Andy Cohen (baseball) - Biography - After The Major Leagues

After The Major Leagues

Cohen played for the Newark Bears from 1929 until June 1932, when he was assigned to Minneapolis of the American Association. Despite the leg injury, Cohen led all International League second baseman in 1931 with a fielding percentage of .985, with 11 errors in 323 putouts and 412 assists, in addition to 66 double plays. With Minneapolis in 1933, Cohen led all American Association second basemen with a fielding percentage of .981 in 121 games.

Cohen was inducted into the United States Army on May 26, 1942, reporting to Fort Niagara. A first sergeant with the 21st Engineers, he took part in the invasion of North Africa in November 1942. He was one of the GIs who landed at Casablanca, and he participated in the Tunisian campaign. He spent a year in Africa and a year in Italy.

After the war, Cohen continued his career as a manager in the minor leagues. Cohen managed the Denver Bears, then of the Western League, from 1951 to 1954, leading the team to a championship in his final season. After Ralph Houk was named as a coach of the New York Yankees for the 1958 season, Cohen was chosen to fill Houk's spot as manager of the Denver Bears, then the Yankees' top minor league team in the American Association. He was a minor league manager after his playing career ended from 1939–57.

Cohen was also a coach with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960. After manager Eddie Sawyer stepped down after losing the first game of the season, the Phillies hired Gene Mauch as his replacement, but had Cohen manage one game before Mauch could join the team, leading the Phillies to a 5–4 win in ten innings over the Milwaukee Braves. This was the only game Cohen ever managed in the major leagues, leaving him with a perfect record as a manager.

He returned to his hometown, where he coached the baseball team at the University of Texas at El Paso for 17 years.

He was the brother of Syd Cohen, who pitched in the major leagues from 1934–37.

In 1989, the El Paso Diablos moved into Cohen Stadium, a 9,725 stadium that was named in honor of Andy and his brother Syd.