team gain any possible advantage on the baseball diamond. Mauch had a brilliant baseball mind and is sometimes credited with starting the "double player switch". Mauch gained a reputation for being loyal to his players and became known as the Little General. Philadelphia Phillies Mauch took command of the Phillies two games into the 1960 season. He managed them to a 58–94 record. The following year, they finished 47–107; from July 29 to August 20, they lost 23 straight games, which ranks as the third-longest losing streak in baseball history along with the longest in the 20th century. The following year, they finished 81–80. This was their first season over .500 since 1953. He was named Manager of the Year by the Associated Press that year. "It makes me very happy," he said of the honor. "The only thing that will make me any happier is when the Phillies are the Team of the Year." The Phillies improved to an 87–75 record the next season, which was also the first time that the team had two straight winning seasons since 1952-1953. In late September 1964, his Phillies had a record of 90–60, a -game lead in the National League with 12 games left to play, and were starting a 7-game home stand. Mauch decided to start his two pitching aces, Jim Bunning and Chris Short, in 7 of the last 10 games, 4 of those starts on 2 days' rest (all of which they lost). The Phillies faded, losing 10 games in a row before winning their last 2 games to finish tied for second place with the Cincinnati Reds, one game behind the Johnny Keane's St. Louis Cardinals in a collapse infamously known as the "Phold." Ultimately, the season was the peak for the team in terms of wins and finish in his tenure, although Mauch became the first Phillies manager since Pat Moran to have three straight winning seasons from 1915 to 1917. Due to Keane leaving the Cardinals for the New York Yankees after the season, Mauch was selected to manage the 1965 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which the National League won 6–5. His next three full seasons all resulted in over .500 finishes, though they did not finish above 4th. Mauch was let go after the Phillies were 27–27 during the 1968 season. His 646 wins as manager stood as a team record until 2011,