Number Thirty-One: Joe Cronin.

Joe Cronin was a man of many talents; he played, he managed, he was the general manager, and he was president of the American League.

He came to Boston in 1935 to play shortstop and manage the team and did that for eleven years. His best years with the Sox were between 1937 and 1941, when he hit around .300 with some power. He benched himself in 1942 when Johnny Pesky appeared on the scene but he continued to be effective as a pinch hitter. In fact, for his 1943 season he holds the American League record for pinch hit home runs with five of them.

His record as a manager was uneven; in 1942, they went 93-59 but in 1943, they went 68-84. Mostly due to his longevity (he managed for two more years after he quit playing) he holds the Red Sox record for most managerial wins (1,071). He started the 1946 season as a player but was released in June. The parting must have been amicable because he lead his team to a 104-50 record and their first World Series appearance since 1918.

His last season as team manager was 1947, after which he took on the role of general manager. He held that position from 1948-1959. The teams he put together weren't the best and his career as general manager wouldn't be noteworthy except for the fact that he was the guy who resisted integrating the team (thus giving Joe Morgan something to ramble on about).

In January of 1959, Cronin was elected president of the American League and he did that until 1973. His number 4 was retired in 1984 and he died later that year at the age of 77.