Delmar Wesley Crandall "DEL"
(born March 5, 1930 in Ontario, CA) is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves. He is considered one of the National League's top catchers during the 1950s and early 1960s.
Crandall appeared in 146 games for Boston in 1949-1950 before entering military service during the Korean War. When his two-year hitch was over in 1953, the Braves departed Boston for Milwaukee, where – benefitting from a powerful offense featuring Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Joe Adcock – they soon became both successful on the field and phenomenally popular off it.
As a testament to Crandall's pitch calling skills, between 1953 and 1959, the Braves' pitching staff finished either first or second in the National League in team earned run average every year except 1955. Lew Burdette credited Crandall for some of his success saying, "I never- well hardly ever- have to shake him off. He knows the job like no one else, and you can have faith in his judgment".
He caught 1430 games and won four of the first five Gold Glove Awards given to an National League catcher, and tied another record by catching three no-hitters.
Crandall turned to managing, and piloted two American League clubs, the Milwaukee Brewers (1972–75) and the Seattle Mariners (1983–84). In each case he was hired to try to right a losing team in mid-season, but he never enjoyed a winning campaign with either team and finished with a managing record of 364-469. He eventually made it back to Milwaukee as a sports announcer with the Brewers from 1992-94.