Cats Name Wayne Terwilliger Manager
Published on December 12, 2002 under North American League (NAmL)
Fort Worth Cats News Release
The Fort Worth Cats announced today that Wayne Terwilliger will manage the team in 2003. Terwilliger â better known as "Twig" â comes to the Cats after spending the last eight seasons as a coach with the St. Paul Saints.
"I first met Twig and Toby in 1972 when we all worked for Bob Short and the new Texas Rangers," said Cats owner Carl Bell. "Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that 30 years later all of us, and now with former Ranger Dan Smith as well, would âcome home again' to be a part of the Fort Worth Cats baseball family.
"These three dedicated professionals bring more than 100 years of baseball experience to our Cats team and to all our fans. We promised our fans the very best people, and this great field management and coaching staff is proof that we keep our promises. This coming season is going to be great. I am delighted and can't wait for opening day this next May."
Terwilliger, 77, has been in uniform for more than 5,000 professional games. The 2003 season will mark his 55th year in baseball. He began coaching in 1961 as the manager in Greensboro, N.C. Terwilliger managed in seven minor league cities through 1968, then moved to the majors (Washington Senators 1969-71, Texas Rangers 1972) for four years. He returned to the minors as a manager in 1973 at Columbus, Ga. He managed there, Lynchburg, Va., Asheville, N.C., and Tulsa, Okla. before returning to the majors as a coach with the Texas Rangers from 1981-85. Terwilliger coached for the Minnesota Twins from 1986 to 1994 before joining the Saints in 1995.
Twig played nine years in the majors and finished with a lifetime average of .240. After completing his playing career in 1960 he made the transition to managing.
Terwilliger has been a part of some of baseball's most amazing moments, including two World Championships with the Twins in 1987 and 1991. He was on the Brooklyn Dodgers bench when Bobby Thomson hit his famous "Shot Heard âRound the World" on Oct. 3, 1951. Terwilliger was a backup middle infielder behind Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese. He was a teammate of Willie Mays and played against the likes of Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle, Warren Spahn, Enos Slaughter and Harmon Killebrew.
Twig sat out the 1974 season to operate a sports bar he owned in his hometown of Charlotte, Mich. If not for that year, he would join Connie Mack, Don Zimmer, Bill Fischer and Jimmie Reese as the only men involved in professional baseball for at least 50 consecutive seasons.
Terwilliger played baseball, basketball and football at Western Michigan. He was signed by the Chicago Cubs organization in 1948.
Twig served in the Marine Corps during World War II with the 2nd Armored Amphibian Battalion as part of the assault force on Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima.
Terwilliger and his wife, Lin, live inWeatherford, Texas. The Terwilligers have four children, daughter Marcie and sons Steve, Mike and Kevin. They also have three grandchildren.
North American League Stories from December 12, 2002
- Cats Name Dan Smith Pitching Coach - Fort Worth Cats
- Cats Name Toby Harrah Bench Coach - Fort Worth Cats
- Cats Name Wayne Terwilliger Manager - Fort Worth Cats
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