Dempsey would expand his act in the years to come, incorporating supporting actors and costume changes into his performances. I went to the summer league in 67 and played half a game every other day. Daniel Okrent describes Dempseys efforts: He was an intense man, who concentrated mightily on the game. Mar 28, 2014 - Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. [1] Really, hes only gone off on us once, Lund says. I was skating to the ball and the organist started playing rain drops keep falling my head. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). I signed as a 145-pound catcher and two years later I was playing in the big leagues.. Personable. 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. Another sad day came when it became apparent that Dempseys time in Baltimore was over. 8. Just e-mail your list of the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers, ranked in order, to houston.mitchell@latimes.com. The Orioles told me that I wasnt going to be the everyday catcher anymore and that they didnt want to pay me for that last year, Dempsey said. At 7 p.m., I was still sitting there. He would go and hang out with the players, drink with them and do all that stuff. It was tough for a while, Dempsey says. I went into the managers office and said can you send me somewhere where I can get the opportunity to play? This is what were going to do, I told him. [8] In the 1979 World Series, the Orioles won three of the first four games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and seemed to be on the verge of winning the championship, when the Pirates, led by Willie Stargell, rebounded to win the final three games. So, I said okay, Ill play for the worst team in baseball before I play for the Orioles., The Case of the Missing Folder: A Two-Part Hollywood Mystery. 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. Dempsey eventually did go home but not before he appeared in 40 games for Minnesotas affiliate in the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League. He eventually came out and I said Im sorry Mr. Claire, I never give up on anything, dont make me do it now. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. I sat there crying asking myself is this what its come to? Then I "hit" the long drive to straightaway center field and started to take the home-run trot. By Tuesday morning, it was a winter wonderland in Wilton, with 7 inches of snow recorded by 8 a.m., according to the National . 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. In addition, he serves as a game analyst for occasional games on MASN. Mar 28, 2014 - Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. 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. The mic caught every word. They knew that if anyone got in trouble, I was the one who was going to end up paying for the balls. Football Memorabilia. 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. He added that Ripken took a liking to him and polished him up behind the plate. 7. There was a chopper to the mound and he was on third and Im thinking I cant block this guy. free shipping SAME DAY SHIPPING. But whatever, he's Rick Dempsey. Cleveland was one strange organization, Dempsey said. We had our share of arguments, too. We had a day off in Minnesota and the Yankees were in the same hotel. You could tell he was in his element. The all-time greatest punch. He believed in a strong defensive catcher. [7] He was a durable player, only going on the disabled list twice in his career. I wanted to be like Earl Weaver. But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays. Top 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - 2014, Ill take For The Home Team for $400, Alex. Last night, our good. Theyre just learning.. 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 It is and it isnt. You might get hurt." Dempsey, 73, is semi-retired and living in California. 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. 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. Last game of the season!". I didnt even know who the heck he was. The two tore up the lobby and in the melee Bobby Murcer got hurt and missed the final two games of the season. Some day, Dempsey hopes, they might say the same thing about him as a manager. I said, "Why would you want to do that? That was one of the saddest days for me ever. Dupree overheard and responded by taking off his glove and throwing his best fastball at Dempseys head as the two headed toward the dugout. I took two mighty swings, twisting my body as far as it would go. Had one beat writer from another newspaper threaten to kill him in an elevator at the winter meetings. Explore. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. Earl Weaver was known for many things, among them his temper and penchant for getting ejected from ballgames. He hit .206 in 102 at-bats with nine RBIs. 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. [20] Dempsey also won a Little League World Series in 1963 with the team from Canoga Park-Woodland Hills, California. Dempsey s words proved to be prophetic. I got a little notoriety in Earl Weavers eyes, Dempsey said. I loved the way he played the game and we became very good friends.. 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. Dec 11, 2006 17,921. 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. 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! I told him I wished he wouldnt fly, that he was a baseball player. Hiserman has been Sports editor of The Times San Fernando Valley and Orange County editions. Dempsey's dad was a Vaudeville actor and his mother was a Broadway star. Dempsey grabs the mic1986Dempsey turned his act musical in 1986, when he serenaded a rain delay crowd to Chuck Berrys classic Johnny B. Goode. Soon, Dempsey & the Invisible Orioles Magic Band was born, complete with Eddie Murray and Floyd Rayford on the drums, Mike Boddicker on bass and John Habyan and others handling backup vocals. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2020-2022 BallNine, llc. He wrote for the Long Beach Press Telegram and Orange County Register before joining The Times in 1982 and won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for investigative reporting on betting scams. "Yeah, sure you did!". Catcher who won World Series titles with the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers during his 24-year career. I had to do it at least once at home. I ended up doing that routine three times. Komminsk goes up, over and out of sightSept. 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 Dempsey was, too, when he earned a late-season call-up to the Minnesota Twins at age 19. Rich Dauer came into the clubhouse to get me and thats when it came to me. The people were screaming as if I had just hit a home run to win the seventh game of the World Series. Your email address will not be published. Which starters are locks for the Orioles rotation. Then I ran off the field, and that was it. "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. New York came calling, Dempsey said. He remained the starting catcher through 1986 but hit just .208 at the age of 36. 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. Then he started telling jokes, and then stories about the big leagues. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part ISept. All I wanted to do was play sports. 9. Rick Dempseyof the Los Angeles Dodgers attemptsto catch a foul ball at Dodger Stadium circa 1988 in Los angeles,California. Dempsey was let go in 2021 as part of the massive layoffs by MASN. Broncos. He is fairly certain Duprees recollection ends there too. Tommy [Lasorda] had a little heart attack around that time and there was a lot of speculation as to who would replace Tommy. This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. He came to my mothers house in 1967 in Simi Valley and I signed a contract. Duration: 35s. So, I went back out to the tarp and did Babe Ruth hitting the homer. [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. Were getting to that age where we have to keep an eye on each other. \"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. 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. 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. Cionel Prez contributed beyond our expectations in 2022. 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. 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. 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]. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Flashback Friday: Rick Dempseys Rainy Days, Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game. It proved pivotal in Baltimore eventually securing a 3-1 win. Whats interesting is that the idea to perform in the rain was actually Sparky Lyles and not Dempseys. Bakersfield is an equal-opportunity loser, having blown games in almost every way imaginable. He is famous for being a Baseball Player. Consider his "rain delay theater" a blend of both, and one of the more famous comedy bits in MLB history. With that in mind, were taking stroll down memory lane to highlight the times in Orioles history that did just that. He was hooked on baseball and had been so since an early when he began listening to Vin Scully on Dodger broadcasts as an 8-year-old. 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. Best coffee city in the world? I picked up the ball and didn't throw it because I wanted everyone there to start singing along with the song. True story. It was a lot of fun. Gross tubs? Then, after a while, I pretty much came to terms with the fact that were developing here. Dempsey spent 1991 with the Brewers and hit a respectable .231 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 147 at-bats. While he was long an Orioles superfan and ballpark fixture, the 1979 World Series thrust Hagy onto the national stage. The other half was as MiLB.coms staff historian. Tonights rain delay in the World Series brings one name to the mind of most baseball fans: Rick Dempsey. He, McGregor and Martinez became part of a nucleus that kept the Orioles as perennial contender for the next decade. The long-time Baltimore catcher, however, proved over the course of his career, which encompassed parts of four decades, that he was more than one of baseball's most memorable characters. Category: Sports. 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. I got to my room and stuck my key in the door and it didnt open. They wanted me to stay but they said I wasnt going to play. 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). Your email address will not be published. He popped up to second in his first at-bat but singled to center off Chris Zachary to lead off the ninth in a 6-2 victory. There is another side. Think again, as Jim Palmer learned. Palmer told me I had to stand up to him otherwise hed bury me. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. He played under Orioles manager Earl Weaver starting in 1967. [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. I was the most brutal manager ever for Bakersfield, Dempsey said. Before that, Cust was briefly an Oriole, appearing in 28 games with Baltimore from '03-04. One time, they batted out of order. Duprees glove skinned Dempseys cheek. 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. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, A $150,000 executive protection dog? When he retired as a player, he had three broadcasting offers. Instead, he chose to manage. I didnt know anything about being by myself and being on the road but I made a lot of friends early on. The next time he would see Minnesota would be as a visiting player. I took Robin's jersey. He was a one-man diversion during a rain delay. 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. 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." Daniel Okrent describes Dempsey's efforts: He was an intense man, who concentrated mightily on the game. -- Excerpted by permission from If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles by Rick Dempsey with Dave Ginsburg. 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. , Next Palmer had been doing commercials for Jockey underwear, so Sammy wore briefs outside of his uniform pants. He told me I did a great job. [1] Dempsey is one of only 29 players to play in four different calendar decades. 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. We dont make the big money yet.. I know how to do it, but it takes a while to get a rhythm and timing for the game and your ballclub. $269.99. The Orioles played the next night in Yankee Stadium, earning a 1-0 victory that seemed very hollow. Good thing the man has such a great sense of humor. 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. 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. [citation needed]. "Hey Rick," I shouted, "I saw your rain delay act at Fenway back in 1977!". 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. He was also named a first team NYPL all-star and lauded by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. "Everyone tells me that," he replied . Earl was not an easy guy to get along with. 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. [9] It was one of Dempsey's greatest disappointments of his playing career. [7][13][14][15], In 1987, Dempsey became a free agent and signed a contract to play for the Cleveland Indians. He turned out to be the best GM I ever talked to. Redskins. 20; No. He was mentioned again as a possible candidate for the Baltimore manager's job in 2010, after the firing of Dave Trembley. 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. 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. But as she often did, Morganna stole the show. Rick Dempsey always was a crowd favorite. Once you master that, all youre left with is the game itself. At Bakersfield. 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 . I went around the bases and slid into home plate, making a big wave as I sloshed across the tarp. The worst thing was, being manager, I had to call his wife and tell her what happened, Dempsey says. 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. A story Dempsey might want to tell his Bakersfield team. "Rick Dempsey found success in baseball, but his boyhood friend and teammate struggled,". I sat there on the bench and started one game. The first guy to come up to me in the locker room was Harmon Killebrew, Dempsey said. May 31, 2020 - Three-time AL Cy Young winner, six-time All-Star, and eight-time 20-game winner Jim Palmer turned 70 years old on Oct. 15, 2015. Now that is entertainment! That was Orels [Hershiser] last pitch that season. The long-time Baltimore catcher, however, proved over the course of his career, which encompassed parts of four decades, that he was more than one of baseballs most memorable characters. Rick Dempsey was born on the 13th of September, 1949. Rick Dempsey: What Inspired His Rain-Delay Theatrics. The work ethic that was so prevalent during Dempseys playing days remains. Deep into their storybook Why Not? stretch run in 1989, every win and every run mattered. He didn't have a good season, hitting .231/.311/.323 with four homers in 128 games. Same deal -- it was a rainy day, and Babe Ruth called his shot. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I looked up in the stands and saw about 15 people there. Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. 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. 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. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. [2] In 1997, he was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. Dempsey was one of the best defensive catchers in the latter half of the 20th century. And you'll have a blast at the Rick Dempsey Rain-Delay Sliding Puddle. 2. Dempsey was a backup plan for New York, then was sent to Baltimore in the big deal of '76. 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 & the Invisible Orioles Magic Band. As usual, his effort was a little off. 1. They quarreled over how to pitch to batters and over virtually any other subject. I went and I got that baseball to throw it to the fans and I was in my socks slipping all over. I went up the line a little and he knocked the living shit out of me. He met Cal Ripken, Sr., who Dempsey called the greatest catching coach. 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. We were having a good time, but then it started to rain. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Thats when Dempsey dressed up like old friend Robin Yount and recruited teammate Sammy Stewart to play Jim Palmer. 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. I didnt get to play baseball when I was a freshman or sophomore because I didnt have a way home. But Sparky never did it. Dempsey's play-acting during rain delays are still among my favorite memories of those Orioles years. I hit him, Dempsey says. Later in 2006, he became the first base coach again when the team reassigned Dave Cash. Included in this is the famous Rick Dempsey. Top 40 Orioles of All Time: #20, Rick Dempsey. [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. Ask Dupree about Dempseys other side. They say, "That's the guy who ran around on the tarp." He would even pantomime the pitching. 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. I got it signed by everybody. 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. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up. All rights reserved. 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. 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 was named World Series MVP and was an Oriole hero for all times. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. 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. The Orioles won 10-3. I loved everything about him, especially the way he would pick off every would be base-stealer. Author of the popular blog The Bobblist, which covers everything A to Z in the world of bobbleheads. You know what I'm going to do? Mike Curtis Baltimore Colts. No one liked you and most of the veterans were cold and didnt want to talk. The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - No. I did another version of it in Milwaukee one night. Lunds favorite: During spring training one year, Dempsey said he broke into a room shared by three teammates and hid in the closet. $415.37. [21] He then joined the New York Mets organisation, managing the Norfolk Tides in 1997 and 1998. [6], For the next ten and a half seasons, Dempsey would remain as the Orioles' starting catcher. But '83 is what it's really all about with Dempsey as a player. It wasnt all bad for Dempsey, though. The Yankees were a game out of first heading into the final two games. The ones that provided levity and laughs, and for those reasons, went on to live forever. On the franchise. Im 175 pounds and hes 235 with world-class speed. 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. It was a reaction, but what a punch. We didn't know if we were going to play the game or not. Babe Ruth used to be with the Red Sox. 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. They started chanting we want Dempsey. Follow Dave Ginsburg on Twitter@Ginzy3. 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. I dont enjoy retirement, he said. With the worst record in professional baseball. And, at the time, not a very good one. I forget the game, but it was a month or two ago and there was a lengthy rain delay. So, he decided to try close to home and paid the Dodgers a visit. Which leads to this piece on Rick Dempsey's rain-delay entertainment: (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). I thought that was kind of cool, that he got so many different sections at Yankee Stadium involved in that. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? 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. I wasnt sleeping too good, trying to think of ways to get us going. [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. For example - "C'era una volta" means "Once upon a time" in Italian and "I yli dago i . No one ever interviewed me about being the Dodger manager but my name showed up in the L.A. Times about it and that upset someone, so I left the Dodgers. He still wanted to do it, but by that time, he was too old. Rick Dempsey and Rain Delays - The Times Have Changed roarfrom34.com/Baltim. It started to rain and everyone left the field and when they covered it up, there was one baseball on the tarp. [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. The Dodgers longest winning streak of the season is three. They put the tarp down at the end of batting practice, and by then it was raining pretty heavily. The manager not only seemed constantly to be searching for a catcher who could hit home runs (ideally from the left side of the plate); he also, until 1981, pulled Dempsey for pinch hitters rather more frequently than Dempsey preferred.