a violent incident in spring training with second baseman Lenny Randle marred the season. Lucchesi was auditioning rookie Bump Wills to take over Randle's second base job. When Randle complained publicly about being benched, Lucchesi was quoted as responding: "I'm sick and tired of punks making $80,000 a year moaning and groaning about their situation." A few days later, before an exhibition game against the Minnesota Twins in Orlando, Randle and Lucchesi became embroiled in an argument. Randle struck his manager, who was still clad in street clothes, knocking Lucchesi to the ground and causing his hospitalization for a concussion and broken jaw. Randle was suspended without pay for 30 days, fined an additional $10,000, then traded to the New York Mets. Meanwhile, Lucchesi recovered from his injuries and returned to the bench, but on June 21, with the 1977 Rangers stalled at 31–31, he was fired. Randle was found guilty of assault, and Lucchesi later sued him for $200,000, blaming Randle for the loss of his job. The case was settled, and in 1979–80 Lucchesi returned to the Rangers as third-base coach, serving under manager Pat Corrales, whom he had managed 15 years earlier in the Phillies' farm system. In , Lucchesi was named caretaker pilot of the Chicago Cubs on September 8 upon the firing of Gene Michael. He had been serving the team as an "eye in the sky" scout from the press box. The Cubs went 8–17 over the season's final month, then hired both a new general manager, Jim Frey, and a new manager, Don Zimmer, for . Lucchesi, then 61, returned to the minor leagues for two final seasons, managing the Nashville Sounds, the Reds' top affiliate in the Triple-A American Association. Personal life On June 8, 2019, Lucchesi died at his home in Colleyville, Texas, at the age of 93. References Further reading External links Frank Lucchesi at SABR (Baseball BioProject) Frank Lucchesi at Baseball Biography 1927 births 2019 deaths American people of Italian descent Baseball coaches from California Baseball players from San Francisco Bisbee Yanks players Chattanooga Lookouts managers Chicago Cubs managers Chicago Cubs scouts Cleveland Indians scouts Eugene Emeralds managers High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms players Major League Baseball third base coaches Medford Rogues players Nashville Sounds managers Philadelphia Phillies managers Pine Bluff Judges players Pocatello Bannocks players Portland Beavers players Reading Phillies managers Salem Senators players Salt Lake City Bees players Texas