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. 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. Last call: Rick Dempsey's rain delay extravaganza I hit him, Dempsey says. He is famous for being a Baseball Player. All the pitchers enjoyed having me behind the plate. Pictures of a book signing event at Barnes & Noble in Bel Air featuring former Baltimore . Rick McCormick - Facebook 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. 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. Deep into their storybook Why Not? stretch run in 1989, every win and every run mattered. Yeah, its too early to draw conclusions about anything, but its not too early to feel the optimism already. But I held on to the ball. 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. [1] He ended his career with a .988 fielding percentage. @busfield google "Rick Dempsey rain delay" for the greatest o's rain delay moments of all time. As usual, his effort was a little off. 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 out to home plate and pointed to the stands and everyone started to cheer, as if I had already hit the home run. Finally, using his best Mexican bandito accent, he ordered the men to drop their money on the table and leave the room. It was really foreign to me, Dempsey said. He also got in a late September fight with teammate Bill Sudakis, a volatile sort who was also one of New Yorks backup catchers. The Rain of Dempsey - BallNine From that point on, every time it got gray or cloudy everywhere we went, one of the team officials would call me up and say, "Can you do your pantomime of Babe Ruth?" It bites into your day, especially when you think about rent and food, says Matt Filson, the teams left fielder. He was the first of four players from Crespi Carmelite to get drafted and is one of nine from the school to reach the Major Leagues. We had our share of arguments, too. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. He was one of the all-time nicest guys in the world. [7][13][14][15], In 1987, Dempsey became a free agent and signed a contract to play for the Cleveland Indians. Rich L.A. homeowners are snapping them up. rick dempsey rain delay - peterstellpickupdropoffandmoving.com Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say. 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. Rick Dempsey: What Inspired His Rain-Delay Theatrics 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. He is remembered for one in particular, when he committed a baserunning gaffe that led to a 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Yankees in August 2003. "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. Dempsey moved behind the plate for his senior season and hit a team-leading .466 to earn All-Camino Real League honors. 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. I went up the line a little and he knocked the living shit out of me. . I sat there crying asking myself is this what its come to? I was in the outfield at Fenway Park on Sunday, throwing baseballs to fans in the stands who were the loudest. 22. It is supposed to bring joy, every night a chance to escape for nine innings. Were getting to that age where we have to keep an eye on each other. With the worst record in minor league baseball. Required fields are marked *. 30, 1977A singular figure in Orioles lore, Dempsey remains beloved to this day as much for his personality as for his on-field accomplishments. Dave Duncan [the starting catcher] got hot and started playing well, so they stuck with him. You might get hurt." 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. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part IIOct. Thoughts from Brewers Nation or Is It "The Bre Flashback Friday: One of the "Forgotten Birds", Comeback Win No. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. Mar 28, 2014 - Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. I didnt get to play baseball when I was a freshman or sophomore because I didnt have a way home. Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your browser doesn't support the HTML5 CANVAS tag. Dempsey has been a candidate for managerial openings with the Orioles in the past, as recently as 2003 when the Orioles interviewed him for the spot that eventually went to Lee Mazzilli. He was mentioned again as a possible candidate for the Baltimore manager's job in 2010, after the firing of Dave Trembley. The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - No. He quickly tossed Weaver, and Weaver responded by spewing an animated, profanity-laced tirade. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Then, after a while, I pretty much came to terms with the fact that were developing here. It was a Catholic high school so the priests helped me a little but with my grades so Id be eligible to play sports. [1] Dempsey is one of only 29 players to play in four different calendar decades. 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. He is fairly certain Duprees recollection ends there too. The people in Milwaukee just loved it. But '83 is what it's really all about with Dempsey as a player. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. I think I've met just about every person who was there. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. $415.37. Handled pitchers well, loved to slide on wet tarps during rain delays. He talked about players and the things theyd done.. 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. Think throwing a no-hitter got you a free pass in those days? [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. RICK DEMPSEY TALKING BOBBLEHEAD, Baltimore Orioles, MIB - Worthpoint Enberg hosted the pregame show alongside Dempsey (who was still active with Baltimore at the time). Basketball Players. He ended up hitting .304 in 19 playoff and World Series games for Baltimore. I put the pillow in it, which he wasn't too happy about because he didn't want to be fat. Flashback Friday: Rick Dempsey's Rainy Days - Roar from 34 John Rikard Dempsey (born September 13, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player. The ball was worth $6.5 million. I wasnt sleeping too good, trying to think of ways to get us going. 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.. Dempseys line for the season was just about what he told Claire it would be. With his players, and himself. 16 from Two Runs or More, The Start of Rookie League Ball in Bluefield. [9] It was one of Dempsey's greatest disappointments of his playing career. Dempsey does tell them stories. [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. That was Orels [Hershiser] last pitch that season. [19] Dempsey fared well offensively in postseason play. During his career, which spanned from 1969-1992, Dempsey was known as one of the best defensive catchers in the game.