Alvin Ralph Dark (born January 7, 1922 in Comanche, Oklahoma), nicknamed "Blackie" and "The Swamp Fox", is a former shortstop and manager in Major League Baseball. He played for the Boston Braves (1946, 1948-1949), New York Giants (1950-1956), and briefly with several other clubs. He is one of only six managers in history to win pennants with both National and American League teams.
Dark attended LSU, and was a football standout there as well as a great baseball player. He was named the major leagues' Rookie of the Year in 1948, when he hit .322 and was a vital part of the Braves' unlikely pennant run. He was traded after the 1949 season, which turned out to be one of the best trades in Giants history and one of the worst in Braves history. Dark had several great seasons in New York and was the NL's starting shortstop for the All-Star game in 1951, 1952, and 1954. He retired with a .289 career batting average. He had decent power, twice hitting 20 homers at a time when most shortstops hit no more than 5. According to Bill James, Dark may have lost a Hall of Fame career due to his debut being delayed by his military service during World War II.
After his playing career, Alvin became a successful manager, winning a pennant with the San Francisco Giants in 1962, and a World Series championship with the Oakland A's in 1974. He retired as a manager in 1977 with a 994-954 record, despite having managed several decidedly weak teams with the Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres.
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