Former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver
passed away early this morning of an apparent heart attack
during an Orioles themed cruise in the Caribbean Sea. He was
82.
Weaver was a light hitting minor league infielder who found his
niche in managing. He joined the Orioles organization as a minor
league manager in 1957 and worked his way up the ranks until he
made the big league club in 1968 as their first base coach. Mid-way
through that season, the O’s fired manager Hank Bauer and named
Weaver as his successor.
All Weaver did was lead the O’s to three consecutive AL pennants
between 1969 and 1971 with the likes of Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar,
Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell and Mark Belanger.
However, they came up short against the Miracle Mets and Roberto
Clemente’s Pittsburgh Pirates in ‘69 and ‘71. Weaver’s only World
Series triumph came in 1970 over the Cincinnati Reds.
After leading the Orioles to consecutive AL East titles in 1973
and 1974, Weaver would win his final AL pennant in 1979.
Unfortunately for Weaver, a three games to one lead wasn’t enough
to overcome Willie Stargell and the “We-Are-Famalee” Pittsburgh
Pirates.
The 1980 Orioles were arguably better than the ‘79 team winning
100 games. But with no wild card back then, the O’s finished three
games behind the Yankees. Two years later, it went down to the last
game of the season but the O’s fell one game short of winning the
AL East as Don Sutton outduelled Jim Palmer to give the Milwaukee
Brewers their first divisional crown.
Weaver would retire after the 1982 season and watched Joe
Altobelli lead the O’s to a World Series title the following year.
The Orioles brought Weaver back for the 1985 and 1986 seasons but
he could not replicate his earlier success.
Between 1969 and 1982, the O’s won 90 or more games every year
except 1972, 1976 and 1981 (‘72 and ‘81 were strike shortened
seasons). In all, Weaver had a
1480-1060 record as Orioles skipper.
Weaver stressed pitching, defensive fundamentals and a three run
homerun. He was also amongst the first managers to utilize
statistics in setting the lineup. Weaver use of the platoon system
brought out the best in journeymen players like John Lowenstein,
Benny Ayala, Gary Roenicke and Jim Dwyer.
But above all else, he was a nightmare to big league umpires
everywhere and was ejected from more than 90 games over 17 seasons.
Although Bobby Cox would eventually eclipse his record, no one was
more colorful in clashing with umpires than Weaver as demonstrated
with this famous argument
with Bill Haller during a game against the Detroit Tigers in
September 1980 after Haller called a balk against the late Orioles
starter Mike Flanagan. Let’s just say this conversation is
NSFW.
During the argument, Weaver said he was going to the Hall of
Fame. Haller scoffed but the Veterans Committee voted Weaver into
Cooperstown
in 1996.
Well, the Earl of Baltimore has found a Heaven full of people
with whom to start arguments. Only they won’t be able to eject
him.
