Top 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - 2014, Ill take For The Home Team for $400, Alex. 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. The place was packed because we were still playing for second place. He ended up hitting .304 in 19 playoff and World Series games for Baltimore. On this night, Haller was wearing a microphone as part of his participation in a documentary about umpiring in the Major Leagues. Debbie Ray. I was dragging three pieces of luggage and a hang up bag across the parking lot. 17, 1980Now for one a bit less good-natured, but that will live forever nonetheless. Now Dempsey as an Os Extra announcer? [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. Once, after the pitcher had again been racked, Dempsey mentioned that trend to another teammate as they trotted off the field. Weaver wont go quietlySept. I was the most brutal manager ever for Bakersfield, Dempsey said. He signed with Cleveland and the Indians finished with an MLB-low 61 wins in 1987. I declared myself safe, the crowd went nuts, and I walked off the field completely drenched. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). It wasn't even really premeditated, but Sammy just thought of it at the spur of the moment, went on the field, and did it. The pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run. He would go from the clubhouse to the dugout, where he would take off his cleats, stuff a pillow under his jersey and head to the approximate area of home plate. Managing, he says, is like batting. I didnt know anything about being by myself and being on the road but I made a lot of friends early on. Dempsey has been a candidate for managerial openings with the Orioles in the past, as recently as 2003 when the Orioles interviewed him for the spot that eventually went to Lee Mazzilli. He liked the fact that I always went to the games when I told him I would and they gave me a shot. Date: July 23, 2009 Score: Chicago White Sox 5, Tampa Bay Rays 0 Site: U.S. Cellular Field Pitches (Ks): 116 (76 strikes) Game Score: 93 In 2009, Buehrle, a durable soft-tossing lefty, threw his team's first perfect game in 87 years. He, McGregor and Martinez became part of a nucleus that kept the Orioles as perennial contender for the next decade. They started chanting we want Dempsey. You can see him out on the field sometimes and you know he just wants to pull his hair out.. Loved it! Odds & lines subject to change. So as I skated around the tarp, everyone started to sing with me. It has to be tough on him. Soon after, his teammates arrived, quickly setting up a poker game. [1] Dempsey was known for being one of the best defensive catchers of his era. Next on her target list: Cal Ripken Jr., who would later homer in the Orioles 9-4 win over Texas. We were having a good time, but then it started to rain. I was in the outfield at Fenway Park on Sunday, throwing baseballs to fans in the stands who were the loudest. Your email address will not be published. People who heard him say he was great. Everybody just went crazy. He told me I did a great job. It was a Catholic high school so the priests helped me a little but with my grades so Id be eligible to play sports. I said, "Why would you want to do that? So, he left and 40 minutes later he came back and said you made the club. Source: Okrent (1985), Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game, p. 246. Dempsey spent all of 1974 with the Yankees, serving as Munsons backup for most of that time. And, at the time, not a very good one. Personable. 10. But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays. Rick Dempseyof the Los Angeles Dodgers attemptsto catch a foul ball at Dodger Stadium circa 1988 in Los angeles,California. I thought that was kind of cool, that he got so many different sections at Yankee Stadium involved in that. The next time he would see Minnesota would be as a visiting player. Ricky Dempsey, 64 Also known as Ricky Dempsy Ricky Demsey Ricky Demps Has lived in Gulf Breeze, FL Pensacola, FL Little River, AL Pace, FL Related to John Staley, 67 Karen Staley, 65 Kyle Staley, 39 Alicia Staley, 44 View Profile Ricky Dempsey, 37 Has lived in Mineola, TX Alba, TX Albert, TX Irving, TX Related to William Strebeck, 95 During the rain delay NESN was playing Rick Dempsey rain delay Highlights which is always great, but on screen graphic said it was 1980 , while watching Boggs etc in the dugout. He met Cal Ripken, Sr., who Dempsey called the greatest catching coach. Hes had that singular focus since he was a youngster growing up in California and starring in local Little and Pony Leagues. Theyre just learning.. The other half was as MiLB.coms staff historian. Dempsey was named World Series MVP and was an Oriole hero for all times. 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. Covered a Mets-Astros doubleheader in 1987 and never looked back. [9] It was one of Dempsey's greatest disappointments of his playing career. Dempsey spent 1991 with the Brewers and hit a respectable .231 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 147 at-bats. I was skating to the ball and the organist started playing rain drops keep falling my head. I didnt even know who the heck he was. The work ethic that was so prevalent during Dempseys playing days remains. On the franchise. He held it until the next day before the gag was exposed. Published by Triumph Books. I went into the managers office and said can you send me somewhere where I can get the opportunity to play? Gross tubs? He managed at Bakersfield in the Class-A California League to a 10th-place finish in 1993 before guiding Albuquerque of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League to a title in 1994 and a fifth-place finish in 1995. [7] He was a durable player, only going on the disabled list twice in his career. He quickly tossed Weaver, and Weaver responded by spewing an animated, profanity-laced tirade. I never wanted to be retired; it just worked out that way. During his career, which spanned from 1969-1992, Dempsey was known as one of the best defensive catchers in the game. "No, really! It is and it isnt. 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. With his players, and himself. 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. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Basketball Players. What made that tarp act even more special was that Sammy Stewart came out and pitched to me, as if he was Jim Palmer, who had given up those two home runs. Then I ran off the field, and that was it. Perhaps inspired by Dempsey's motivational tactics, Jay Gibbons went 3-4 with a solo HR in Baltimore's 8-3 defeat of Tampa Bay last night. 2. Not only that, but the teams and Major League Baseball said they didn't want players running around on the tarp because somebody could get hurt and cost someone a lot of money. [1] Dempsey spent a few more seasons shuttling between the Twins and their minor league teams, before being traded to the New York Yankees for Danny Walton on October 31, 1972. 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. It was great.. 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 . [20] Dempsey also won a Little League World Series in 1963 with the team from Canoga Park-Woodland Hills, California. But '83 is what it's really all about with Dempsey as a player. He appeared in 77 games, hit .251 [42-for-167] with seven homers and 30 RBIs. I told him I wished he wouldnt fly, that he was a baseball player. I wanted to be like Earl Weaver. Redskins. It is supposed to bring joy, every night a chance to escape for nine innings. 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. 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. It proved pivotal in Baltimore eventually securing a 3-1 win. He had the most impact on me of any person or player. He eventually came out and I said Im sorry Mr. Claire, I never give up on anything, dont make me do it now. After jury approval, Palmer was fined. The Orioles played the next night in Yankee Stadium, earning a 1-0 victory that seemed very hollow. [7][13][14][15], In 1987, Dempsey became a free agent and signed a contract to play for the Cleveland Indians. Got any funny rain delay stories? 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. No wonder television wanted him. I took two mighty swings, twisting my body as far as it would go. "Players Swap Memories of Yankees-Orioles 10-Player Trade", "Rick Dempsey Looks Back on his 24 Seasons as a Big League Catcher", 1979 American League Championship Series at Baseball Reference, Rick Dempsey post-season batting statistics, "Rick Dempsey: His Career Survives Fires of Combat", "You're Looking at One for the Ages Here", Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rick_Dempsey&oldid=1132443572, Florida Instructional League Twins players, American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela, World Series Most Valuable Player Award winners, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2010, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, September 23,1969,for theMinnesota Twins, September 27,1992,for theBaltimore Orioles, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 22:38. 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. We dont make the big money yet.. Im 175 pounds and hes 235 with world-class speed. It ended when the second baseman and right fielder pulled up short on a fly ball between them. 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. Had one beat writer from another newspaper threaten to kill him in an elevator at the winter meetings. Martin made quite the impression on the 19-year-old catcher, one that remains as vivid for Dempsey as it was 54 years ago. I signed as a 145-pound catcher and two years later I was playing in the big leagues.. Nfl Football Players. He did get a pair of September callups but they were mere cameos. Storm Davis, John Shelby, and series MVP Rick Dempsey would reach the 1988 World Series, Davis with the Oakland Athletics and Shelby and Dempsey with the Los Angeles Dodgers . The mark Rick Dempsey left was to be forever tied in with rain delay theatrics as he basically invented the genre (go to the 4:42 mark ): If YouTube had existed at the time it would have. 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. But as with so much art, nothing beats the original. Lunds favorite: During spring training one year, Dempsey said he broke into a room shared by three teammates and hid in the closet. After that, the fans didnt want to leave, it was incredible. [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. Weaver enjoyed Soliloquy and came to enjoy even more the defensive skills Dempsey developed. After his tenure with the Orioles ended in 1986, Dempsey signed with Cleveland for the 1987 season, where he did little and was released in October. Still, they were the classiest organization I was ever a part of.. 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. His teammates and members of the opposing team would stand in the dugouts and applaud with the fans, especially when Dempsey concluded his routine with a mammoth belly-flop slide into home plate on the infield tarp, his momentum carrying him for yards, a rooster tail of rainwater behind him. Mike Bordick, Rick Dempsey On What 2020 Season Will Offer For Orioles PressBox. 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. He would go and hang out with the players, drink with them and do all that stuff. It wasnt all bad for Dempsey, though. The ball was worth $6.5 million. I got to my room and stuck my key in the door and it didnt open. With the worst record in professional baseball. I hit him, Dempsey says. The Hall of Fame pitcher played all of his 19 years in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles, winning three World Series. He went on for more than an hour, Lund says. All of a sudden, the people in the stadium started pounding on the grandstands with their feet. Now, its too late for me to take a managing job. 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. But when he got on the field, he took things seriously. 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. Yeah, its too early to draw conclusions about anything, but its not too early to feel the optimism already. With that in mind, were taking stroll down memory lane to highlight the times in Orioles history that did just that. The ones that provided levity and laughs, and for those reasons, went on to live forever. All rights reserved. Palmer told me I had to stand up to him otherwise hed bury me. My brother [who was his ride] was a high hurdler so I became a miler on the track team and ran a 4:36 mile. Dempsey ended his career in 1992, at age 42, with eight more games as a Baltimore Oriole. Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Books, Milwaukee Brewers, MLB, New York Yankees, Rick Dempsey, Robin Yount, Sparky Lyle, 'Let Them Lead' Beloved Fourth-Line Grinder Earns Magical Moment, Tony Parker: Tough Love From Gregg Popovich 'Sometimes Bordered On Abuse', Thomas Morstead: From Wrong Side Of Minneapolis Miracle To Star Of Kids' Book, Nicklas Lidstrom's Crowning Moment At The Olympics In 2006, Copyright 2023 Sports Media Ventures, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Can he keep it up? Pictures of a book signing event at Barnes & Noble in Bel Air featuring former Baltimore . 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.. I held him to less yards that [Brian] Bosworth did. Worked three years in Philly at Comcast covering the Phillies minor leagues and doing weekly TV spots. Dave Duncan [the starting catcher] got hot and started playing well, so they stuck with him. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2020-2022 BallNine, llc. Top 40 Orioles of All Time: #20, Rick Dempsey. Finally, using his best Mexican bandito accent, he ordered the men to drop their money on the table and leave the room. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 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 , Next They said they wouldnt pick up my option. The next year I went to Wisconsin Rapids and didnt hardly play at all. Youth is most often blamed, and it is a legitimate excuse. 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. This is what were going to do, I told him. SoSH Member. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. But at least he is gathering good material and having a few good laughs, right? Dempsey had five hits in the World Series, four doubles and a homer, and the Orioles beat the Phillies in five games. But I held on to the ball. I got it signed by everybody. Then, after a while, I pretty much came to terms with the fact that were developing here. I saw Sparky a year or two after I did it the first time and said, "I finally did what you wanted to do." Dupree was a pitcher. For me, languages are fascinating. It started to rain and everyone left the field and when they covered it up, there was one baseball on the tarp. Autograph - Q&A Segment . 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. The Dodgers longest winning streak of the season is three. Major League Baseball was not easy to break into at that time. This is as much of an education for me as it is for them, he says. No one liked you and most of the veterans were cold and didnt want to talk. [2] In 1997, he was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. 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. 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. In this conversation. He is fairly certain Duprees recollection ends there too. Dempsey made his Major League debut on Sept. 23 against the Royals at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. He was mentioned again as a possible candidate for the Baltimore manager's job in 2010, after the firing of Dave Trembley. 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. They split the two games and Baltimore won its final two games to win the division. Ask Dupree about Dempseys other side. Dempsey does tell them stories. There isn't a ton to say about Dempsey the player. Rick Dempsey always was a crowd favorite. Best coffee city in the world? They quarreled over how to pitch to batters and over virtually any other subject. At 7 p.m., I was still sitting there. Rick Dempsey's age is 73. Last night, our good. [19] He is the uncle of former major league catcher Gregg Zaun. Nobody in the Orioles dugout was laughing when it happened, but 16 years of hindsight have lightened the mood a bit. I loved everything about him, especially the way he would pick off every would be base-stealer. That decision wasnt final, though. [2] He usually did not make a large contribution offensively. . As climate changes, climate anxiety rises in youth. I sat there on the bench and started one game. He then did an exaggerated Ruth home-run trot around the bases, sliding into each base and falling when rounding third. 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. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Funny, they don't remember that once in a while I got a hit. [19] Dempsey fared well offensively in postseason play. 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.. 31 - RickDempsey, Friday Bird Droppings: Where Adley and Grayson put on a show. Babe Ruth used to be with the Red Sox. Sammy had a way of playing with the ball, flipping it with his hand, that added a nice touch. 20; No. With the worst record in minor league baseball. He also appeared in six games for the Yankees before embarking on a journey that would last another 18 years in the Major Leagues. I have my grammar school sweetheart and well be married 54 years in February. 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. [21] He then joined the New York Mets organisation, managing the Norfolk Tides in 1997 and 1998. He added that Ripken took a liking to him and polished him up behind the plate. I picked up the ball and didn't throw it because I wanted everyone there to start singing along with the song. He still wanted to do it, but by that time, he was too old. He was also named a first team NYPL all-star and lauded by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. He was the first of four players from Crespi Carmelite to get drafted and is one of nine from the school to reach the Major Leagues. Dempsey would wait until the tarp was nice and drenched, like a giant Slip-N-Slide. They put the tarp down at the end of batting practice, and by then it was raining pretty heavily. Flashback Friday: Of Brother Lo and "Jesus Christ Around the Horn: Talkin' Baseball, From the Beltwa Jay Gibbons Makes His Pitch to Get Back in Baseball. Football Poster. All the pitchers enjoyed having me behind the plate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your browser doesn't support the HTML5 CANVAS tag. By Tuesday morning, it was a winter wonderland in Wilton, with 7 inches of snow recorded by 8 a.m., according to the National . "Hey Rick," I shouted, "I saw your rain delay act at Fenway back in 1977!". He started the 1976 season as Munsons backup but was dealt to Baltimore in a blockbuster deal on June 15 that also saw Tippy Martinez, Rudy May, Scott McGregor and Dave Pagan headed to the Os in exchange for Doyle Alexander, Ken Holtzman, Grant Jackson, Jimmy Freeman and Elrod Hendricks. Dempsey would point to the outfield seats, then hit an invisible pitch with an exaggerated swing. Mike Curtis Baltimore Colts. This time they won, topping the Phillies in five games with Dempsey earning the Series MVP after hitting .385 with four doubles and a homer. If you ever saw it, youd never forget it. And weve given him a lot more reasons to do it than that. He retired in November 2020. I loved Billy; he was a little guy like me, Dempsey said. A nice guy, that Dempsey. I know how to do it, but it takes a while to get a rhythm and timing for the game and your ballclub. I ended up doing that routine three times. When Spring Training rolled around in 1988 Dempsey was at Vero Beach with the Dodgers. Dempsey would remain the No. They wouldnt even let me warm pitchers up in the bullpen. 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. "Yeah, sure you did!". 2 comments 70% Upvoted This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast Sort by level 1 drexhex 8 years ago See this video for more of Dempsey's rain delay antics 5 level 1 I like our ducks aresef 8 years ago I yelled and screamed and Fred told me we want you to be Rick Dempsey and not Earl Weaver. We want Dempsey!" 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. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, A $150,000 executive protection dog? Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. She was also charged with trespassing and spent eight hours in jail, according to the Baltimore Sun. In 14 World Series and 11 playoff games, he batted .303 (20-for-66) with 11 runs, 11 doubles, 1 home run, 7 RBI, 1 stolen base and 7 bases on balls.
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