▁the ▁A ' s ▁finished ▁dead ▁last ▁in ▁the ▁maj ors ▁with ▁a ▁ 5 2 - 1 0 2 ▁record . ▁V eter an ▁J imm ie ▁Dy kes ▁took ▁the ▁hel m ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 1 – 5 3 , ▁and ▁— ▁thanks ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁League ▁M VP , ▁pitch er ▁Bobby ▁Sh ant z ▁— ▁spark ed ▁one ▁last ▁rev ival ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁But ▁the ▁A ' s ▁fell ▁to ▁sevent h ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁prompt ing ▁Dy kes ' ▁departure . ▁ ▁To ▁save ▁money ▁on ▁pay ing ▁a ▁separate ▁sal ary ▁for ▁a ▁manager , ▁Jo ost , ▁who ▁had ▁appeared ▁in ▁only ▁ 5 1 ▁games ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁became ▁player - manager ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁He ▁batt ed ▁. 3 6 2 ▁in ▁ 4 7 ▁at ▁b ats , ▁but ▁the ▁team ▁went ▁ 5 1 – 1 0 3 ▁(. 3 3 1 ) ▁and ▁Jo ost ▁was ▁fired ▁after ▁the ▁season ▁ended . ▁ ▁Later ▁career ▁ ▁Jo ost ▁continued ▁his ▁playing ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁utility ▁inf iel der ▁for ▁the ▁Red ▁So x ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁briefly ▁managed ▁ ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Coast ▁League ' s ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Se als , ▁then ▁the ▁top ▁Bo S ox ▁farm ▁club , ▁in ▁his ▁h omet own ▁before ▁leaving ▁the ▁game . ▁He ▁held