Nov. 10, 1964 - Bob Kennedy was retained today for his third season as head coach of the Chicago Cubs. He was given two new coaches — Alvin Dark, the deposed manager of the San Francisco Giants, and Mel Harder.
Kennedy’s retention was no surprise, even though the Cubs finished seventh and eighth the last two years — each time 17 games behind the pennant winner. He did not receive a raise.
But the announcement of the two new coaches by Philip K. Wrigley, club president, was a surprise.
Dark was dismissed by San Francisco the last day of the season and had been spoken of as managerial timber elsewhere. He played with the Cubs in 1958 and 1959.
“I want it thoroughly understood there is no danger that Dark will replace Kennedy as head coach,” Wrigley said. “There was no special reason [for hiring Dark] except that we had him before and like him very much, and he wanted to come back.”
Kennedy, at home in Mesa, Ariz., where he is working with the Cubs’ farm team in an instructional baseball league, said he and John Holland, the general manager, had talked with Dark about joining the Cubs during the World Series.
“He wanted to wait a while and see if he could get a managing job,” Kennedy said, “because there were several open. But I know I’m happy he’s with us, and I think he’s happy, too.”
Kennedy said he and Dark have been friends almost 20 years.
“He’s going to be my coach,” the manager said. “I’m not sure of his exact duties yet. I’m going to talk to him about it.”
Kennedy said that Harder, a former Cleveland star, would be the pitching coach. Harder tutored the Indians’ pitchers from 1949 through last year, when he joined the New York Mets.
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