2 ▁career ▁vict ories ▁ranked ▁ 8 th ▁in ▁ML B ▁history , ▁when ▁he ▁retired , ▁and ▁his ▁ 3 , 9 4 2 ▁total ▁games ▁managed ▁ranked ▁ 4 th . ▁M auch ▁gained ▁a ▁reputation ▁for ▁playing ▁a ▁distinct ive ▁" small ▁ball " ▁style , ▁which ▁emphas ized ▁defense , ▁speed , ▁and ▁base - to - base ▁tact ics ▁on ▁off ense , ▁rather ▁than ▁power ▁hitting . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁career ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Sal ina , ▁Kansas , ▁he ▁was ▁raised ▁there ▁and ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁where ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁John ▁C . ▁F rem ont ▁High ▁School . ▁His ▁professional ▁baseball ▁career ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 7 . ▁Re aching ▁the ▁maj ors ▁the ▁following ▁season ▁during ▁the ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁man power ▁short age , ▁M auch ▁played ▁for ▁six ▁different ▁clubs ▁over ▁all ▁or ▁parts ▁of ▁nine ▁ML B ▁seasons ▁between ▁ ▁and ▁. ▁In ▁ 3 0 4 ▁games ▁and ▁ 7 3 7 ▁at - b ats , ▁M auch ▁hit ▁. 2 3 9 , ▁with ▁ 1 7 6 ▁hits , ▁including ▁ 2 5 ▁doubles , ▁seven ▁tri ples , ▁five ▁home ▁runs . ▁He ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁ 6 2 ▁R B Is , ▁striking ▁out ▁ 8 2 ▁times . ▁He ▁missed ▁part ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁season ▁while ▁performing ▁w art ime ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States