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. Redskins. 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. But I learned how to handle a good staff with Baltimore and ended up being the everyday catcher for 10 years. 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. He held it until the next day before the gag was exposed. Still, they were the classiest organization I was ever a part of.. Sudakis was traded to the Angels after the season. 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 And, at the time, not a very good one. He told me I did a great job. [1] Dempsey is one of only 29 players to play in four different calendar decades. The new spot is named after Orioles fan favorite and 1983 World Series MVP, Rick Dempsey. Rick Dempsey was born on the 13th of September, 1949. [1] Dempsey led American League catchers twice in fielding percentage, twice in baserunners caught stealing and once in assists. Enberg hosted the pregame show alongside Dempsey (who was still active with Baltimore at the time). 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. 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 . Players would keep a box of crackers and cheddar cheese in the clubhouse . After I slid into home plate, Yount came out and took his jersey back. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Dance Framed Photo 12"x15" Hammer Price: Auctioneer has chosen not to publish the price of this lot Auction Date: Nov 06, 2020 10am ET Auctioneer: Paul E. Saperstein Co., Inc. See item details . Later in 2006, he became the first base coach again when the team reassigned Dave Cash. Top 40 Orioles of All Time: #20, Rick Dempsey. When the music was over I threw the ball to the fans in left field. I have my grammar school sweetheart and well be married 54 years in February. You know what I'm going to do? Dempsey joined the Air National Guard in 1969, which allowed him to continue playing for much of the summer and he played well back in the Midwest League, hitting .364 in 151 at-bats. Source: Okrent (1985), Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game, p. 246. I know I could have played a couple more years. Got any funny rain delay stories? When I was a kid, 'This Week in Baseball' hosted by Mel Allen would occasionally. Personable. I wouldnt tell them that stuff. I got along with him really well.. Then, in the late 1980s, he moved over to play near his family's home in Agoura Hills, becoming a . Dempsey would point to the outfield seats, then hit an invisible pitch with an exaggerated swing. They wanted a lefty hitting catcher and I became Thurman Munsons backup guy. Cleveland was one strange organization, Dempsey said. His buddy Munson would die in a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979. It seemed to Dempsey that the team was usually leading when Dupree came in and trailing by the time he came out. Rick Sutcliffe Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com Rick Sutcliffe Position: Pitcher Bats: Left Throws: Right 6-7 , 215lb (201cm, 97kg) Born: June 21, 1956 (Age: 66-208d) in Independence, MO us More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Cy Young Rookie of the Year 3x All-Star ERA Title 48 43 44 43 40 40 40 So, they sent me to Auburn and I played every day.. 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. Rick Dempsey played for 24 years, with 3. Rick Dempsey: What Inspired His Rain-Delay Theatrics. Let me talk to you for a half hour and if it doesnt work out, Ill go home and retire. All of a sudden, the people in the stadium started pounding on the grandstands with their feet. Rick Dempsey could be generously described as a bad hitter and probably an overrated defensive catcher. Hiserman has been Sports editor of The Times San Fernando Valley and Orange County editions. He was very outspoken and he told me just hustle and play hard for me every day and youll have nothing to worry about. I held him to less yards that [Brian] Bosworth did. Nobody in the Orioles dugout was laughing when it happened, but 16 years of hindsight have lightened the mood a bit. $269.99. Before that, Cust was briefly an Oriole, appearing in 28 games with Baltimore from '03-04. John Rikard Dempsey (born September 13, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player. I thought he was a great players manager. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your browser doesn't support the HTML5 CANVAS tag. Some too-early Week 1 spring training reactions. In addition, he serves as a game analyst for occasional games on MASN. 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. [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. Jack Cust goes swimmingAug. I have searched far and wide across the great landscape of the Internet and have yet to find a trace of footage showing Dempsey sliding across a rain-soaked turf. 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 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. He believed in a strong defensive catcher. Now Dempsey as an Os Extra announcer? No, says Dempsey, a Crespi High graduate. I went into the clubhouse and was drying off because it was pretty wet out there. [18] During his career, Dempsey caught ten different 20-game winning pitchers. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users Rick Dempsey Autographed Signed Baltimore Orioles Jersey Inscribed MVP 83 Ws (JSA COA) BIG. He has established a kangaroo court that levies fines on players for unacceptable actions. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. In '78, Dempsey took over behind the plate, and upped his hitting to non-embarrassing levels, at .259/.327/.356 with six homers. I never let anybody steal bases, I never missed a runner that I had a half decent chance to throw out and I never missed a ball in the dirt., he MVP of the 1983 World Series Baltimore Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey (r) talks with ABC's commentator Reggie Jackson (C) while Orioles owner Edward Bennett Williams (L) is on the phone in the Orioles locker room after the Orioles defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in game five of the 1983 World Series, October 16, 1983 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. The son of two former vaudevillians, he had a knack for performance, and was particularly renowned for his Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime. It was a comic turn hed occasionally perform during rain delays, stuffing his uniform with padding and prancing around a soggy tarpaulin performing exaggerated parodies of hitters, pitchers, umpires. Within a week he crashed. 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. Then he started telling jokes, and then stories about the big leagues. Watch. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images), A PITSTOP ON THE WAY TO ANOTHER WORLD SERIES. (Photo by: Ron Kuntz Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images). "Hey Rick," I shouted, "I saw your rain delay act at Fenway back in 1977!". Stewart, wearing Jim Palmer's jersey and a pair of tan underwear over his uniform pants, came out to the mound. Sammy had a way of playing with the ball, flipping it with his hand, that added a nice touch. Hes still looking for work even though he says that being on the road with a team at any level these days is pretty much out of the question. The first guy to come up to me in the locker room was Harmon Killebrew, Dempsey said. Even better than that were his rain delay antics. The next year I went to Wisconsin Rapids and didnt hardly play at all. He is 43 now, and trying to remain patient. All rights reserved. It felt like I hit whipped cream.. Get some baseballs and get back out on the tarp." 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. 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. 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. "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. I came over with Scott McGregor, Rudy May, Tippy Martinez, who had the best curveball ever, and I learned how to call a game from Jim Palmer. Still, it took time for Dempsey to get any consistent playing time. 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. Dempsey would expand his act in the years to come, incorporating supporting actors and costume changes into his performances. Former Orioles catcher and 1983 World Series MVP Rick Dempsey is a member of the Orioles broadcast team after five years on the club's coaching staff. Rick Dempsey always was a crowd favorite. [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. Dempsey contacted Claire and was hired to manage in the Dodgers farm system. Handled pitchers well, loved to slide on wet tarps during rain delays. The pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run. New team-record bonus as Orioles open 2023 international signing period, 2023 Orioles giveaways and promotions announced, Eight Orioles prospects among Baseball Americas top 100 list. I got it signed by everybody. You can see him out on the field sometimes and you know he just wants to pull his hair out.. Max Power After throwing out several runners in his first start against the Red Sox on June 22, Dempsey had gained an in with his manager. 20; No. [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. But '83 is what it's really all about with Dempsey as a player. [19] He is the uncle of former major league catcher Gregg Zaun. If you ever saw it, youd never forget it. Knowledgeable. The Comedic Stylings Of Rick Dempsey Published on 5/9/2007 by GC When Gary Thorne is the one embarrassed at your poor choice of words, something has gone horribly wrong. And weve given him a lot more reasons to do it than that. The incident earned him a one-game suspension from the league. 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. He told me he gave that ball to the Hall of Fame. Rick Dempseyof the Los Angeles Dodgers attemptsto catch a foul ball at Dodger Stadium circa 1988 in Los angeles,California. Pinterest. He remained the starting catcher through 1986 but hit just .208 at the age of 36. In his 2017 memoir, Dempsey said his antics were inspired by Sparky Lyle, whod win the American League Cy Young Award in 77 for the Yankees. 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. SoSH Member. Only Gene Kelly ever sang and danced better with the water turned on. The work ethic that was so prevalent during Dempseys playing days remains. 5, 1989How about one that benefited the Orioles? I was skating to the ball and the organist started playing rain drops keep falling my head. We didn't know if we were going to play the game or not. Tonight's rain delay in the World Series brings one name to the mind of most baseball fans: Rick Dempsey. I looked up in the stands and saw about 15 people there. 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. Press Box - Thu, 23 Jul 2020 . We could have sold it, split the money and been very happy., Rick Dempsey while with the Los Angeles Dodgers.(Getty). Dempsey had five hits in the World Series, four doubles and a homer, and the Orioles beat the Phillies in five games. Dempsey, who said he strives to be aggressive like Billy, smart like Earl and a motivator like Tommy, tries to be philosophical. Now, its too late for me to take a managing job. 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. But still there was a conflict with Weaver. No one liked you and most of the veterans were cold and didnt want to talk. The people were screaming as if I had just hit a home run to win the seventh game of the World Series. Loved it! 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]. While Dempsey had a long and storied career some folks just cant get over the fact that he was the guy who ran around in the rain. I went to the summer league in 67 and played half a game every other day. 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. 30, 1977A singular figure in Orioles lore, Dempsey remains beloved to this day as much for his personality as for his on-field accomplishments. 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. [19] Dempsey fared well offensively in postseason play. "No, really! In Wilton, residents dig their way out after 7 inches of snow falls. He hit .206 in 102 at-bats with nine RBIs. Rick Dempsey Found 137 people in Texas, Florida and 44 other states. 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. This is as much of an education for me as it is for them, he says. But at least he is gathering good material and having a few good laughs, right? And plotted. He was an interim manager while playing in Puerto Rico in the early 80s. Rick Dempsey and Rain Delays - The Times Have Changed roarfrom34.com/Baltim. Then, in the late 1980s, he moved over to play near his familys home in Agoura Hills, becoming a lovable and laughable Dodger Stuntman. He helped the young pitchers, kept the clubhouse loose and won games by driving in a run once in a while. I ran out there, and people started to cheer a little bit just because I ran out on the tarp. They split the two games and Baltimore won its final two games to win the division. 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. It is supposed to bring joy, every night a chance to escape for nine innings. John Rikard Dempsey (September 13, 1949 - ) played major league baseball for 24 seasons as a catcher for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. The ball was worth $6.5 million. Then he grabbed a bat and beckoned for a pitcher. Same deal -- it was a rainy day, and Babe Ruth called his shot. 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. True story. It ended when the second baseman and right fielder pulled up short on a fly ball between them. Last game of the season!". (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images). I declared myself safe, the crowd went nuts, and I walked off the field completely drenched. Nov 18, 2011 73 Dislike Share Save TheHalocodplayer 8 subscribers This montage was shown during a Boston Red Sox rain delay back in 1983. In Baltimore it was hard to break the ice, Dempsey said. In 1985, Dick Enberg was in Toronto for Games 1 and 7 of the 1985 ALCS on NBC. 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. Available for purchase from the publisher, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Two people can say something totally different and it can mean exactly the same thing. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Friday, May 22, 2009. A steady rain postponed the Milwaukee Brewers-Baltimore Orioles game at County Stadium, but it didn't stop Rick Dempsey and Sammy Stewart from reenacting the final game of the Orioles' 1982 season against the Brewers.Dempsey has developed a reputation for his slides on rain-soaked tarpaulins. Now that is entertainment! So as I skated around the tarp, everyone started to sing with me. He was one of the all-time nicest guys in the world. He made it fun. JCizzle Member. This is what were going to do, I told him. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, A $150,000 executive protection dog? 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. They said they wouldnt pick up my option. [1] When Scioscia was injured during Game 4 of the World Series, Dempsey took over behind the plate for the remainder of the Series, collecting an RBI double in Game 5. The Business of Baseball: In Praise of Peter Angelos? I went into the dugout, and everyone was laughing about it. There isn't a ton to say about Dempsey the player. 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 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. 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, McGregor and Martinez became part of a nucleus that kept the Orioles as perennial contender for the next decade. Dempsey was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 23, 1969, with the Minnesota Twins. Baseball Players. Flashback Friday: Rick Dempseys Rainy Days, Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game. 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. Dempsey was ejected from one game for bumping an umpire. I put the pillow in it, which he wasn't too happy about because he didn't want to be fat. Dempsey hit .293 with seven homers and 61 RBIs in 73 games and was named as the leagues Rookie of the Year. It started to rain and everyone left the field and when they covered it up, there was one baseball on the tarp. 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. 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). 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. 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. Martin made quite the impression on the 19-year-old catcher, one that remains as vivid for Dempsey as it was 54 years ago. He also got in a late September fight with teammate Bill Sudakis, a volatile sort who was also one of New Yorks backup catchers. [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. He was a one-man diversion during a rain delay. Rick Dempsey of the Baltimore Orioles at bat during a game from his 1985 season with the Baltimore Orioles. 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. I was the most brutal manager ever for Bakersfield, Dempsey said. Dempsey & the Invisible Orioles Magic Band. It was great.. Sure, you remember Dempsey. 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. Cal gets a good-luck kissMay 2, 1988When looking back on this one, context is important. \"I got tired of the same old stuff.\"About 45 minutes after the game was to have started, Dempsey ran onto the tarp and slid across the infield. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. It was really foreign to me, Dempsey said. Consider his "rain delay theater" a blend of both, and one of the more famous comedy bits in MLB history. I knew I could be a part time catcher for them but they had Chris Holies at the time, said Dempsey, who was eventually activated in June. [6], For the next ten and a half seasons, Dempsey would remain as the Orioles' starting catcher. What does a successful 2023 look like for the Orioles best hitters? Rick Dempsey's age is 73. He also appeared in six games for the Yankees before embarking on a journey that would last another 18 years in the Major Leagues. He hit .239 in 43 games. Your email address will not be published. Camden Chat - Fri, 14 Feb 2014 . (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). We ended up winning the World Series with what was the worst team, on paper, in history.. Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say. 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. The hard way. I think I've met just about every person who was there. He went on for more than an hour, Lund says. Dempsey also served as first base coach for the Orioles for several seasons, first as a third base coach in the 2005 season after bench coach Sam Perlozzo was promoted to interim manager. Dempsey would remain the No. Check resumes and CV, arrest records, social media profiles, public records, places of employment, publications, business records, photos and videos and news . He played under Orioles manager Earl Weaver starting in 1967. There was a chopper to the mound and he was on third and Im thinking I cant block this guy. The organist started playing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." 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.. It was genuinely funny, and while impatient fans waited for the rains to end, theyd applaud Dempsey lustily. Dempsey's play-acting during rain delays are still among my favorite memories of those Orioles years. That was one of the saddest days for me ever. He appeared in 77 games, hit .251 [42-for-167] with seven homers and 30 RBIs. Lunds favorite: During spring training one year, Dempsey said he broke into a room shared by three teammates and hid in the closet. While he was long an Orioles superfan and ballpark fixture, the 1979 World Series thrust Hagy onto the national stage. 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? There is another side. But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays into interpretive theater.