He talked about players and the things theyd done.. It was really foreign to me, Dempsey said. The hard way. Think again, as Jim Palmer learned. Dempsey occasionally must be reminded that he is dealing with a cast of mostly teen-agers. Oh, that Rick Dempsey. During his career, which spanned from 1969-1992, Dempsey was known as one of the best defensive catchers in the game. Dempsey contacted Claire and was hired to manage in the Dodgers farm system. It was great.. Guys were telling jokes, kind of ripping on each other and getting loud, recalls Ed Lund, Bakersfields catcher and a St. Francis High graduate, and he just kind of slowly walked back down the aisle and listened. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. Debbie Ray. He popped up to second in his first at-bat but singled to center off Chris Zachary to lead off the ninth in a 6-2 victory. I came over with Scott McGregor, Rudy May, Tippy Martinez, who had the best curveball ever, and I learned how to call a game from Jim Palmer. But whatever, he's Rick Dempsey. When I was with the Orioles, we were tied with the Red Sox one year on the last day of the season and we were playing for second-place money. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images). Thanks for sharing your memories, Enchanting Sunshine. Once, after the pitcher had again been racked, Dempsey mentioned that trend to another teammate as they trotted off the field. Yes, that's where it all began. After throwing out several runners in his first start against the Red Sox on June 22, Dempsey had gained an in with his manager. We had a day off in Minnesota and the Yankees were in the same hotel. It was a Catholic high school so the priests helped me a little but with my grades so Id be eligible to play sports. He was also named a first team NYPL all-star and lauded by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. 2. They knew that if anyone got in trouble, I was the one who was going to end up paying for the balls. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, A $150,000 executive protection dog? The new spot is named after Orioles fan favorite and 1983 World Series MVP, Rick Dempsey. People remember those gags during the rain delays, Dempsey says, toweling off in his office after catching in the bullpen. Consider his "rain delay theater" a blend of both, and one of the more famous comedy bits in MLB history. So, he decided to try close to home and paid the Dodgers a visit. He called a good game, too, even if not good enough for the headstrong Palmer, who insisted on calling his own, using the signs only as a medium that would guarantee both pitcher and catcher knew what the next pitch was. You might get hurt." Whether he was entertaining during rain delays or fronting his lip-syncing four-man Orioles band on the field while Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" blared from the Memorial Stadium public-address system, Dempsey endeared himself to the Baltimore faithful. Football Memorabilia. Dempsey spent all of 1974 with the Yankees, serving as Munsons backup for most of that time. I took two mighty swings, twisting my body as far as it would go. Dempsey would point to the outfield seats, then hit an invisible pitch with an exaggerated swing. Dempsey & the Invisible Orioles Magic Band. The downside is that he set my expectations too high for what I should reasonably expect of a catcher. Dupree crumpled to the dirt in a heap, several bones in his face fractured. Nfl Football Players. It seemed to Dempsey that the team was usually leading when Dupree came in and trailing by the time he came out. He possessed a cannon for an arm and was a magician who helped guide some of the games greatest pitching staffs to a pair of World Series titles, picking up a World Series MVP for himself along the way. Bakersfield is not Dempseys first crack at managing. Sudakis was traded to the Angels after the season. Jack Cust goes swimmingAug. He was very outspoken and he told me just hustle and play hard for me every day and youll have nothing to worry about. Dempsey went on to manage the Mets Triple-A affiliate in the International League in 1997-98 and served as a coach on the Dodgers and Orioles Major League staffs between 1999-2006 before joining Baltimores broadcast team, a position he held until 2020. I got it signed by everybody. The image of Dempsey sliding across a soaked tarp to entertain drenched fans is still a legendary one in baseball. Press Box - Thu, 23 Jul 2020 . 16 from Two Runs or More, The Start of Rookie League Ball in Bluefield. I said, "No. A story Dempsey might want to tell his Bakersfield team. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). 3, 1982Back by popular demand, Dempsey revived his pantomime performance for the Memorial Stadium faithful in July 1978, and reprised it with a twist on the final day of the 1982 season against Milwaukee. I said, "Well, that might be pretty cool, Sparky.". Nobody in the Orioles dugout was laughing when it happened, but 16 years of hindsight have lightened the mood a bit. Dempsey, 73, is semi-retired and living in California. I went around the bases and slid into home plate, making a big wave as I sloshed across the tarp. The pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run. It bites into your day, especially when you think about rent and food, says Matt Filson, the teams left fielder. 4. Dupree was a pitcher. [21] He then joined the New York Mets organisation, managing the Norfolk Tides in 1997 and 1998. Cal gets a good-luck kissMay 2, 1988When looking back on this one, context is important. He has been teaming with Jim Hunter and Tom Davis during this time hosting the "O's Xtra" pre- and post-game shows on MASN 30 minutes before and immediately after each game. They wanted me to stay but they said I wasnt going to play. Dempsey was named World Series MVP and was an Oriole hero for all times. What does a successful 2023 look like for the Orioles best hitters? Dempsey became the Orioles starting catcher in 1978 and held that position for a decade, helping the Orioles to the World Series in 1979 [they lost in seven games to Pittsburgh] and then again in 1983. After his playing career ended, Dempsey became a minor league manager in the Los Angeles Dodgers organisation, winning the 1994 Pacific Coast League championship with the Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes. It was tough for a while, Dempsey says. No, says Dempsey, a Crespi High graduate. The next time he would see Minnesota would be as a visiting player. 20; No. While Dempsey made the Major League roster in 1972, he didnt last long, hitting .200 in 25 games before being sent to Tacoma of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, where he would spend the remainder of the season. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It wasnt all bad for Dempsey, though. Hiserman has been Sports editor of The Times San Fernando Valley and Orange County editions. Dempsey had five hits in the World Series, four doubles and a homer, and the Orioles beat the Phillies in five games. So, they sent me to Auburn and I played every day.. He went to Spring Training with Baltimore in 1992 and didnt make the club, getting cut the last week of camp. [7] He sometimes did this while wearing a pair of underpants over his uniform, making fun of teammate Jim Palmer's famous advertisements for Jockey brand briefs. And weve given him a lot more reasons to do it than that. He played under Orioles manager Earl Weaver starting in 1967. Included in that group are Jeff Suppan, Sean Gilmartin and Ryon Healy. Dempsey joined the Air National Guard in 1969, which allowed him to continue playing for much of the summer and he played well back in the Midwest League, hitting .364 in 151 at-bats. \"I got tired of the same old stuff.\"About 45 minutes after the game was to have started, Dempsey ran onto the tarp and slid across the infield. Rick Dempsey played for 24 years, with 3. Crazy things have happened during rain delays in the past (i.e.- Rick Dempsey), but this video might just put them all to shame. [citation needed]. All rights reserved. I did another version of it in Milwaukee one night. People who heard him say he was great. Dempsey, of course, inherited their genes, and thus went on to stuff towels in his shirt during a 1977 rain delay at Fenway Park, imitating Babe Ruth and sliding across the tarp on his padded stomach. No matter the ball remained secured in Komminsks glove; his body landed outside the field of play, and Ripken was rewarded with a home run all the same. One of his most infamous umpire interactions came in the middle of an eventual 9-3 win over Detroit, when first-base umpire Bill Haller called a balk on Os pitcher Mike Flanagan. Just when it appeared as if Dempsey began to heat up at the plate, he went 3-for-9 with four RBIs in the previous two games, he was bowled over by Kansas Citys Bo Jackson in a home-plate collision on July 21. Still, they were the classiest organization I was ever a part of.. Lunds favorite: During spring training one year, Dempsey said he broke into a room shared by three teammates and hid in the closet. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. -- Excerpted by permission from If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles by Rick Dempsey with Dave Ginsburg. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Football Poster. The downside is that he set my expectations too high for what I should reasonably expect of a catcher. Then, about halfway down the third-base line he would start his slide, which would hydroplane him down the tarp and across home plate, where he would call himself safe. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? The coaches thought I might run a four-minute mile by the time I was a senior but I said no, I wanted to be a right fielder when I was a junior.. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part IIOct. I signed as a 145-pound catcher and two years later I was playing in the big leagues.. [1] Dempsey is one of only 29 players to play in four different calendar decades. Now Dempsey as an Os Extra announcer? Dempsey is quick to admit that bettering himself in sports, not academics, was his main focus while attending Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino. I wasnt a very good student. They said they wouldnt pick up my option. Before disappearing into the dugout, Lowenstein reassured them hed be OK by hoisting his torso and both arms airborne in sudden, triumphant fashion. He would even pantomime the pitching. 7. That was one of the saddest days for me ever. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part ISept. Sure, you remember Dempsey. I loved it at eight years old and told my mother I wanted to be a professional baseball player, Dempsey said. Im 175 pounds and hes 235 with world-class speed. Baltimore became the first visiting team to win Games 3, 4 and 5 since 1961, when the New York Yankees did so vs. the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. Major League Baseball was not easy to break into at that time. I loved Billy; he was a little guy like me, Dempsey said. While playing for the Dodgers in 1990, he became involved in a brawl with Phillies' center fielder Lenny Dykstra, who took exception to Dempsey's fraternization with the home plate umpire. I loved the way he played the game and we became very good friends.. They say, "That's the guy who ran around on the tarp." 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. Yeah, its too early to draw conclusions about anything, but its not too early to feel the optimism already. It is and it isnt. Covered a Mets-Astros doubleheader in 1987 and never looked back. The secretary had gone home and it was dark outside. This performance, however, differed from any before.\"I needed some new material,\" Dempsey said. [1], While he was a light-hitting player, Dempsey's lengthy major league career was due in part to his excellent defensive skills, despite the fact that he never won a Gold Glove. Earl Weaver was known for many things, among them his temper and penchant for getting ejected from ballgames. I dont enjoy retirement, he said. I know I could have played a couple more years. In Baltimore it was hard to break the ice, Dempsey said. At 7 p.m., I was still sitting there. I ran around the bases and I ended up throwing the baseball to the group that sang the loudest. I got along with him really well.. They started chanting we want Dempsey. But Sparky never did it. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. But as she often did, Morganna stole the show. The Yankees had already won the division because the Red Sox eliminated us on Friday, and we knocked them out of it with a win on Saturday. It is supposed to bring joy, every night a chance to escape for nine innings. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dempseys play-acting during rain delays are still among my favorite memories of those Orioles years. They were chanting, "We want Dempsey! Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. You know what I'm going to do? Soon after, his teammates arrived, quickly setting up a poker game. So as I skated around the tarp, everyone started to sing with me. It has to be tough on him. May 31, 2020 - Three-time AL Cy Young winner, six-time All-Star, and eight-time 20-game winner Jim Palmer turned 70 years old on Oct. 15, 2015. He and Billy were a lot alike. He glanced at me with a smirk. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. 1. That was so embarrassing to start one game all season long. Dempsey was ejected from one game for bumping an umpire. He appeared in only 60 games and hit .177. 3. I was dragging three pieces of luggage and a hang up bag across the parking lot. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Dance Framed Photo 12"x15" Hammer Price: Auctioneer has chosen not to publish the price of this lot Auction Date: Nov 06, 2020 10am ET Auctioneer: Paul E. Saperstein Co., Inc. See item details . He did this a few more times in his career, once in '82 at Milwaukee with a Robin Yount jersey on, pretending to be Yount hitting a homer. The Van Nuys Valley News said he was considered a definite Major League catching prospect and the Twins agreed, drafting him in the 15th round of the First-Year Player Draft. One time in Toronto, one of the Blue Jays staffers called me and asked me to do it. P.S.-- Dont forget, theres still time to vote in the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers of all-time balloting, results of which will be revealed Friday night. Dempsey made his Major League debut on Sept. 23 against the Royals at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. Dempsey does tell them stories. I used to go to all the semi-pro games in Los Angeles and they played for a guy who was a scout for the Minnesota Twins, Dempsey said. Some day, Dempsey hopes, they might say the same thing about him as a manager. Rick is now in his fourth year as a member of the Orioles broadcast team after spending five years on the club's coaching staff. New York came calling, Dempsey said. Loved it! Theyre just learning.. The first guy to come up to me in the locker room was Harmon Killebrew, Dempsey said. He eventually came out and I said Im sorry Mr. Claire, I never give up on anything, dont make me do it now. He opened 1968 with Wisconsin Rapids of the Class-A Midwest League but was there for 11 games before moving to Auburn of Class-A New York-Penn League. I remember turning toward him and he was right in my face, Dempsey says. Thats not really me.. I went to Albuquerque and won a title and had two good years there. Sammy had a way of playing with the ball, flipping it with his hand, that added a nice touch. I sat there on the bench and started one game. They made it pretty tough on the rookies in those days; the tough times are what I remember the most but I never let it bother me. Pictures of a book signing event at Barnes & Noble in Bel Air featuring former Baltimore . Former Orioles catcher and 1983 World Series MVP Rick Dempsey is a member of the Orioles broadcast team after five years on the club's coaching staff. Sudakis got upset and wasnt about to start anything with Munson so he sought out Dempsey on the plane and began to yell at him about who the real backup catcher was, ultimately stabbing Dempsey in the chest with a fork. I held him to less yards that [Brian] Bosworth did. [1] He played for 24 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1992, most prominently for the Baltimore Orioles where he played for 10 years and was a member of the 1983 World Series winning team. Weaver managed the Orioles from 1968-82 and 1985-86. [4] After two seasons in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut late in the 1969 season for the division winning Twins managed by Billy Martin, however he didn't qualify for the postseason roster. Included in this is the famous Rick Dempsey. Mar 28, 2014 - Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. The Twins traded Dempsey to the Yankees for outfielder Dan Walton, a journeyman who would appear in 297 games with six teams over a nine-year career. They said come in Friday, well have a meeting and put you someplace but I showed up for the meeting and they didnt and that was the end of it with me and Baltimore.. He played both ends of a doubleheader the next day. Were getting to that age where we have to keep an eye on each other. Dempsey may have gotten along with Martin and Martin with him but Martin was fired after the season and Dempsey found himself in the Double-A Southern League in each of the next two seasons. Football League. We want Dempsey!" The Orioles told me that I wasnt going to be the everyday catcher anymore and that they didnt want to pay me for that last year, Dempsey said. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images), A PITSTOP ON THE WAY TO ANOTHER WORLD SERIES. He ended up hitting .304 in 19 playoff and World Series games for Baltimore. Cleveland was one strange organization, Dempsey said. Sports Legend Revealed: Was Jack Lambert ejected from a game for hitting a quarterback too hard? When Spring Training rolled around in 1988 Dempsey was at Vero Beach with the Dodgers. Then I met Bo Jackson at home plate. Stewart, wearing Jim Palmer's jersey and a pair of tan underwear over his uniform pants, came out to the mound. When he retired as a player, he had three broadcasting offers. Dupree overheard and responded by taking off his glove and throwing his best fastball at Dempseys head as the two headed toward the dugout. Dempsey also served as first base coach for the Orioles for several seasons, first as a third base coach in the 2005 season after bench coach Sam Perlozzo was promoted to interim manager. Despite a strong camp, though, Claire said he needed to send him to Triple-A for a bit until he could find a place for Alex Trevino. As climate changes, climate anxiety rises in youth. But at least he is gathering good material and having a few good laughs, right? I had to do it at least once at home. It was genuinely funny, and while impatient fans waited for the rains to end, theyd applaud Dempsey lustily. Dempsey has been part of the game for nearly six decades, starting out as a Minnesota farmhand in the late 1960s before embarking on what proved to be a remarkable journey. On the franchise. He was an interim manager while playing in Puerto Rico in the early 80s. Rick Dempsey could be generously described as a bad hitter and probably an overrated defensive catcher. I was 40 years old but I knew I could still play, Dempsey said. [11][12] Dempsey posted a .385 batting average along with a .923 slugging percentage in the five-game series, and won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award, one of six catchers to have won the award. Which is why such a swing of emotions unfolded when Indians center fielder Brad Komminsk seemed to take a home run away from Ripken Jr. on this September night at Memorial Stadium, only to have his momentum carry him over the center-field wall. The place was packed because we were still playing for second place. So Rich Dauer came running in as I was drying off and said, "Demps, they want you to come back out there! Claire called me a few years ago and asked me if I wanted to do a talk with him at the Oakmont Country Club, Dempsey said. 17, 1980Now for one a bit less good-natured, but that will live forever nonetheless. Pinterest. I said, "I don't think it's going to work this time.". 5. [5] During his tenure with the Yankees, he served as a reserve catcher to Thurman Munson, and received tutoring from Yankees coach and former catching standout Jim Hegan. Enberg hosted the pregame show alongside Dempsey (who was still active with Baltimore at the time). In a 24-year career, Dempsey played in 1,765 games, accumulating 1,093 hits in 4,692 at bats for a .233 career batting average along with 96 home runs and 471 runs batted in. The Yankees are winning the division and Im sitting here in Baltimore, 12 games out.. Same deal -- it was a rainy day, and Babe Ruth called his shot. The people were screaming as if I had just hit a home run to win the seventh game of the World Series. He signed with the Dodgers and played three seasons there as a backup (two of them dreadfully bad), then moved to Milwaukee to catch 61 games in 1991. "Yeah, sure you did!". [3], Dempsey was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 15th round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft out of Crespi Carmelite High School. I loved everything about him, especially the way he would pick off every would be base-stealer. A steady rain postponed the Milwaukee Brewers-Baltimore Orioles game at County Stadium, but it didn't stop Rick Dempsey and Sammy Stewart from reenacting the final game of the Orioles' 1982 season against the Brewers.Dempsey has developed a reputation for his slides on rain-soaked tarpaulins. The clubhouse is right underneath the seating section, so it was deafening when people starting kicking their feet in unison and yelling my name. Explore. I forget the game, but it was a month or two ago and there was a lengthy rain delay. For example - "C'era una volta" means "Once upon a time" in Italian and "I yli dago i . Friday, May 22, 2009. Loved it! In 1985, Dick Enberg was in Toronto for Games 1 and 7 of the 1985 ALCS on NBC. He appeared in 77 games, hit .251 [42-for-167] with seven homers and 30 RBIs. He would go and hang out with the players, drink with them and do all that stuff. JCizzle Member. I was in the outfield with Sparky during batting practice [with the Yankees] and he said one of these days Im going to run around the tarp and do a pantomime of Babe Ruth doing his home run, Dempsey said. The son of two former vaudevillians, he had a knack for performance, and was particularly renowned for his Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime. It was a comic turn hed occasionally perform during rain delays, stuffing his uniform with padding and prancing around a soggy tarpaulin performing exaggerated parodies of hitters, pitchers, umpires. 5, 1989How about one that benefited the Orioles? This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. He was a one-man diversion during a rain delay. Well, for that I think of him pronouncing Melky Cabreras first name as Milky. Either way, thinking of the guy puts a smile on my face. Dempsey knew that he wanted to keep playing. We didn't know if we were going to play the game or not. Ask Dupree about Dempseys other side. He was one of the all-time nicest guys in the world. [19] He is the uncle of former major league catcher Gregg Zaun. He was drafted in the 15th round of the 1967 draft by Minnesota, and after never really catching on there (though he did make his major league debut in 1969, ten days after turning 20), he was traded to the Yankees in 1972. The work ethic that was so prevalent during Dempseys playing days remains. He also appeared in six games for the Yankees before embarking on a journey that would last another 18 years in the Major Leagues. [1] List of Major League Baseball players who played in four decades, 100 Best Percentage of Baserunners caught stealing 1956-2007, Catcher Encyclopedia, "For Catchers, The Name of the Game is Defense", "Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame at MLB.com", Orfalea, Gregory. With his players, and himself. Baltimore won the series 4-1. See About archive blog posts. Then, in the late 1980s, he moved over to play near his familys home in Agoura Hills, becoming a lovable and laughable Dodger Stuntman. He helped the young pitchers, kept the clubhouse loose and won games by driving in a run once in a while. 6. The other half was as MiLB.coms staff historian. Next on her target list: Cal Ripken Jr., who would later homer in the Orioles 9-4 win over Texas. His sense of humor during his playing career was renowned, and he was famous for his "rain delay theatre" performances, in which he emerged from the dugout in stockinged feet onto the tarpaulin covering the infield during a rain delay and pantomimed hitting an inside-the-park home run, climaxed by his sliding into home plate on his belly on the wet tarp, all to the raucous delight of the soggy fans. Rick Dempsey and Dave Ginsburg co-authored a book called If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles. "Hey Rick," I shouted, "I saw your rain delay act at Fenway back in 1977!". Twenty-two Flags over the Bronx Ride the Iron Horse, take a cruise on the Yankee Clipper and visit the Seraglio of the.
Who Owns Seaside Heights Boardwalk,
Bcg Managing Director And Partner Salary,
Funny Job Interview Script Role Play,
All Retired Nascar Drivers,
Articles R
