He made it fun. Fox ought to track down footage of it and show it during Game 5 on Tuesday, which is also expected to be rained out. I learned the game from Thurman. Pinterest. Theyre just learning.. Copyright (c) 2017. 16 from Two Runs or More, The Start of Rookie League Ball in Bluefield. All rights reserved. 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. [2] After three and a half seasons with the Yankees, he was acquired along with Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez, Rudy May and Dave Pagan by the Orioles for Ken Holtzman, Doyle Alexander, Elrod Hendricks, Grant Jackson and Jimmy Freeman at the trade deadline on June 15, 1976. Cal gets a good-luck kissMay 2, 1988When looking back on this one, context is important. On this night, Haller was wearing a microphone as part of his participation in a documentary about umpiring in the Major Leagues. I thought that was kind of cool, that he got so many different sections at Yankee Stadium involved in that. But as she often did, Morganna stole the show. Advertisement If these rain-delay antics have a godfather, it is probably Rick Dempsey, the one-time Orioles catcher, who back in the early '80s brought out a comical home run trot around. He was also named a first team NYPL all-star and lauded by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. He also got in a late September fight with teammate Bill Sudakis, a volatile sort who was also one of New Yorks backup catchers. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Within a week he crashed. He added that Ripken took a liking to him and polished him up behind the plate. 10. He played for Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Tommy Lasorda and, along with Tim McCarver and Carlton Fisk, is one of only three catchers to play in the Major Leagues in four decades [1969-92]. After throwing out several runners in his first start against the Red Sox on June 22, Dempsey had gained an in with his manager. Personable. It was a Catholic high school so the priests helped me a little but with my grades so Id be eligible to play sports. It was a lot of fun because I was flexible enough to get around the field without pulling a muscle or breaking anything. 9. I cant leave her alone for that long. Im going to hit a homer every 24 at-bats, drive in a run every five at-bats, turn your staff around, win the division, win the playoffs and then win the World Series. 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. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part ISept. 1. 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. The people in Milwaukee just loved it. Before disappearing into the dugout, Lowenstein reassured them hed be OK by hoisting his torso and both arms airborne in sudden, triumphant fashion. [16] After only one season with the Indians, he became a free agent once again and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he would be a member of another World Series-winning team in 1988, this time as a backup catcher to Mike Scioscia. John Rikard Dempsey (born September 13, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player. It has to be tough on him. See About archive blog posts. iterated elimination of strictly dominated strategies calculator Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. R ick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. He came to my mothers house in 1967 in Simi Valley and I signed a contract. One of baseball's great characters and the son of vaudevillians, Rick Dempsey was fond of stuffing towels under his jersey and doing an impression of Babe Ruth during rain delays. While Dempsey never hit higher than .262 during his decade as Baltimores starting catcher, his presence behind the plate and in the clubhouse made him the perfect veteran leader, especially as Palmer wound down his career and retired. But when he got on the field, he took things seriously. 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. I took Robin's jersey. With the worst record in professional baseball. The Orioles were 1-23 (yes, you read that right) at the time, having returned home to Fantastic Fan Night at Memorial Stadium after what was statistically the worst start in baseball history. The Orioles won 10-3. Dempsey knew that he wanted to keep playing. Included in this is the famous Rick Dempsey. I got along with him really well.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies after brain aneurysm, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, Sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Clippers win waiver bid for Chauncey Billups, Brendan Burke, son of Brian Burke, dies in a car crash. He went on for more than an hour, Lund says. Shed been hopping over railings to peck MLB stars for years, and had already planted lips on the likes of Fred Lynn, Steve Garvey, Nolan Ryan, George Brett, Don Mattingly and others. He hit .239 in 43 games. Handled pitchers well, loved to slide on wet tarps during rain delays. He liked the fact that I always went to the games when I told him I would and they gave me a shot. I was the most brutal manager ever for Bakersfield, Dempsey said. They quarreled over how to pitch to batters and over virtually any other subject. 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. While he loved playing with Munson and for Martin, Dempseys stay in New York was just about over. Football League. Im 175 pounds and hes 235 with world-class speed. "Hey Rick," I shouted, "I saw your rain delay act at Fenway back in 1977!". During his career, which spanned from 1969-1992, Dempsey was known as one of the best defensive catchers in the game. Dempsey made his Major League debut on Sept. 23 against the Royals at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. We want Dempsey!" No wonder television wanted him. 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. Rick Dempsey could be generously described as a bad hitter and probably an overrated defensive catcher. Blog Round-Up: There's Anger in the Air in Toronto, Flashback Friday: "Doubleheader Don" Aase, In Case You Were Wondering - Road Jerseys Edition. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 22. He turned out to be the best GM I ever talked to. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Some day, Dempsey hopes, they might say the same thing about him as a manager. Last game of the season!". Dempsey spent all of 1974 with the Yankees, serving as Munsons backup for most of that time. I went to Fred Claires office. Rick Dempsey Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac Rick Dempsey Stats Rick Dempsey was born on Tuesday, September 13, 1949, in Fayetteville, Tennessee. He wrote for the Long Beach Press Telegram and Orange County Register before joining The Times in 1982 and won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for investigative reporting on betting scams. Tonights rain delay in the World Series brings one name to the mind of most baseball fans: Rick Dempsey. The long-time Baltimore catcher, however, proved over the course of his career, which encompassed parts of four decades, that he was more than one of baseballs most memorable characters. Had one beat writer from another newspaper threaten to kill him in an elevator at the winter meetings. I wasnt sleeping too good, trying to think of ways to get us going. I wanted to manage for the Orioles and I talked to [general manager] Roland Hemond and the farm director to see where they could place me. So, I went back out to the tarp and did Babe Ruth hitting the homer. Nobody in the Orioles dugout was laughing when it happened, but 16 years of hindsight have lightened the mood a bit. A nice guy, that Dempsey. Let me talk to you for a half hour and if it doesnt work out, Ill go home and retire. 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. Players would keep a box of crackers and cheddar cheese in the clubhouse . So, I said okay, Ill play for the worst team in baseball before I play for the Orioles., The Case of the Missing Folder: A Two-Part Hollywood Mystery. October 7, 2012. In '78, Dempsey took over behind the plate, and upped his hitting to non-embarrassing levels, at .259/.327/.356 with six homers. Thats not really me.. Were not talking about wins and losses so much as were trying to get guys who are supposed to be prospects to start playing the game the way its supposed to be played.. I told him I can go home and start my managing career and that Id be okay, Dempsey said. Otherwise, he said, he would have to use his gun. He believed in a strong defensive catcher. And plotted. When the music was over I threw the ball to the fans in left field. Then I got traded to the Orioles, and the next year, on the final day of the 1977 season, we were playing the Boston Red Sox for second place. 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. Wayne Bryant. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. He spent it in the press box with the Bakersfield broadcast team, doing color commentary. 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. In the new book If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles, Dempsey and writer Dave Ginsburg share this and many otherbehind-the-scenes stories about the team. Rick Dempsey played for 24 years, with 3. The incident earned him a one-game suspension from the league. Nfl Colts. The Business of Baseball: In Praise of Peter Angelos? When I first got traded, I met them in Chicago and I didnt start a game for quite a while. Should the teams play become exceedingly sloppy, Dempsey might occasionally launch into a postgame tirade, but he prefers to instruct rather than belittle his players. When he retired as a player, he had three broadcasting offers. They either dont hit, dont pitch, dont field or dont run the bases properly. Another sad day came when it became apparent that Dempseys time in Baltimore was over. 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. He didn't have a good season, hitting .231/.311/.323 with four homers in 128 games. The secretary had gone home and it was dark outside. Presenting an unusual Rick Dempsey bobblehead that talks and plays music.Rick Dempsey was the Baltimore Orioles' catcher from 1976 to 1986, and was well loved for his sense of humor. The crowd gave Dempsey a standing ovation. They wanted a lefty hitting catcher and I became Thurman Munsons backup guy. 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. (Photo by: Ron Kuntz Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images). (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images), A PITSTOP ON THE WAY TO ANOTHER WORLD SERIES. Enberg hosted the pregame show alongside Dempsey (who was still active with Baltimore at the time). Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say. Dempsey also served as an Oriole color commentator in 2000 and began another stint in 2007, as the studio analyst for O's Xtra on MASN, the cable channel that carries Orioles games. The image of Dempsey sliding across a soaked tarp to entertain drenched fans is still a legendary one in baseball. Rick Dempseyof the Los Angeles Dodgers attemptsto catch a foul ball at Dodger Stadium circa 1988 in Los angeles,California. John Lowenstein leaves the field a hero, on a stretcherJune 19, 1980There arent many scarier moments on a baseball field than when a player is hit in the head, but Lowenstein -- true to his nature -- was able to provide some levity when he found himself in such a situation. But whatever, he's Rick Dempsey. Still, they were the classiest organization I was ever a part of.. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part IIOct. It was tough for a while, Dempsey says. Loved it! But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays into interpretive theater. He ended up hitting .304 in 19 playoff and World Series games for Baltimore. Jack Cust goes swimmingAug. Sports Baseball. 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. Dempsey is quick to admit that bettering himself in sports, not academics, was his main focus while attending Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino. WHO IS Rick Dempsey? The decade wasnt always great, though. , Next But Sparky never did it. I used to listen to him and Jim Palmer battling. He was hooked on baseball and had been so since an early when he began listening to Vin Scully on Dodger broadcasts as an 8-year-old. I wouldnt tell them that stuff. He is remembered for one in particular, when he committed a baserunning gaffe that led to a 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Yankees in August 2003. He was mentioned again as a possible candidate for the Baltimore manager's job in 2010, after the firing of Dave Trembley. Funny, they don't remember that once in a while I got a hit. The worst thing was, being manager, I had to call his wife and tell her what happened, Dempsey says. "Rick Dempsey found success in baseball, but his boyhood friend and teammate struggled,". 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. He would even pantomime the pitching. Loved it! If the Dodgers are anything, it is young. Rick Dempsey Scouting Report 30 HITTING 40 POWER 30 RUNNING 60 FIELDING 60 THROWING 20 = NOT MLB CALIBER 30 = WELL BELOW AVG 40 = Below Average 50 = MLB AVERAGE 60 = ABOVE AVG 70 = EXCELLENT 80 = RARE, ELITE Dempsey s words proved to be prophetic. 6. 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. Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. We were childhood friends, and I made him give it to me. 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. Major League Baseball Stadiums. 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. Gambling problem? His buddy Munson would die in a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979. When I was a kid, This Week in Baseball hosted by Mel Allen would occasionally show how Rick Dempsey entertained fans during rain delays during baseball games. He told me he gave that ball to the Hall of Fame. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. Then I ran off the field, and that was it. But as with so much art, nothing beats the original. I said, "No. Elliott: After trading away Jonathan Quick, Kings make more deals ahead of trade deadline, After four decades, trainer Ed Moger gets his first Triple Crown starter, An exclusive look at details of Chip Kellys two-year contract extension from UCLA, His shoe game is pretty tight. Why Dodgers hope Miguel Rojas play matches his swag, Rats in the laundry? Santarone would pour a layer of vinegar over the mix and let it set for a few days, then drain it and do the same with oil. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? The people were screaming as if I had just hit a home run to win the seventh game of the World Series. I loved the way he played the game and we became very good friends.. Dempsey broke his thumb and missed the rest of the season. Which leads to this piece on Rick Dempsey's rain-delay entertainment: In 1995, Dempsey worked as a field reporter for ABC's coverage of the All-Star Game from Texas.'. They say, "That's the guy who ran around on the tarp." Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Other times, the players do not consider Dempsey to be so great. You know what I'm going to do? Dempsey was back in upstate New York in 1973, spending the majority of the season with Syracuse of the Triple-A International League, where he hit .248 with 47 RBIs. Dupree was a pitcher. Dempsey had become a Dodger coach for those two years, and he was hanging out atop the dugout steps before the game. Mike Hiserman is former Sports editor of the Los Angeles Times. One time in Toronto, one of the Blue Jays staffers called me and asked me to do it. I dont enjoy retirement, he said. True story. Everybody just went crazy. 16, 2003Remember Cust, the left-handed slugger who had a productive four-year run with Oakland in the late 2000s? The idea for a line of neckties, many characterized by vibrant colors and sheens, came directly from his work with MASN, where the on-air talent is expected to dress up and look sharp. Gross tubs? As usual, his effort was a little off. After I slid into home plate, Yount came out and took his jersey back. [21] He then joined the New York Mets organisation, managing the Norfolk Tides in 1997 and 1998. "Yeah, sure you did!". I took two mighty swings, twisting my body as far as it would go. Just opened in Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Dempsey's Brewpub and Restaurant! In 1985, Dick Enberg was in Toronto for Games 1 and 7 of the 1985 ALCS on NBC. But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays. He was a yeller and a screamer and he beat the fundamentals of the game into you. In 59 games with his new team, he hit .213/.275/.224, then .226/.314/.315 in 91 games the next season. October 21, 2019 | 00:01:51 Rick Dempsey's famous bit in 1977 where he runs around the infield tarp during a rain delay in Fenway and then slides home Baltimore Orioles Season 2019 Dempsey eventually did go home but not before he appeared in 40 games for Minnesotas affiliate in the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League. I loved it at eight years old and told my mother I wanted to be a professional baseball player, Dempsey said. 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. 4. [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. Camden Chat - Fri, 14 Feb 2014 . Consider his "rain delay theater" a blend of both, and one of the more famous comedy bits in MLB history. They wouldnt even let me warm pitchers up in the bullpen. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I was able to catch some good pitchers. I yelled and screamed and Fred told me we want you to be Rick Dempsey and not Earl Weaver. Chass, Murray. He also appeared in six games for the Yankees before embarking on a journey that would last another 18 years in the Major Leagues. Just e-mail your list of the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers, ranked in order, to houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Baseball Library dot com has a nice bio piece about Dempsey. Available for purchase from the publisher, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. He speaks warmly about memories of attending drive-in movies with his parents and how, in between features, he was consumed with the highlights of Dodger games that were shown on the big screen. Baseball Park. Thanks to the Tigers' Todd Jones, shown in the rain delay video above, this week's Flashback Friday could only be about one thing: Rick Dempsey's "Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime." Daniel Okrent describes Dempsey's efforts: He was an intense man, who concentrated mightily on the game. The two tore up the lobby and in the melee Bobby Murcer got hurt and missed the final two games of the season. It seemed to Dempsey that the team was usually leading when Dupree came in and trailing by the time he came out. The new spot is named after Orioles fan favorite and 1983 World Series MVP, Rick Dempsey. Now that is entertainment! I put a pillow in my shirt so I could look a little bit like Babe Ruth. Top 40 Orioles of All Time: #20, Rick Dempsey. Then he started telling jokes, and then stories about the big leagues. Dempsey moved behind the plate for his senior season and hit a team-leading .466 to earn All-Camino Real League honors. Former MASN analyst Rick Dempsey, who had worked on the Orioles' pre- and postgame shows since 2007, admits the ballclub's decision to move on from him as part of the cuts at MASN "is. 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. One time, they batted out of order. Jones' antics in Detroit bring back memories of "Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime", Thanks to the Tigers' Todd Jones, shown in the rain delay video above, this week's Flashback Friday could only be about one thing: Rick Dempsey's "Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime.". Dempsey ended his career in 1992, at age 42, with eight more games as a Baltimore Oriole. The other half was as MiLB.coms staff historian. Palmer told me I had to stand up to him otherwise hed bury me. I did another version of it in Milwaukee one night. The first guy to come up to me in the locker room was Harmon Killebrew, Dempsey said. The Orioles potential superstar battery got off to a great start in their first spring pairing. Next on her target list: Cal Ripken Jr., who would later homer in the Orioles 9-4 win over Texas. The Twins were impressed and put him on the 40-man roster before calling him up to the big club in September, allowing Dempsey to play for Billy Martin and watch as the Twins captured the newly formed American League West crown. Ask Dupree about Dempseys other side. Back in those days, even though they fined players for throwing balls into the grandstand, Sparky didn't care. Broncos. [1] Dempsey led American League catchers twice in fielding percentage, twice in baserunners caught stealing and once in assists. The hard way. The pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run. He held it until the next day before the gag was exposed. I went out to home plate and pointed to the stands and everyone started to cheer, as if I had already hit the home run. Football Memorabilia. Debbie Ray. @busfield google "Rick Dempsey rain delay" for the greatest o's rain delay moments of all time. "No, really! He was famous for his rain delay performances, in which he emerged from the dugout in stocking feet onto the tarpaulin covering the infield and pantomimed . They wanted me to stay but they said I wasnt going to play. 3.4K views, 33 likes, 5 loves, 3 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Here's to the Night: Rick Dempsey has officially been dethroned as the king of the rain delay. Dempsey was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 23, 1969, with the Minnesota Twins. Whenever I think of Dempsey as a player, two memories come to mind: his rain delay routine and his 1983 World Series MVP. Dempsey was ejected from one game for bumping an umpire. Oh, that Rick Dempsey. So as I skated around the tarp, everyone started to sing with me. Dempsey was named World Series MVP and was an Oriole hero for all times. 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. Thanks to the Tigers' Todd Jones, shown in the rain delay video above, this week's Flashback Friday could only be about one thing: Rick Dempsey's "Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime." Daniel Okrent describes Dempsey's efforts: He was an intense man, who concentrated mightily on the game. Soon after, his teammates arrived, quickly setting up a poker game. But I learned how to handle a good staff with Baltimore and ended up being the everyday catcher for 10 years. In celebration of Palmer's birthday, we present these 22 classic SI photos of No. This video of Hagy conducting chants from the top of the home dugout, while more than 50,000 fans chanted along with him, speaks to the cult hero appeal he held. Your email address will not be published. In the midsts of the downpour two younger doofs decide it would be cool to sit out in the bleachers, in the rain. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. [citation needed]. I picked up the ball and didn't throw it because I wanted everyone there to start singing along with the song. New York came calling, Dempsey said. I went to the summer league in 67 and played half a game every other day.