No wonder television wanted him. I loved Billy; he was a little guy like me, Dempsey said. He would even pantomime the pitching. - 'Private cocktailParties - Pvt. [1] 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. 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. 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. 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 ran out there, and people started to cheer a little bit just because I ran out on the tarp. 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. They wouldnt even let me warm pitchers up in the bullpen. 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 will enter 2006 as the bullpen coach, replacing Ellie Hendricks. Dempsey ended his career in 1992, at age 42, with eight more games as a Baltimore Oriole. Dempsey's play-acting during rain delays are still among my favorite memories of those Orioles years. They said come in Friday, well have a meeting and put you someplace but I showed up for the meeting and they didnt and that was the end of it with me and Baltimore.. 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. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, A $150,000 executive protection dog? Cal gets a good-luck kissMay 2, 1988When looking back on this one, context is important. 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. 22. Your email address will not be published. Good thing the man has such a great sense of humor. I have my grammar school sweetheart and well be married 54 years in February. Included in this is the famous Rick Dempsey. I had to do it at least once at home. Rick Dempsey Found 137 people in Texas, Florida and 44 other states. Knowledgeable. It is and it isnt. Follow Dave Ginsburg on Twitter@Ginzy3. I wanted to be like Earl Weaver. He said, "I want to do a pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run and then I'll run around the tarp and slide, and that will be the end of it." But I learned how to handle a good staff with Baltimore and ended up being the everyday catcher for 10 years. Then, after a while, I pretty much came to terms with the fact that were developing here. But as with so much art, nothing beats the original. 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. 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. He then went 2-for-12 in the ALCS against the White Sox, but then came the World Series. Should the teams play become exceedingly sloppy, Dempsey might occasionally launch into a postgame tirade, but he prefers to instruct rather than belittle his players. During his career, which spanned from 1969-1992, Dempsey was known as one of the best defensive catchers in the game. Rick Dempsey Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac Rick Dempsey Stats Rick Dempsey was born on Tuesday, September 13, 1949, in Fayetteville, Tennessee. 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. You can see him out on the field sometimes and you know he just wants to pull his hair out.. I remember having a hard time with Rod Carew. Flashback Friday: Rick Dempseys Rainy Days, Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game. He opened 1968 with Wisconsin Rapids of the Class-A Midwest League but was there for 11 games before moving to Auburn of Class-A New York-Penn League. But '83 is what it's really all about with Dempsey as a player. Baseball Park. I took two mighty swings, twisting my body as far as it would go. Yeah, its too early to draw conclusions about anything, but its not too early to feel the optimism already. 17, 1980Now for one a bit less good-natured, but that will live forever nonetheless. I never wanted to be retired; it just worked out that way. It was tough for a while, Dempsey says. His sense of humor during his playing career was renowned, and he was famous for his "rain delay theatre" performances, in which he emerged from the dugout in stockinged feet onto the tarpaulin covering the infield during a rain delay and pantomimed hitting an inside-the-park home run, climaxed by his sliding into home plate on his belly on the wet tarp, all to the raucous delight of the soggy fans. The image of Dempsey sliding across a soaked tarp to entertain drenched fans is still a legendary one in baseball. He also appeared in six games for the Yankees before embarking on a journey that would last another 18 years in the Major Leagues. 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. Dupree was a pitcher. He added that Ripken took a liking to him and polished him up behind the plate. Category: Sports. 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. Consider his "rain delay theater" a blend of both, and one of the more famous comedy bits in MLB history. He met Cal Ripken, Sr., who Dempsey called the greatest catching coach. I saw Sparky a year or two after I did it the first time and said, "I finally did what you wanted to do." I declared myself safe, the crowd went nuts, and I walked off the field completely drenched. He played under Orioles manager Earl Weaver starting in 1967. 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 . 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. I was 40 years old but I knew I could still play, Dempsey said. Finally, using his best Mexican bandito accent, he ordered the men to drop their money on the table and leave the room. He possessed a cannon for an arm and was a magician who helped guide some of the games greatest pitching staffs to a pair of World Series titles, picking up a World Series MVP for himself along the way. "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. 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. When his teammates fled, Dempsey took their money. Spent eight years at MLB.com, more than half of that as the Mets beat writer. So as I skated around the tarp, everyone started to sing with me. 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. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. [9] It was one of Dempsey's greatest disappointments of his playing career. I cant leave her alone for that long. WHO IS Rick Dempsey? So, he decided to try close to home and paid the Dodgers a visit. Everybody just went crazy. Rick Dempsey of the Baltimore Orioles at bat during a game from his 1985 season with the Baltimore Orioles. Mike Hiserman is former Sports editor of the Los Angeles Times. Loved it! I was dragging three pieces of luggage and a hang up bag across the parking lot. I signed as a 145-pound catcher and two years later I was playing in the big leagues.. Football League. In Baltimore it was hard to break the ice, Dempsey said. The competitive side. Presenting an unusual Rick Dempsey bobblehead that talks and plays music.Rick Dempsey was the Baltimore Orioles' catcher from 1976 to 1986, and was well loved for his sense of humor. Cionel Prez contributed beyond our expectations in 2022. He was very outspoken and he told me just hustle and play hard for me every day and youll have nothing to worry about. [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. Nobody in the Orioles dugout was laughing when it happened, but 16 years of hindsight have lightened the mood a bit. 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. Think throwing a no-hitter got you a free pass in those days? One of baseball's great characters and the son of vaudevillians, Rick Dempsey was fond of stuffing towels under his jersey and doing an impression of Babe Ruth during rain delays. Earl Weaver was known for many things, among them his temper and penchant for getting ejected from ballgames. I went to Fred Claires office. They wanted a lefty hitting catcher and I became Thurman Munsons backup guy. But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays. The Orioles played the next night in Yankee Stadium, earning a 1-0 victory that seemed very hollow. Still, it took time for Dempsey to get any consistent playing time. Pictures of a book signing event at Barnes & Noble in Bel Air featuring former Baltimore . He appeared in only 60 games and hit .177. After I slid into home plate, Yount came out and took his jersey back. Rick Dempsey was born on the 13th of September, 1949. With the worst record in minor league baseball. Despite all the drama and tension, baseball is fun. Just opened in Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Dempsey's Brewpub and Restaurant! Frank Robinson runs Kangaroo CourtAug. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I think he and Brooks Robinson both had the same mother. Sudakis was traded to the Angels after the season. The worst thing was, being manager, I had to call his wife and tell her what happened, Dempsey says. Rick Dempsey and Dave Ginsburg co-authored a book called If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles. [7][13][14][15], In 1987, Dempsey became a free agent and signed a contract to play for the Cleveland Indians. But Sparky never did it. Weaver wont go quietlySept. Now Dempsey as an Os Extra announcer? Jack Cust goes swimmingAug. 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 Then he grabbed a bat and beckoned for a pitcher. The incident earned him a one-game suspension from the league. 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. Blog Round-Up: There's Anger in the Air in Toronto, Flashback Friday: "Doubleheader Don" Aase, In Case You Were Wondering - Road Jerseys Edition. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Dempsey occasionally must be reminded that he is dealing with a cast of mostly teen-agers. Fox ought to track down footage of it and show it during Game 5 on Tuesday, which is also expected to be rained out. Duprees glove skinned Dempseys cheek. He, McGregor and Martinez became part of a nucleus that kept the Orioles as perennial contender for the next decade. Covered a Mets-Astros doubleheader in 1987 and never looked back. [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. With his players, and himself. Whether Murcers presence in the lineup would have made a difference is up for debate since the Orioles won out to claim the title. 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. And, at the time, not a very good one. free shipping SAME DAY SHIPPING. Watch. And plotted. New York came calling, Dempsey said. Which starters are locks for the Orioles rotation. Really. His buddy Munson would die in a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979. People who heard him say he was great. Dave Duncan [the starting catcher] got hot and started playing well, so they stuck with him. Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Tom Lasorda stories. They quarreled over how to pitch to batters and over virtually any other subject. People remember those gags during the rain delays, Dempsey says, toweling off in his office after catching in the bullpen. 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. [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. Dempsey s words proved to be prophetic. Today. Sure, you remember Dempsey. We dont make the big money yet.. He played both ends of a doubleheader the next day. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Rick Dempsey and Rain Delays - The Times Have Changed roarfrom34.com/Baltim. Tonights rain delay in the World Series brings one name to the mind of most baseball fans: Rick Dempsey. It was really foreign to me, Dempsey said. 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 went on for more than an hour, Lund says. [18] During his career, Dempsey caught ten different 20-game winning pitchers. It was a reaction, but what a punch. It has to be tough on him. Within a week he crashed. Worked three years in Philly at Comcast covering the Phillies minor leagues and doing weekly TV spots. Twenty-two Flags over the Bronx Ride the Iron Horse, take a cruise on the Yankee Clipper and visit the Seraglio of the. 5. Pinterest. I used to listen to him and Jim Palmer battling. Nfl Teams. 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. Komminsk goes up, over and out of sightSept. Tim Simone's Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Imitation. The people in Milwaukee just loved it. I said, "I don't think it's going to work this time.". The downside is that he set my expectations too high for what I should reasonably expect of a catcher. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. That was that.. But as she often did, Morganna stole the show. [2] In 1979, the Orioles defeated the California Angels in the 1979 American League Championship Series to reach the World Series. [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. 8. The two tore up the lobby and in the melee Bobby Murcer got hurt and missed the final two games of the season. Dempsey was, too, when he earned a late-season call-up to the Minnesota Twins at age 19. Dempsey spent 1991 with the Brewers and hit a respectable .231 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 147 at-bats. Ask Dupree about Dempseys other side. The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - No. As usual, his effort was a little off. Let me talk to you for a half hour and if it doesnt work out, Ill go home and retire. I yelled and screamed and Fred told me we want you to be Rick Dempsey and not Earl Weaver. Dempsey spent all of 1974 with the Yankees, serving as Munsons backup for most of that time. Dempsey does tell them stories. 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. One time, they batted out of order. Im 175 pounds and hes 235 with world-class speed. Either way, thinking of the guy puts a smile on my face. These guys here are just babies. Yes, that's where it all began. He still wanted to do it, but by that time, he was too old. ThePostGame - Wed, 19 Apr 2017 . [20] Dempsey also won a Little League World Series in 1963 with the team from Canoga Park-Woodland Hills, California. Nfl Colts. And you'll have a blast at the Rick Dempsey Rain-Delay Sliding Puddle. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part ISept. Personable. -- Excerpted by permission from If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles by Rick Dempsey with Dave Ginsburg. Catcher who won World Series titles with the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers during his 24-year career. October 7, 2012. There isn't a ton to say about Dempsey the player. [6], For the next ten and a half seasons, Dempsey would remain as the Orioles' starting catcher. Rick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. It started to rain and everyone left the field and when they covered it up, there was one baseball on the tarp. 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. I loved everything about him, especially the way he would pick off every would be base-stealer. 20; No. During a delay in the UConn-USF game, during the Big East Tourney, both teams decided to take to the field and potentially "serve" the other squad.