100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
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100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781633191945 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Triumph Books |
| Publication date: | 04/01/2015 |
| Series: | 100 Things...Fans Should Know Series |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 352 |
| File size: | 6 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
100 things Orioles Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
By Dan Connolly
Triumph Books
Copyright © 2015 Dan ConnollyAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-63319-194-5
CHAPTER 1
The Oriole Way
There could be 100 or more ways to start this book. So many different people had a hand in creating the tremendous history of the Baltimore Orioles, whether it's the incarnation that moved from St. Louis in 1954, the dominating teams in the late 1800s, or the minor league powerhouses that bridged the gap. But in crafting an overall assessment of the organization — the glories and the pratfalls — it's hard to ignore the foundation on which the modern-day success was built.
It had become somewhat cliché in Baltimore — the phrase being tossed around even when the club was in disarray. But the three familiar words were a source of pride for decades and may be experiencing a resurrection: "The Oriole Way." It's a phrase that was coined to describe a thorough and universal commitment to winning from the lowest level of the minors to the majors.
How important is the history of The Oriole Way to this franchise? Consider that one of the things Buck Showalter wanted to do when he took over managing the club in 2010 was to provide a tangible reminder of the previous triumphs for the club's current players. Not a competition, mind you, just a healthy blueprint of success. So Showalter had pictures of the club's Hall of Famers placed along the walkway from the Camden Yards home clubhouse to the dugout tunnel. Each poster contains a quote from the depicted Oriole great. The first one you see on the right when you turn the corner from the clubhouse is Jim Palmer, the best pitcher in club history. But his quote isn't about pitching. No, it's more encompassing. "The Oriole Way is no mystery," Palmer's quote reads. "Have an unparalleled work ethic, be a good teammate, respect the game, have fun and an undying passion to be the best you can be."
The concept of The Oriole Way — though it wasn't coined at the time — can probably be traced to Paul Richards, the lanky Texan and former big leaguer who stressed pitching and defense and doing the little things correctly to win baseball games. From 1955 to 1958, Richards was the Orioles manager and general manager before being replaced as GM by Hall of Fame executive Lee MacPhail. Richards remained as the manager until 1961, when he eventually left to take over the expansion Houston Colt 45s. A renowned taskmaster and consummate teacher of baseball, Richards wanted instruction to be uniform throughout the system. For him nothing was too routine: bunt defense, proper positioning for relay throws, or the most efficient base-running techniques.
He put together an instructional manual for all of his managers and coaches. Full staffs would gather during spring training so they were — literally and figuratively — on the same page as the various seasons began. As the Orioles surged above mediocrity in the early 1960s — the 1960 team under Richards was the modern-day franchise's first to win more than it lost at 89–65 — a consistent player development program was paramount.
Perhaps the two most influential disciples of The Oriole Way were minor league lifers with an unrivaled passion for the game: Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver and former coach and manager Cal Ripken Sr. In 1961 Weaver was charged with directing the organization's minor league spring training camp at former military barracks in Thomasville, Georgia, which often included hundreds of players at a time. He built on that organizational instructional manual, which, in a sense became The Oriole Way handbook. Weaver continued that emphasis on fundamentals when he became the Orioles manager in 1968, kick-starting an amazing run of 18 straight seasons in which the club finished above .500.
Part of the fiber of the organization during that time was Ripken Sr., who spent 36 years in the organization, much of it as the no-nonsense professor of baseball for generations of minor leaguers. His mantra, "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect," was an echoing theme throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, when the Orioles went to six World Series and won three from 1966 to 1983.
"I don't think The Oriole Way phrase came along until later," said longtime Orioles slugger Boog Powell, who joined the organization in 1959. "But I played with Cal Sr. in Appleton, Wisconsin, in 1960. And he is the one who introduced me to The Oriole Way. The Oriole Way was just not making mistakes and practicing until you get it right. And that's pretty much what it boiled down to. And we did not beat ourselves."
The Oriole Way eventually took on new and often derisive meanings as the excellence of the glory years faded. There was the mid- to late-1990s, when it meant buying superstars and mixing them together with homegrown talent in hopes of a World Series title. Twice the club reached the American League Championship Series with outstanding players such as Roberto Alomar, Rafael Palmeiro, and Cal Ripken Jr. in 1996 and 1997. But that talented group never reached the World Series, and along the way, the organization's dedication to its farm system waned. By the 2000s the Orioles were stuck in an ugly spiral of rebuilding, acquiring stop-gap free agents, and rebuilding again.
During a stretch of 14 losing seasons from 1998 to 2011, The Oriole Way represented a baseball form of Murphy's Law. Whatever could go wrong on the diamond — and throughout the organization — would go wrong. In what seemed like an act of desperation at the time, beleaguered owner Peter Angelos hearkened to the success of the old days in 2007 when he hired Andy MacPhail — the son of Lee — to be the club's president of baseball operations. Andy MacPhail thoroughly reassessed the organization, finding it lacking in talent from top to bottom. He orchestrated several trades that would ultimately point the Orioles back to respectability. Equally as important, in 2010 MacPhail hired Showalter, whose reputation was, like Richards, that of a taskmaster with a keen eye toward fundamentals.
In 2012 the Orioles made the playoffs for the first time since 1997. The following year they again were over .500 and boasted the best defense in the majors. In 2014 the club won its first division title in 17 years. That run gave the fan base hope that The Oriole Way could have meaning again — and not be just a catchy phrase on a poster.
CHAPTER 2A Human Vacuum Cleaner Named Brooks
It's difficult to overstate exactly what Brooks Calbert Robinson has meant to the Orioles as a player, as a broadcaster, and, most importantly, as the face of the franchise for so long.
The unassuming kid from Little Rock, Arkansas, debuted with the Orioles in 1955 at age 18 and spent parts of 23 seasons manning third base while becoming arguably the most popular player in club history. He won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves (from 1960 to 1975), made 15 American League All-Star teams, and won the 1964 AL MVP. He finished in the top five in MVP voting four other times. He was and is the standard bearer for third-base defense. Yet what made Robinson so endearing to scores of fans was the way he handled the spotlight: with a grace and dignity that made him seem like he had no idea just how rare his talent was. "He's an extraordinary human being, which is important, and the world's greatest third baseman of all time, which is incidental," the esteemed late sportswriter John Steadman once wrote.
Orioles great Boog Powell, a teammate of Robinson's for 14 seasons, remembers driving up to Miami from his home in Key West, Florida, for his first spring training in 1960. He was 18 years old, and his father made the trip with him. The first person the Powells met was a 22-year-old Robinson, who had established himself as a big leaguer but not yet a superstar. "I introduced myself, and he introduced himself to my father," Powell said. "And the last thing he said to my dad was, 'Don't worry, Mr. Powell, I will take care of him.' That's the person he was right there. And he was not BS-ing. He was always checking on me, seeing if I was okay. He's an incredible man. I've worshiped him since Day One, since I walked into spring training on the first day with my father."
Robinson inspired generations of people. If you grew up around Baltimore in the 1960s and 1970s, you wanted to play third base. And plenty of those who did were called Brooks. "Brooks never asked anyone to name a candy bar after him," late sportswriter Gordon Beard wrote. "In Baltimore people named their children after him."
And it wasn't just in Baltimore. Brooks Conrad, who was born in 1980 in Southern California and spent several seasons as a major league infielder, said his parents were huge baseball fans and loved watching Robinson. So they named their future big league son after him, even though the Gold Glover played on the other side of the country and had retired before their son was born. When Robinson began his professional baseball career for the York (Pennsylvania) White Roses of the Class B Piedmont League in 1955, he was far from a household name. The initial lineup card in his first game had him listed as "B. Robinson." No one knew who the kid was, so the public address announcer took a stab at the first name and introduced the teenaged second baseman as Bob Robinson. The mistake was quickly fixed at the stadium, though the local newspapers still referred to Robinson as Bob for a few more weeks.
Robinson's ascent to stardom began in 1960, which, not coincidentally, was also the first year the modern-day Orioles had a record over .500. (They were 89–65 in 1960 and finished second of eight teams in the AL; they had never before finished above fifth place.) Just 23, Robinson batted .294 with 14 homers and 88 RBIs and placed third in the MVP voting behind the New York Yankees' duo of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Four seasons later, Robinson captured his only MVP Award, batting .317 with 28 homers and 118 RBIs, which would all represent career highs. Robinson received 18 of the 20 first place MVP votes in 1964; Mantle got the others.
Although Robinson was steady throughout his career with the bat — he had 268 career homers, 1,357 RBIs, and a lifetime .267 average — it was what he did at third base that made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1983. Nicknamed the "Human Vacuum Cleaner," Robinson wasn't quick-footed. But he had tremendous reflexes, an unrelenting work ethic, and understood the game so well that he seemingly always had himself ready to make a play. "I'd just watch the way he went about his work. He would take 100 ground balls every single day before every game. The way he worked — no wonder he was so good," Powell said. "My first four years I stood behind him in left field, and he just amazed me. I never had to field any ground balls out there."
Robinson's defensive dominance was highlighted in the 1970 World Series, which will always be considered his ultimate defensive showcase, even though he was already 33. In the five-game series against the Cincinnati Reds, Robinson made several iconic plays, including spearing a liner by Johnny Bench and fielding a grounder to his right and throwing a one-hopper from foul territory to get Lee May by a step. May called Robinson "Mr. Hoover" after that display. Reds manager Sparky Anderson was even more effusive. "I'm beginning to see Brooks in my sleep," Anderson said in 1970. "If I dropped this paper plate, he'd pick it up on one hop and throw me out at first."
Like in his career, his defense in the 1970 World Series overshadowed his offensive performance, which was also outstanding. He was 9-for-21 (.429 average) with two homers and six RBIs while winning the World Series MVP Award. Robinson was a career .303 hitter in 39 postseason games. He seemed to have heightened focus as the stakes improved. "If I had one guy that I had to have drive in a big run in a clutch situation, Brooksie's my boy," Powell said. "He's the guy I'd choose. When it came to clutch time, he was special. He really was."
When his postseason heroics are mentioned, though, it's those indelible moments with Robinson's glove that take center stage. There are two statues of Robinson in downtown Baltimore, one on Washington Boulevard near Camden Yards and one inside the stadium complex that honors the modern-day franchise's six Hall of Famers. Both depict Robinson in the field — fitting for the greatest defensive third baseman of all time.
On Sunday September 18, 1977, the 40-year-old Robinson was honored with a sendoff billed, "Thanks, Brooks" Day, in which 51,798 fans jammed into Memorial Stadium. Although Robinson asked for no gifts, he was awarded a new car. There were two other presents that stood out. His successor, Doug DeCinces, ripped third base out of the ground and handed it to Robinson. And May, who was victimized by Robinson in the 1970 World Series but was an Oriole teammate in 1977, handed the retiring superstar a vacuum cleaner. It was the perfect end to an incomparable career. "I have seen all the clips. He was an actual vacuum cleaner," said Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, who won a Gold Glove for the Orioles in 2013 at age 21. "Every time I see the clips, it just gives me goose bumps to see him play, just how he cared about the game and the way he played the game."
Gold Glovers
Throughout modern franchise history, the Orioles have been known for their defense. Since the Gold Glove Award was created by the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company in 1957, Orioles have won 70 times, most in the American League and second overall to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Incredibly, the Orioles have had 16 multiple Gold Glove winners led by third baseman Brooks Robinson, who holds the club record with 16 Gold Gloves. He picked up the club's first one in 1960.
Here's a look at the players who have won multiple Gold Gloves for the Orioles.
16 Gold Gloves: 3B Brooks Robinson
8 Gold Gloves: OF Paul Blair, SS Mark Belanger
4 Gold Gloves: P Jim Palmer, P Mike Mussina, 2B Bobby Grich, OF/CF Adam Jones
3 Gold Gloves: 1B Eddie Murray, 2B Davey Johnson, SS J.J. Hardy
2 Gold Gloves: 2B Roberto Alomar, SS Luis Aparicio, 1B Rafael Palmeiro, SS Cal Ripken Jr., C Matt Wieters, RF Nick Markakis
CHAPTER 3Junior from Aberdeen
It once seemed impossible that anyone would be able to knock Brooks Robinson off his perch as Mr. Oriole. That became at least an arguable reality in the early 1990s, when the greatest debate in Orioles history emerged: has Cal Ripken Jr. eclipsed Brooks Robinson as the most beloved, most important, and/or greatest player in franchise history?
It's an argument often waged over generational lines. If you grew up in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s, you champion Brooks; in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, you throw your support behind Cal. "If you ask people nowadays who was the ultimate Oriole, you get two answers: either Brooks or Cal," said former Orioles outfielder Ken Singleton. "And having played with both of them, I could see why. Brooks came from Arkansas, of course, but he was the first real star on the team, became MVP, and all that sort of thing. And Cal is more of the local hero because he came from Aberdeen, Maryland, and in that regard, you could say Cal trumps Brooksie. But I think you'd get both answers depending on how old the person is. One would say Brooks, and the other would say Cal."
This much is definite: if a Mount Rushmore of Orioles baseball were to be constructed, Hall of Famers Ripken and Robinson (in some order) would be the first faces sculpted. Although Robinson has called Ripken "Mr. Oriole" in the past, they truly are 1 and 1A in that distinction. If Ripken gets the edge, it's because he was an Oriole well before he ever played for the team. He grew up in Aberdeen, about 35 miles northeast of Baltimore. His father, Cal Sr., was a longtime minor league instructor and manager who became the big league club's third-base coach in 1977. "If you were to set out and write about the ideal situation, the ideal career for a baseball player, I think my story would have to be considered," Ripken said the year he was retiring. "I'm a hometown guy. My dad was with the Orioles. I can't tell you when the Orioles were [first] really, really important to me because I can't remember that far back."
Former Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey said he'll never forget watching a teenage Cal Ripken Jr. taking batting practice against Cal Sr. and hitting line drive after line drive into the Memorial Stadium bullpen. "That wasn't easy, even for a veteran who already wore a major league uniform," Dempsey said.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from 100 things Orioles Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Dan Connolly. Copyright © 2015 Dan Connolly. Excerpted by permission of Triumph Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Foreword by Jim Palmer,Introduction,
1. The Oriole Way,
2. A Human Vacuum Cleaner Named Brooks,
3. Junior from Aberdeen,
4. The Streak,
5. Frank Robinson,
6. Jim Palmer,
7. Visit Oriole Park at Camden Yards,
8. The Earl of Baltimore,
9. Steady Eddie,
10. The New Beginning,
11. Sweeping the 1966 World Series,
12. Scream the "Ohhhhh",
13. The Best Orioles Team Ever,
14. Four 20-Game Winners,
15. Boog Powell,
16. Ain't the Beer Cold,
17. The 1983 World Series,
18. Memorial Stadium,
19. How the Orioles Became the Yankees,
20. Paul Richards, the Wizard of Waxahachie,
21. Motormouth,
22. Oriole Magic and Doug DeCinces,
23. Losing to the Pirates, Part I,
24. Losing to the Pirates, Part II,
25. The Great Demper,
26. Hit Me If You Can,
27. Cal Ripken Sr.,
28. Losin' to the Amazin' Mets,
29. Dave McNally,
30. The Kiddie Corps,
31. Hang with the Immortals,
32. 0–21,
33. Gregg Olson and the Why Not? Season,
34. Frank Robinson Homers out of Memorial Stadium,
35. The 1997 Season,
36. Flanny,
37. Ken Singleton,
38. The Jeffrey Maier-Aided Home Run,
39. Harry Dalton,
40. Big Mac's Big Games,
41. The Babe,
42. Visit Babe Ruth Birthplace and Sports Legends Museums,
43. Brady Anderson,
44. The Final Days of 1982,
45. 2012: BUCKle Up,
46. Diamond Jim's Great Season,
47. Tito's Great Blast,
48. Davis Crushes the Home Run Record,
49. Dempsey's Rain Delay Theater,
50. Rex Barney,
51. The Managers: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,
52. The Ripken Family,
53. Sing "Thank God I'm a Country Boy",
54. Gus Tremendous,
55. Hall of Famers,
56. Magnificent Moose,
57. Tippy's Pickoffs,
58. Roenicke and Lowenstein,
59. Brother Low Rises to the Occasion,
60. Grab a Sandwich at Boog's,
61. Elrod,
62. Cy Stone,
63. Big Ben,
64. Four Men and One No-Hitter,
65. 2014: We Won't Stop,
66. The 10 Most Notable Trades,
67. The End of the Streak,
68. Davey Johnson,
69. "Wild Bill" Hagy and the Roar from Section 34,
70. Road Trip to Cooperstown,
71. Bruising a Strawberry,
72. The Blade,
73. The Dark Years: 1998–2011,
74. Markakis and Jones,
75. Colorful Characters,
76. Cartoon Birds, Uniforms, and Caps,
77. Mike Cuellar,
78. The Rise and Fall of Rafael Palmeiro,
79. Al Bumbry,
80. Closing Memorial Stadium,
81. Opening Camden Yards,
82. Soak in Sarasota,
83. Matt Wieters,
84. The Reign of Peter Angelos,
85. Alomar's Ugly Incident,
86. Grand Slamming with Hoiles,
87. Eddie Murray's Timely 500th Home Run,
88. Fan Favorites,
89. Breaking the Color Barrier,
90. Leading the League in Babies,
91. Two Games Against Cuba,
92. Attend Opening Day,
93. Manny Machado,
94. The Truck Driver and the Rusty Nail,
95. The International League Orioles,
96. Cult Heroes,
97. Villains,
98. Road Trip to the Minors,
99. 30–3 Defeat,
100. Behind the Scenes,
Acknowledgments,
Sources,