Rodney Cline "Rod" Dowhower (born December 26, 1953) is an American former professional baseball first baseman, outfielder, manager, and coach. His career in professional baseball spanned several decades, primarily in coaching and minor league managerial roles, in addition to brief stints as an MLB player and interim manager.
Early Life and Playing Career
Dowhower was born in Burlington, Iowa. He was drafted by the California Angels in the 2nd round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft. He made his Major League debut with the Angels in 1976. Over his playing career, which lasted from 1976 to 1980, he played for the California Angels (1976), Texas Rangers (1977–1979), and Chicago White Sox (1980). Primarily a reserve first baseman and outfielder, Dowhower appeared in 191 MLB games, accumulating a career batting average of .224 with 7 home runs and 44 runs batted in.Managerial and Coaching Career
Following his playing career, Dowhower transitioned into coaching and managing. He spent many years managing in the minor league systems of various MLB organizations, including the California Angels, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Seattle Mariners.Dowhower's only Major League managerial experience came in 1988 when he served as the interim manager for the Texas Rangers. He took over from Bobby Valentine and managed the team for the final 28 games of the season, compiling a record of 10 wins and 18 losses.
Throughout his extensive career, Dowhower also held numerous coaching positions at the Major League level for several teams. His MLB coaching stints included roles with the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Oakland Athletics, often serving as a bench coach or first base coach. He was widely regarded as a "baseball lifer" due to his dedication and long tenure in various capacities within the sport.