Century native returns to the major leagues
Showalter
Showalter was star player for Century Blackcats
Century's Buck Showalter, known as 'Nat' by friends and neighbors in the Century area has been named the new manager of the New York Mets.
Showalter is a 1974 graduate of Century High School and began his post high school baseball career at Chipola Jr. College and later transferred to Mississippi State.
At Mississippi State, Showalter was an All-American and set the school's record for batting average in 1977 batting .459.
He played several years in the minor leagues and eventually started his coaching career. After coaching in the minors, Showalter held his first major league coaching job leading the New York Yankees from 1992 to 1995. He served as the skipper of the Arizona Diamondbacks from 1998 to 2000 and then the Texas Rangers from 2003 to 2006. Showalter was the manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 2010 to 2018 and moved on as an ESPN analyst.
During his previous coaching career, Showalter was named the American League Coach of the Year three times.
Steve Stanton, who graduated from Century High School in 1975 said he and 'Nat' have been friends most of their lives.
"This is an awesome testimony for Century," Stanton said of Showalter's selection to lead the Mets.
Stanton said during Showalter's major league coaching career he's been to eight games where Showalter was coaching.
"I went to Arizona five times, Texas Rangers one time and Baltimore twice and I'm going to New York to watch the Mets."
