Francis Michael Skaff was an infielder, coach, manager and scout in American Major League Baseball. Skaff's half-season as acting manager of the 1966 Detroit Tigers is one of the most unusual, and tragic, happenstances in baseball annals. Skaff began 1966 as a Detroit coach. After 26 games, skipper Chuck Dressen suffered his second heart attack in two seasons. As in 1965, third base coach Bob Swift took over the Tigers on an interim basis May 16 as Dressen recovered. But Swift was not a well man, either. After 57 games, he was hospitalized for what appeared to be a stomach ailment; however,... his malady proved to be lung cancer and he was forced to give up the reins. Skaff, who had begun the season as Detroit's bench coach, then moved to third base under Swift, became the team's second acting manager of the season on July 14 and finished the campaign. Unfortunately, both of Skaff's predecessors died later in the year. Dressen appeared to be making a recovery in early August when he was stricken by a kidney infection; he died August 10. Swift succumbed on October 17, 1966.
more