▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁the ▁Mil w au kee ▁Bra ves ▁named ▁M auch , ▁then ▁ 2 7 ▁years ▁old , ▁the ▁player - manager ▁of ▁their ▁Double - A ▁Atlanta ▁Cra ck ers ▁farm ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁Southern ▁Association , ▁his ▁first ▁manager ial ▁assignment . ▁His ▁team ▁finished ▁ 8 4 – 7 0 , ▁in ▁third ▁place , ▁three ▁games ▁behind ▁the ▁M emph is ▁Ch ick as aws , ▁and ▁fell ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁play offs ▁to ▁the ▁event ual ▁league ▁champion ▁Nash ville ▁Vol s . ▁The ▁comb ative ▁M auch ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁frequent ▁sk irm ishes ▁with ▁the ▁league ' s ▁u mp ires ▁and ▁later ▁conced ed ▁he ▁was ▁too ▁young ▁for ▁the ▁assignment . ▁But ▁seven ▁years ▁later , ▁John ▁J . ▁Qu inn , ▁who ▁as ▁the ▁Bra ves ' ▁general ▁manager ▁had ▁h ired ▁him ▁for ▁the ▁Cra ck ers ' ▁job , ▁would ▁give ▁M auch ▁his ▁first ▁big - le ague ▁manager ial ▁opportunity ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁Phill ies . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁M auch ▁was ▁strictly ▁a ▁player , ▁first ▁for ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Ang els ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Coast ▁League , ▁then ▁the ▁Red ▁So x . ▁His ▁final ▁big - le ague ▁season , ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁with ▁Boston , ▁was ▁his ▁most ▁product ive . ▁He ▁started