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. The people were screaming as if I had just hit a home run to win the seventh game of the World Series. 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. 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. 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. I went into the dugout, and everyone was laughing about it. 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. I remember having a hard time with Rod Carew. Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. The worst thing was, being manager, I had to call his wife and tell her what happened, Dempsey says. The organist started playing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." 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. Flashback Friday: Rick Dempseys Rainy Days, Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game. Baltimore became the first visiting team to win Games 3, 4 and 5 since 1961, when the New York Yankees did so vs. the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. Which leads to this piece on Rick Dempsey's rain-delay entertainment: Despite all the drama and tension, baseball is fun. 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. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part ISept. 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. It was pretty neat because my teammates kept throwing me balls so I could keep tossing them into the grandstand. Basketball Players. The crowd gave Dempsey a standing ovation. Think throwing a no-hitter got you a free pass in those days? When the music was over I threw the ball to the fans in left field. The end, however, was near. I ended up doing that routine three times. 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. 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. The two tore up the lobby and in the melee Bobby Murcer got hurt and missed the final two games of the season. Hiserman has been Sports editor of The Times San Fernando Valley and Orange County editions. 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. I told him I wished he wouldnt fly, that he was a baseball player. Dempsey became the Orioles starting catcher in 1978 and held that position for a decade, helping the Orioles to the World Series in 1979 [they lost in seven games to Pittsburgh] and then again in 1983. 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. Quick with a quip. ThePostGame - Wed, 19 Apr 2017 . Baseball Library dot com has a nice bio piece about Dempsey. So, he left and 40 minutes later he came back and said you made the club. Dempsey would expand his act in the years to come, incorporating supporting actors and costume changes into his performances. It was really foreign to me, Dempsey said. He still wanted to do it, but by that time, he was too old. I said, "Well, that might be pretty cool, Sparky.". Required fields are marked *. In 1985, Dick Enberg was in Toronto for Games 1 and 7 of the 1985 ALCS on NBC. This is as much of an education for me as it is for them, he says. Nov 18, 2011 73 Dislike Share Save TheHalocodplayer 8 subscribers This montage was shown during a Boston Red Sox rain delay back in 1983. Then, in the late 1980s, he moved over to play near his family's home in Agoura Hills, becoming a . One punch. John Rikard Dempsey (born September 13, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player. In celebration of Palmer's birthday, we present these 22 classic SI photos of No. Mike Curtis Baltimore Colts. We could have sold it, split the money and been very happy., Rick Dempsey while with the Los Angeles Dodgers.(Getty). Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Tom Lasorda stories. Dempsey would point to the outfield seats, then hit an invisible pitch with an exaggerated swing. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. . (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). Really, hes only gone off on us once, Lund says. Nfl Teams. 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.. With that in mind, were taking stroll down memory lane to highlight the times in Orioles history that did just that. 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. Sure, you remember Dempsey. The first guy to come up to me in the locker room was Harmon Killebrew, Dempsey said. It was great.. A nice guy, that Dempsey. Catcher Rick Dempsey #24, of the Baltimore Orioles, argues the call with the home plate umpire Larry Barnett during a game on September 12, 1982 against the Cleveland Indians at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. Before that, Cust was briefly an Oriole, appearing in 28 games with Baltimore from '03-04. I cant leave her alone for that long. Im 175 pounds and hes 235 with world-class speed. Watch. I wouldnt tell them that stuff. 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. I hit him, Dempsey says. Storm Davis, John Shelby, and series MVP Rick Dempsey would reach the 1988 World Series, Davis with the Oakland Athletics and Shelby and Dempsey with the Los Angeles Dodgers . The other half was as MiLB.coms staff historian. Camden Chat - Fri, 14 Feb 2014 . That was that.. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up. DisneyExaminer is proud to present MagicClass with Rick Dempsey, Senior Vice President of Disney Character Voices. Within a week he crashed. 17, 1980Now for one a bit less good-natured, but that will live forever nonetheless. 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. 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. He told me he gave that ball to the Hall of Fame. I was one of those kinds of players that just pulled for all of the guys.. By Tuesday morning, it was a winter wonderland in Wilton, with 7 inches of snow recorded by 8 a.m., according to the National . Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Palmer told me I had to stand up to him otherwise hed bury me. 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. [7] He was a durable player, only going on the disabled list twice in his career. They wanted me to stay but they said I wasnt going to play. Which starters are locks for the Orioles rotation. 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. 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. In Wilton, residents dig their way out after 7 inches of snow falls. Komminsk goes up, over and out of sightSept. I thought he was a great players manager. 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. He assumed the bullpen coach position in the 2006 season, replacing Elrod Hendricks who the team intended to reassign to another position in the organization before his death. I went up the line a little and he knocked the living shit out of me. Daniel Okrent describes Dempseys efforts: He was an intense man, who concentrated mightily on the game. It's a danceoff! [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. But still there was a conflict with Weaver. Dempsey spent 1991 with the Brewers and hit a respectable .231 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 147 at-bats. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. The secretary had gone home and it was dark outside. Dempsey was a backup plan for New York, then was sent to Baltimore in the big deal of '76. Not available on OpenTable Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network. Dempsey would wait until the tarp was nice and drenched, like a giant Slip-N-Slide. These guys here are just babies. He appeared in 77 games, hit .251 [42-for-167] with seven homers and 30 RBIs. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. 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. 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. Redskins. He eventually came out and I said Im sorry Mr. Claire, I never give up on anything, dont make me do it now. Loved it! The new spot is named after Orioles fan favorite and 1983 World Series MVP, Rick Dempsey. It bites into your day, especially when you think about rent and food, says Matt Filson, the teams left fielder. [1] He ended his career with a .988 fielding percentage. Thats not really me.. 4. -- Excerpted by permission from If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles by Rick Dempsey with Dave Ginsburg. Dempsey had become a Dodger coach for those two years, and he was hanging out atop the dugout steps before the game. After throwing out several runners in his first start against the Red Sox on June 22, Dempsey had gained an in with his manager. Palmer had been doing commercials for Jockey underwear, so Sammy wore briefs outside of his uniform pants. He was a yeller and a screamer and he beat the fundamentals of the game into you. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [19] Dempsey fared well offensively in postseason play. The Orioles played the next night in Yankee Stadium, earning a 1-0 victory that seemed very hollow. Weaver enjoyed Soliloquy and came to enjoy even more the defensive skills Dempsey developed. He also appeared in six games for the Yankees before embarking on a journey that would last another 18 years in the Major Leagues. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images), A PITSTOP ON THE WAY TO ANOTHER WORLD SERIES. Jack Cust goes swimmingAug. [21] He then joined the New York Mets organisation, managing the Norfolk Tides in 1997 and 1998. I declared myself safe, the crowd went nuts, and I walked off the field completely drenched. As usual, his effort was a little off. The ones that provided levity and laughs, and for those reasons, went on to live forever. @busfield google "Rick Dempsey rain delay" for the greatest o's rain delay moments of all time. 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. Earl was not an easy guy to get along with. When I first got traded, I met them in Chicago and I didnt start a game for quite a while. Tim Simone's Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Imitation. The downside is that he set my expectations too high for what I should reasonably expect of a catcher. I held him to less yards that [Brian] Bosworth did. He did this a few more times in his career, once in '82 at Milwaukee with a Robin Yount jersey on, pretending to be Yount hitting a homer. 1. 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. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. 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 hit .239 in 43 games. 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. One of his most infamous umpire interactions came in the middle of an eventual 9-3 win over Detroit, when first-base umpire Bill Haller called a balk on Os pitcher Mike Flanagan. Autograph - Q&A Segment . Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part IIOct. 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. A story Dempsey might want to tell his Bakersfield team. Rick Dempsey Found 137 people in Texas, Florida and 44 other states. Dempsey was one of the best defensive catchers in the latter half of the 20th century.