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Ed Napoleon
Ed Napoleon
Ed Napoleon
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Edward George Napoleon (September 17, 1937 – April 28, 2020) was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach whose career lasted for over 45 years.[1] During that period, he was a coach in Major League Baseball for five teams over 15 seasons.

Key Information

Napoleon was born in Baltimore, Maryland. An outfielder during his active career, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations from 1956 until 1970. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg).

Napoleon became a minor-league manager for the Pirates' organization in 1970, helming their Rookie-level Gulf Coast League affiliate for four years. He then spent nine consecutive seasons in the New York Yankees' minor-league system, as a coach for West Haven of the Double-A Eastern League (1974–1975, 1979), Tacoma of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League (1978), and Nashville of the Double-A Southern League (1980–1982); in between, Napoleon managed Oneonta of the short-season New York–Penn League (1976) and Fort Lauderdale of the Class-A Florida State League (1977).

Napoleon reached the major leagues as a coach for the Cleveland Indians from 1983–1985, then managed Eugene of the Northwest League, short-season Class-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, in 1986. He returned to coach in the majors with the Royals from 1987–1988 and the Houston Astros in 1989–1990. He managed the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Orioles in 1991, then returned to MLB as a coach with the New York Yankees in 1992–1993 and the Texas Rangers from 1995–2000. He was retired from 2001–2003 before returning in 2004 as a special minor-league instructor with the Cincinnati Reds, serving until 2007.

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Ed Napoleon

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Edward George Napoleon (September 13, 1937 – April 28, 2020) was an American professional baseball coach known for his more than 45-year career in professional baseball, during which he served as a major league coach and outfield instructor for multiple teams, making a notable impact on player development. He was particularly recognized for his expertise in outfield instruction and his contributions to successful teams, including helping develop prominent players across different organizations. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Napoleon began his baseball journey as a minor league player from 1956 to 1970, primarily as an outfielder and third baseman in the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations, before shifting to coaching and managerial roles in the minors. His major league coaching tenure included stints with the Cleveland Indians (1983–1985), Kansas City Royals (1987–1988), Houston Astros (1989–1990), New York Yankees (1992–1993), Texas Rangers (1995–2000), and Cincinnati Reds (2004–2007), where he often focused on outfield and base coaching duties. Napoleon played a key role with the Texas Rangers as first base coach and outfield instructor under manager Johnny Oates during the team's first three American League West division titles, earning praise for his influence on players such as Rusty Greer and others like Reggie Jackson and Bo Jackson earlier in his career. Former Rangers general manager Doug Melvin described him as a small-statured man with a big impact, calling him one of the best outfield instructors in the game. He passed away on April 28, 2020, in Florida at the age of 82 after battling cancer and pneumonia.

Early life

Birth and background

Ed Napoleon was born on September 13, 1937, in Baltimore, Maryland. Little is known about his early life and background, as reliable sources provide limited verified details on his family, education, or activities prior to his professional baseball career, which began in the minor leagues in 1956. He was an American by birth in the United States.

Playing career

Ed Napoleon played professional baseball in the minor leagues from 1956 to 1970, primarily as an outfielder and third baseman in the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations.

Coaching and managerial career

After his playing days, Napoleon transitioned to coaching and managerial roles in the minor leagues. He later served as a major league coach for several teams, focusing on outfield instruction and base coaching duties:
  • Cleveland Indians (1983–1985)
  • Kansas City Royals (1987–1988)
  • Houston Astros (1989–1990)
  • New York Yankees (1992–1993)
  • Texas Rangers (1995–2000)
  • Cincinnati Reds (2004–2007)
He was particularly noted for his tenure with the Texas Rangers as first base coach and outfield instructor under manager Johnny Oates, contributing to the team's first three American League West division titles (1996, 1998, 1999). Napoleon was recognized for his expertise in player development, particularly in the outfield, with former Rangers general manager Doug Melvin describing him as one of the best outfield instructors in baseball.

Filmography

Ed Napoleon, the professional baseball coach and minor league player, has no documented credits as a director, writer, producer, or in any other film role according to major databases such as IMDb. His career was devoted exclusively to professional baseball for over 45 years, with no evidence of involvement in the film industry. Claims of directing or other film work in 1976 films such as The Great Texas Dynamite Chase (directed by Michael Pressman) and Chesty Anderson U.S. Navy (directed by Ed Forsyth) are incorrect. No filmography exists for him in the entertainment industry.

Legacy

Reception and influence

Ed Napoleon was widely respected for his expertise as an outfield instructor and coach during his over 45-year career in professional baseball. He was particularly praised for his contributions to player development and outfield play. Former Texas Rangers general manager Doug Melvin described him as a "small-statured man with a big impact" and "one of the best outfield instructors in the game." Napoleon played a key role with the Rangers as first base coach and outfield instructor under manager Johnny Oates, helping the team win its first three American League West division titles. He was credited with influencing players such as Rusty Greer and had earlier worked with prominent athletes including Reggie Jackson and Bo Jackson.

Current status

Ed Napoleon passed away on April 28, 2020, in Florida at the age of 82 after battling cancer and pneumonia.
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