Earl Weaver, who managed the Baltimore Orioles for a sterling 14-plus years in the formative days of my baseball fanhood, died Friday night. He was 82.
I expect to write a longer post about the Earl of Baltimore and how his influence is still felt in baseball some 25 years after he left the dugout, but today's joke day.
Pat Kelly (who began his career with the Twins) was one of Weaver's platoon outfielders in the late 1970s. He had also become an evangelistic Christian and started a clubhouse chapel while with the Orioles. Weaver was not impressed.
"Don't you want to walk with the Lord?" Kelly asked his often profane skipper.
"I'd rather you walked with the (bleeping) bases loaded," Weaver replied.
Can't help speculating how much more entertaining baseball would be if more modern umpires followed Weaver. Has any managed followed in his footsteps? Joe Maddon? Davey Johnson? I'd love to root for a manager who reduced bullpen usage, relayed more on four starters, and rarely bunted.
ReplyDelete