I remember having a hard time with Rod Carew. He was the new Dodgers GM and I waited in his office at 2 p.m. His secretary told me he was in a meeting and that he would come out and get me when he was done. And plotted. It is supposed to bring joy, every night a chance to escape for nine innings. Ask Dupree about Dempseys other side. Youth is most often blamed, and it is a legitimate excuse. [1] He played for 24 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1992, most prominently for the Baltimore Orioles where he played for 10 years and was a member of the 1983 World Series winning team. I ran around the bases and I ended up throwing the baseball to the group that sang the loudest. 1. Loved it! [5] During his tenure with the Yankees, he served as a reserve catcher to Thurman Munson, and received tutoring from Yankees coach and former catching standout Jim Hegan. 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. Published by Triumph Books. The pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run. [10], The highlight of his career came in 1983, when the Orioles won the American League Eastern Division pennant, then defeated the Chicago White Sox in the 1983 American League Championship Series, before winning the 1983 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. 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. Sep 26, 2022 #79 Almonte is entertainingly bad in the field. 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. Now Dempsey as an Os Extra announcer? It was genuinely funny, and while impatient fans waited for the rains to end, theyd applaud Dempsey lustily. He is famous for being a Baseball Player. A nice guy, that Dempsey. All of a sudden, the people in the stadium started pounding on the grandstands with their feet. They made it pretty tough on the rookies in those days; the tough times are what I remember the most but I never let it bother me. In addition, he serves as a game analyst for occasional games on MASN. Mike Scioscia and I got a lot of accolades for turning the staff around. 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. The lone bench player for New Bedford at the start of the game was infielder Dan Haugh, who, along with pitcher Aaron Messier, did their best Rick Dempsey rain-delay imitation. He was also named a first team NYPL all-star and lauded by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. 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. He told me he gave that ball to the Hall of Fame. [7] He became known for his exceptional ability to handle pitching staffs, his strong throwing arm, and for his agility behind home plate. He appeared in 77 games, hit .251 [42-for-167] with seven homers and 30 RBIs. 16 from Two Runs or More, The Start of Rookie League Ball in Bluefield. 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. Dempsey spent all of 1975 as Munsons backup and was also reunited with Martin, who took over for Bill Virdon midway through the summer. Fox ought to track down footage of it and show it during Game 5 on Tuesday, which is also expected to be rained out. They wanted a lefty hitting catcher and I became Thurman Munsons backup guy. 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. Shortly after completing the lone no-hitter of his career in an 8-0 win over the As, Palmer was accused of poor baserunning by Judge Robinson, despite the fact that hed finished 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI as well. I never wanted to be retired; it just worked out that way. The crowd gave Dempsey a standing ovation. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Whats interesting is that the idea to perform in the rain was actually Sparky Lyles and not Dempseys. Dempsey knew that he wanted to keep playing. Cal gets a good-luck kissMay 2, 1988When looking back on this one, context is important. Get ready to take over the high seas with Rick Dempsey 1983 World Series MVP is taking over the Royal Caribbean's Enchantment the of the Sea for a 5-night cruise to Bermuda! All the pitchers enjoyed having me behind the plate. Covered a Mets-Astros doubleheader in 1987 and never looked back. In '78, Dempsey took over behind the plate, and upped his hitting to non-embarrassing levels, at .259/.327/.356 with six homers. 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. 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.. Included in this is the famous Rick Dempsey. And by 1988, Morganna the Kissing Bandit was well known. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part ISept. The people were screaming as if I had just hit a home run to win the seventh game of the World Series. 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. Weaver had history with Haller; years earlier, hed publicly said Haller shouldnt be allowed to call Tigers games because his brother, Tom, was their backup catcher. 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. Duration: 35s. Tim Simone's Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Imitation. Manager Earl Weaver #4 and catcher Rick Dempsey #24 of the Baltimore Orioles stands on the mound to make a pitching change during an Major League Baseball game circa 1982 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Whenever I think of Dempsey as a player, two memories come to mind: his rain delay routine and his 1983 World Series MVP. Blog Round-Up: There's Anger in the Air in Toronto, Flashback Friday: "Doubleheader Don" Aase, In Case You Were Wondering - Road Jerseys Edition. I know I could have played a couple more years. It was great.. He was mentioned again as a possible candidate for the Baltimore manager's job in 2010, after the firing of Dave Trembley. Best coffee city in the world? No one liked you and most of the veterans were cold and didnt want to talk. The Orioles potential superstar battery got off to a great start in their first spring pairing. Rick Dempsey Autographed Signed Baltimore Orioles Jersey Inscribed MVP 83 Ws (JSA COA) BIG. The first guy to come up to me in the locker room was Harmon Killebrew, Dempsey said. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Dec 11, 2006 17,921. [1] The Orioles played the next night in Yankee Stadium, earning a 1-0 victory that seemed very hollow. There was a chopper to the mound and he was on third and Im thinking I cant block this guy. I sat there crying asking myself is this what its come to? In Baltimore it was hard to break the ice, Dempsey said. In Wilton, residents dig their way out after 7 inches of snow falls. Gambling problem? It was Cal Ripken Jr. who said, You can be a kid for as long as you want when you play baseball. And in the end, isnt that what the game is all about? Available for purchase from the publisher, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 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. With the worst record in professional baseball. If you ever saw it, youd never forget it. The decade wasnt always great, though. He spent it in the press box with the Bakersfield broadcast team, doing color commentary. In this conversation. [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. 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. Thats when Dempsey dressed up like old friend Robin Yount and recruited teammate Sammy Stewart to play Jim Palmer. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. [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. Redskins. Jones antics in Detroit bring back memories of Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime, http://www.youtube.com/v/13dUZTSf_lM&hl=en, Thanks to the Tigers Todd Jones, shown in the rain delay video above, this weeks Flashback Friday could only be about one thing: Rick Dempseys Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime.. The Twins traded Dempsey to the Yankees for outfielder Dan Walton, a journeyman who would appear in 297 games with six teams over a nine-year career. Broncos. New York came calling, Dempsey said. Then I met Bo Jackson at home plate. Trying to advance to second after driving in the tying and decisive runs in the seventh inning of Baltimores eventual 4-3 win over Oakland, Lowenstein was struck by Jeff Newmans throw in the back of the head. I was in the outfield with Sparky during batting practice [with the Yankees] and he said one of these days Im going to run around the tarp and do a pantomime of Babe Ruth doing his home run, Dempsey said. The incident earned him a one-game suspension from the league. They packed their guts with pillows to mimic the Hall of Fame duo in absurdist, legendary style. 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. 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. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). 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. Rick Dempsey's age is 73. His buddy Munson would die in a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979. At Bakersfield. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). Sammy had a way of playing with the ball, flipping it with his hand, that added a nice touch. Dempsey would wait until the tarp was nice and drenched, like a giant Slip-N-Slide. After throwing out several runners in his first start against the Red Sox on June 22, Dempsey had gained an in with his manager. Only Gene Kelly ever sang and danced better with the water turned on. As climate changes, climate anxiety rises in youth. 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. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. I said, "Why would you want to do that? He turned out to be the best GM I ever talked to. 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. He didn't have a good season, hitting .231/.311/.323 with four homers in 128 games. I wouldnt tell them that stuff. That was one of the saddest days for me ever. 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 Baseball Library dot com has a nice bio piece about Dempsey. 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. 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. I put the pillow in it, which he wasn't too happy about because he didn't want to be fat. [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. Rick McCormick About Work No workplaces to show College Studied at California State University, Fullerton Class of 1985 High school Went to Corona del Mar High School Photos See all photos Others Named Rick McCormick See more Others With a Similar Name Trinity Mccormick Rusty McCormick Anastasia McCormick Angel Drop Sarah McCormick Lisa McCormick Wild Bill Hagy gets the crowd goingOctober 1979With his signature look and humble backstory, Hagy, a local ice cream truck and cab driver, became a Baltimore sports icon for the way he famously led chants of O-R-I-O-L-E-S during the late '70s and early '80s from the upper deck at Memorial Stadium. He believed in a strong defensive catcher. Dempsey was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 23, 1969, with the Minnesota Twins. Then, about halfway down the third-base line he would start his slide, which would hydroplane him down the tarp and across home plate, where he would call himself safe. Dempsey was ejected from one game for bumping an umpire. 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. Whether Murcers presence in the lineup would have made a difference is up for debate since the Orioles won out to claim the title. We got to the World Series and I caught the last pitch and gave him the ball. The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - No. Included in that group are Jeff Suppan, Sean Gilmartin and Ryon Healy. Rick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. 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. On the franchise. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2020-2022 BallNine, llc. Autograph - Q&A Segment . This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. 4. [11][12] Dempsey posted a .385 batting average along with a .923 slugging percentage in the five-game series, and won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award, one of six catchers to have won the award. 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. Nfl Football Players. Odds & lines subject to change. Whether he was entertaining during rain delays or fronting his lip-syncing four-man Orioles band on the field while Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" blared from the Memorial Stadium public-address system, Dempsey endeared himself to the Baltimore faithful. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. No matter the ball remained secured in Komminsks glove; his body landed outside the field of play, and Ripken was rewarded with a home run all the same. They were chanting, "We want Dempsey! You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. I sat there on the bench and started one game. People still come up to me nowadays and talk about it. You know what I'm going to do? I got a little notoriety in Earl Weavers eyes, Dempsey said. Now that is entertainment! The downside is that he set my expectations too high for what I should reasonably expect of a catcher. I loved everything about him, especially the way he would pick off every would be base-stealer. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. It felt like I hit whipped cream.. Rick Dempsey Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac Rick Dempsey Stats Rick Dempsey was born on Tuesday, September 13, 1949, in Fayetteville, Tennessee. He ended up hitting .304 in 19 playoff and World Series games for Baltimore. 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. Friday, May 22, 2009. Thanks for sharing your memories, Enchanting Sunshine. As usual, his effort was a little off. Back in those days, even though they fined players for throwing balls into the grandstand, Sparky didn't care. They quarreled over how to pitch to batters and over virtually any other subject. But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays into interpretive theater. That decision wasnt final, though. I just wanted to put it behind me and get to my managing career. [3], Dempsey was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 15th round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft out of Crespi Carmelite High School. The secretary had gone home and it was dark outside. [1] Dempsey is one of only 29 players to play in four different calendar decades. 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. Soon after, his teammates arrived, quickly setting up a poker game. He held it until the next day before the gag was exposed. Knowledgeable. Bakersfield is not Dempseys first crack at managing. By Tuesday morning, it was a winter wonderland in Wilton, with 7 inches of snow recorded by 8 a.m., according to the National . Loved 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. I was in the outfield at Fenway Park on Sunday, throwing baseballs to fans in the stands who were the loudest. 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. SoSH Member. The man who used to entertain the crowds at old Memorial Stadium with rain-delay impersonations of Babe Ruth pigeon-toeing around the bases, complete with ample gut padding and head-first slides . People remember those gags during the rain delays, Dempsey says, toweling off in his office after catching in the bullpen. [1] Dempsey was known for being one of the best defensive catchers of his era. 8. 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 hard way. The Hall of Fame pitcher played all of his 19 years in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles, winning three World Series. Combined, the five current and former players who sit on USA Basketball's 15-person board Seimone Augustus, Jennifer Azzi, Harrison Barnes, Sue Bird and Durant have 13 Olympic gold medals, eight FIBA gold medals from World Cups and world championships, and a pile of other honors from their time wearing the red, white and blue. He is fairly certain Duprees recollection ends there too. 31 - RickDempsey, Friday Bird Droppings: Where Adley and Grayson put on a show. A story Dempsey might want to tell his Bakersfield team. 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. Stories about how he used to pull pranks on his teammates. So, he left and 40 minutes later he came back and said you made the club. @busfield google "Rick Dempsey rain delay" for the greatest o's rain delay moments of all time. 2015 Topps 1976 Original Buyback #272 Rick Dempsey: $1.08: 2017 Topps Rediscover Topps Buyback Bronze #593 Rick Dempsey: $1.33: 2017 Topps Rediscover Topps Buyback Silver #593 Rick Dempsey: $4.53: Search Inventory Selling History By Set By Player By Set By Player Social About All Sports Baseball Basketball Football Golf . He retired in November 2020. [1] He ended his career with a .988 fielding percentage. Author of the popular blog The Bobblist, which covers everything A to Z in the world of bobbleheads. He signed with the Dodgers and played three seasons there as a backup (two of them dreadfully bad), then moved to Milwaukee to catch 61 games in 1991. It seemed to Dempsey that the team was usually leading when Dupree came in and trailing by the time he came out. Finally, using his best Mexican bandito accent, he ordered the men to drop their money on the table and leave the room. True story. 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. 3, 1982Back by popular demand, Dempsey revived his pantomime performance for the Memorial Stadium faithful in July 1978, and reprised it with a twist on the final day of the 1982 season against Milwaukee. Palmer told me I had to stand up to him otherwise hed bury me. The all-time greatest punch. For relief from baseball pressures, he would take it upon himself to be the club entertainer. I ended up doing that routine three times. When the music was over I threw the ball to the fans in left field. She was also charged with trespassing and spent eight hours in jail, according to the Baltimore Sun. Yes, that's where it all began. Gross tubs? Dempsey didnt want to start anything on the plane but when the team arrived at the hotel in Milwaukee, Sudakis started in again and a fight ensued. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. He went to Spring Training with Baltimore in 1992 and didnt make the club, getting cut the last week of camp. Dave Skaggs #8 gets a hand from Eddie Murray #33 and Rick Dempsey #24 during the World Series at Three Rivers Stadium on October 1979 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was removed from the game and carted off the field in a stretcher, while the 15,491 fans on hand at the Coliseum held their collective breath. Handled pitchers well, loved to slide on wet tarps during rain delays. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part IIOct. 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. Crazy things have happened during rain delays in the past (i.e.- Rick Dempsey), but this video might just put them all to shame. 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. Which starters are locks for the Orioles rotation. Camden Chat - Fri, 14 Feb 2014 . Either way, thinking of the guy puts a smile on my face. 3. Your email address will not be published. Not available on OpenTable Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network. Which is why such a swing of emotions unfolded when Indians center fielder Brad Komminsk seemed to take a home run away from Ripken Jr. on this September night at Memorial Stadium, only to have his momentum carry him over the center-field wall. Early in June, on a late-night bus ride home to Bakersfield from Riverside, Dempsey held court for the first time. One time in Toronto, one of the Blue Jays staffers called me and asked me to do it. Press Box - Thu, 23 Jul 2020 . The organist started playing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." 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. It was a lot of fun because I was flexible enough to get around the field without pulling a muscle or breaking anything. Dempsey is quick to admit that bettering himself in sports, not academics, was his main focus while attending Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino. Rick Dempsey and Dave Ginsburg co-authored a book called If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles. That was that.. He was an interim manager while playing in Puerto Rico in the early 80s. October 7, 2012. Before disappearing into the dugout, Lowenstein reassured them hed be OK by hoisting his torso and both arms airborne in sudden, triumphant fashion. R ick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. Theyre just learning.. I got to my room and stuck my key in the door and it didnt open. Before that, Cust was briefly an Oriole, appearing in 28 games with Baltimore from '03-04. Well, there was one baseball left on the tarp, and I said to myself, I'm going to run out there and grab that baseball and get this whole stadium screaming. The Van Nuys Valley News said he was considered a definite Major League catching prospect and the Twins agreed, drafting him in the 15th round of the First-Year Player Draft. Cleveland was one strange organization, Dempsey said. Lunds favorite: During spring training one year, Dempsey said he broke into a room shared by three teammates and hid in the closet. 2. 16, 2003Remember Cust, the left-handed slugger who had a productive four-year run with Oakland in the late 2000s? When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. (Photo by: Ron Kuntz Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images). Rick Dempsey: What Inspired His Rain-Delay Theatrics. Dempsey, a catcher . Stewart, wearing Jim Palmer's jersey and a pair of tan underwear over his uniform pants, came out to the mound. Enberg hosted the pregame show alongside Dempsey (who was still active with Baltimore at the time). It ran its course and that was it.. While he loved playing with Munson and for Martin, Dempseys stay in New York was just about over. Sports Legend Revealed: Was Jack Lambert ejected from a game for hitting a quarterback too hard? So, to pigeon-hole Dempsey as simply the guy who ran around in the rain would not do justice to someone who was one of baseballs most durable and dependable players for 24 seasons. 5. Rick Dempsey and Rain Delays - The Times Have Changed roarfrom34.com/Baltim. I was one of those kinds of players that just pulled for all of the guys.. He, McGregor and Martinez became part of a nucleus that kept the Orioles as perennial contender for the next decade. Palmer had been doing commercials for Jockey underwear, so Sammy wore briefs outside of his uniform pants. We had a day off in Minnesota and the Yankees were in the same hotel. Despite all the drama and tension, baseball is fun. This was Dempsey at the height of his rain delay powers, his one-man show at Fenway Park in 1977 when he pantomimed Babe Ruth, dashed around the tarp-covered diamond and ultimately plunged headfirst into home plate. I was the most brutal manager ever for Bakersfield, Dempsey said. Nfl Colts. Dempsey went 3-for-6 with a walk in five games. Dempsey was named World Series MVP and was an Oriole hero for all times. Then he started telling jokes, and then stories about the big leagues. Get some baseballs and get back out on the tarp." I saw Thurman a couple of days before he crashed the plane, Dempsey said. So Rich Dauer came running in as I was drying off and said, "Demps, they want you to come back out there! It's a danceoff! Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. Dempsey made his Major League debut on Sept. 23 against the Royals at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. I was happy to get away from Cleveland, though.. Football Memorabilia. 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. But when he got on the field, he took things seriously. Dempsey does tell them stories. They knew that if anyone got in trouble, I was the one who was going to end up paying for the balls. I put a pillow in my shirt so I could look a little bit like Babe Ruth. 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. [1] Dempsey led American League catchers twice in fielding percentage, twice in baserunners caught stealing and once in assists. After jury approval, Palmer was fined. Follow Dave Ginsburg on Twitter@Ginzy3. He was a one-man diversion during a rain delay. Attempting to score what wouldve been the tying run, Cust lost his footing not once, but twice, before he was tagged out inches away from the vacated plate, having tumbled face-first down in front of it. That was Orels [Hershiser] last pitch that season. I wasnt a very good student.