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Lunds favorite: During spring training one year, Dempsey said he broke into a room shared by three teammates and hid in the closet. The Rise of Rain Delay Shenanigans - Slate Magazine SoSH Member. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part IIOct. He was mentioned again as a possible candidate for the Baltimore manager's job in 2010, after the firing of Dave Trembley. Think throwing a no-hitter got you a free pass in those days? "Everyone tells me that," he replied . A story Dempsey might want to tell his Bakersfield team. He felt that he still had the skill behind the plate to guide a pitching staff; it was just a matter of finding the right landing spot. You know what I'm going to do? You can see him out on the field sometimes and you know he just wants to pull his hair out.. We were having a good time, but then it started to rain. 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. 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. When I was with the New York Yankees before I got traded in 1976, I was in right field, speaking with relief pitcher Sparky Lyle. He was also named a first team NYPL all-star and lauded by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. That was one of the saddest days for me ever. I knew at that point they just wanted me to come in and quit so they didnt have to pay me but I refused to do that. Sep 26, 2022 #79 Almonte is entertainingly bad in the field. With that in mind, were taking stroll down memory lane to highlight the times in Orioles history that did just that. Bats warming up down the stretch for Bay Sox 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. So, I said okay, Ill play for the worst team in baseball before I play for the Orioles., Former Baltimore Orioles player Rick Dempsey leads cheers between innings during a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 9, 2014 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Personable. And you'll have a blast at the Rick Dempsey Rain-Delay Sliding Puddle. Two people can say something totally different and it can mean exactly the same thing. Earl Weaver was known for many things, among them his temper and penchant for getting ejected from ballgames. Once you master that, all youre left with is the game itself. He has been teaming with Tom Davis for 4 years hosting the "O's Xtra" pre- and post-game shows on MASN 30 minutes before and immediately after each game. By Tuesday morning, it was a winter wonderland in Wilton, with 7 inches of snow recorded by 8 a.m., according to the National . Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Dance Framed Photo 12"x15" Houston Mitchell is an assistant sports editor, writer of the Dodgers Dugout newsletter and editor of all of the sports newsletters for the Los Angeles Times. Dempsey was let go in 2021 as part of the massive layoffs by MASN. When I was a kid, 'This Week in Baseball' hosted by Mel Allen would occasionally. Sudakis was traded to the Angels after the season. "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. October 7, 2012. All the pitchers enjoyed having me behind the plate. 1983 Topps Rick Dempsey | PSA CardFacts He quickly tossed Weaver, and Weaver responded by spewing an animated, profanity-laced tirade. Rick Dempsey - BR Bullpen 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. They packed their guts with pillows to mimic the Hall of Fame duo in absurdist, legendary style. Rick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. It was a lot of fun because I was flexible enough to get around the field without pulling a muscle or breaking anything. I remember turning toward him and he was right in my face, Dempsey says. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. Once, after the pitcher had again been racked, Dempsey mentioned that trend to another teammate as they trotted off the field. I went to Albuquerque and won a title and had two good years there. The Business of Baseball: In Praise of Peter Angelos? 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. 1. Everybody just went crazy. But when he got on the field, he took things seriously. 9.26 - The End of The Eck Era Is Upon Us | Sons of Sam Horn [7][13][14][15], In 1987, Dempsey became a free agent and signed a contract to play for the Cleveland Indians. Dempsey contacted Claire and was hired to manage in the Dodgers farm system. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies after brain aneurysm, Harvard-Westlakes Bryce Rainer fires out 92-mph fastballs in first start since 2021, UCLAs senior trio has persevered in restoring Bruins to national prominence, Hes taken the next step: How Boogie Ellis found his game as USCs point guard, Even after Gavin Lux injury, Andrew Friedman hints at patient approach with roster, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, Sheriff says, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Best coffee city in the world? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your browser doesn't support the HTML5 CANVAS tag. Then I "hit" the long drive to straightaway center field and started to take the home-run trot. It was pretty neat because my teammates kept throwing me balls so I could keep tossing them into the grandstand. Max Power I loved everything about him, especially the way he would pick off every would be base-stealer. He told me I did a great job. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part I Sept. 30, 1977 A singular figure in Orioles lore, Dempsey remains beloved to this day as much for his personality as for his on-field accomplishments. You might get hurt." The Rain of Dempsey - BallNine Gross tubs? 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. I loved Billy; he was a little guy like me, Dempsey said. Dempsey would wait until the tarp was nice and drenched, like a giant Slip-N-Slide. 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. They wanted me to stay but they said I wasnt going to play. Baseball Players. He said, "I want to do a pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run and then I'll run around the tarp and slide, and that will be the end of it." He also got in a late September fight with teammate Bill Sudakis, a volatile sort who was also one of New Yorks backup catchers. It is and it isnt. I thought that was kind of cool, that he got so many different sections at Yankee Stadium involved in that. 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. [6], For the next ten and a half seasons, Dempsey would remain as the Orioles' starting catcher. Rick Dempsey Trading Card Values | Sportlots Price Guide Weaver managed the Orioles from 1968-82 and 1985-86. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. He would even pantomime the pitching. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). Dempsey's play-acting during rain delays are still among my favorite memories of those Orioles years. They either dont hit, dont pitch, dont field or dont run the bases properly. I held him to less yards that [Brian] Bosworth did. Earl was not an easy guy to get along with. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Wayne Bryant. For example - "C'era una volta" means "Once upon a time" in Italian and "I yli dago i . The team was flying to Milwaukee from Cleveland and Munson and a few other players were chiding Sudakis on the flight about Dempsey being the true backup catcher. Some too-early Week 1 spring training reactions. Dempsey s words proved to be prophetic. After I slid into home plate, Yount came out and took his jersey back. 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. Dempsey went 0-for-2 with a walk. And, at the time, not a very good one. But instead of doing a Babe Ruth pantomime, I did one of Robin Yount hitting two home runs in the last game of the 1982 season at Memorial Stadium. He held it until the next day before the gag was exposed. At the 1980 winter meetings, while Harry Dalton was trying to sort out the complexities of his trade with St. Louis, Baltimore general manager Hank Peters told Whitey Herzog, We wouldnt trade Dempsey and [then backup] Dan Graham for Simmons even up. Meanwhile, the rest of the Oriole offense was generating enough runs to let Weaver, after platooning Dempsey with Graham in 1980, learn to live with Dempseys mild bat (Dempsey knew Graham was a good hitter, but also felt Danny couldnt catch his own butt with both hands). They say, "That's the guy who ran around on the tarp." One time in Toronto, one of the Blue Jays staffers called me and asked me to do it. With his players, and himself. Whether Murcers presence in the lineup would have made a difference is up for debate since the Orioles won out to claim the title. Dempsey was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 23, 1969, with the Minnesota Twins. Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. They split the two games and Baltimore won its final two games to win the division. 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.". 31 - RickDempsey, Friday Bird Droppings: Where Adley and Grayson put on a show. Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. Loved it! | Baltimore orioles 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. This is as much of an education for me as it is for them, he says. Here he is, with the Bakersfield Dodgers, and in his very first season as manager, his is the worst team in the Class-A California League. Thanks for sharing your memories, Enchanting Sunshine. 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.