Wisconsin Rapids Loses Manager Before Season Starts (1977)

From the Waterloo Courier for April 17 1977:

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis (AP) — Tom Zimmer did not even try managing the Wisconsin Rapids Twins of the Midwest League before he quit.

Zimmer, 24, son of former major leaguer Don Zimmer, said Friday he was quitting as manager because of poor facilities, ill-fitting uniforms, inadequate stadium lighting and a lack of lodging in the Wisconsin Rapids area.

The team’s first baseball game was scheduled for Saturday night at Clinton.

The club, affiliated with the Minnesota Twins, was to be directed on an interim basis by Minnesota assistant farm director Jim Rantz.

Zimmer conducted a practice session with the team Friday afternoon, then announced his resignation after a telephone discussion with Twins’ officials in Minnesota.

As you’d expect, this AP story was printed all over the country.

Rantz managed two games, 1-1, before he was succeeded by Twins scout Carlos (Potato) Pascual. Pascual stayed for five weeks, compiling a 16-24 record before handing the team to another Twins scout, Red Robbins. Robbins, who finished the season, had a 49-57 record.

The big league Twins disavowed Zimmer’s comments, and kept sending players to WR until 1983. When they moved, the reason given was inadequate facilities.

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