second in franchise history, behind Jimmy Dykes (899). Personal life and legacy Al López met Evelyn "Connie" Kearney, a dancer at the Hollywood Club in New York, while he was playing for Brooklyn in the early 1930s, and the couple often went on double dates with teammate Tony Cuccinello and his wife. When López was traded to Boston in 1935, he and Connie found it difficult to conduct a long-distance relationship, so she soon joined him. They married on October 7, 1939 and had a son, Al Jr., in 1940. Honors Al and Connie López retired to his hometown in 1970 to live near family and friends. López was the first Tampa native to play in the major leagues, the first to manage a major league team, the first to manage his team to a World Series (Lou Piniella and Tony La Russa each did so later), and the first to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. As such, he was the recipient of many honors in his hometown, both during and after his long baseball career. Lopez was the manager of the Cleveland