Fred Haney

Who was Fred Haney?

Fred Girard Haney was an American third baseman, manager, coach and executive in Major League Baseball. As a manager, he won two pennants and a world championship with the Milwaukee Braves and, as an executive, he was the first general manager of the expansion Los Angeles Angels of the American League. Indeed, for years Haney was one of the most popular baseball figures in Los Angeles. In 1974 he was presented with the King of Baseball award given by Minor League Baseball.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Los Angeles, Haney's major league playing career lasted all or part of seven seasons. Primarily a third baseman — despite his diminutive size — Haney compiled a .275 batting average for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, plus brief appearances with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. Much of his playing career was spent in his hometown with the city's two Pacific Coast League clubs, the original, PCL Angels and the Hollywood Stars. He threw and batted right-handed.