Loved it! (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). Worked three years in Philly at Comcast covering the Phillies minor leagues and doing weekly TV spots. Thats when Dempsey dressed up like old friend Robin Yount and recruited teammate Sammy Stewart to play Jim Palmer. 16, 2003Remember Cust, the left-handed slugger who had a productive four-year run with Oakland in the late 2000s? Dempsey eventually did go home but not before he appeared in 40 games for Minnesotas affiliate in the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League. I told him I wished he wouldnt fly, that he was a baseball player. "No, really! I said, "Why would you want to do that? They say, "That's the guy who ran around on the tarp." Dempsey's play-acting during rain delays are still among my favorite memories of those Orioles years. 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). Pictures of a book signing event at Barnes & Noble in Bel Air featuring former Baltimore . 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. He is fairly certain Duprees recollection ends there too. Palmer told me I had to stand up to him otherwise hed bury me. Camden Chat - Fri, 14 Feb 2014 . He glanced at me with a smirk. (Photo by: Ron Kuntz Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images). But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays into interpretive theater. The Yankees are winning the division and Im sitting here in Baltimore, 12 games out.. He then got the crowd to sing "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head." When he retired as a player, he had three broadcasting offers. I didnt get to play baseball when I was a freshman or sophomore because I didnt have a way home. It was genuinely funny, and while impatient fans waited for the rains to end, theyd applaud Dempsey lustily. During his season with the Brewers, Dempsey made two relief pitching appearances, giving up three hits and one run in two innings pitched. I got to my room and stuck my key in the door and it didnt open. He made it fun. I know how to do it, but it takes a while to get a rhythm and timing for the game and your ballclub. Major League Baseball was not easy to break into at that time. I went and I got that baseball to throw it to the fans and I was in my socks slipping all over. Dempsey s words proved to be prophetic. Best coffee city in the world? Despite a strong camp, though, Claire said he needed to send him to Triple-A for a bit until he could find a place for Alex Trevino. Now that is entertainment! There, he would pantomime Babe Ruth hitting a home run, complete with called shot. They packed their guts with pillows to mimic the Hall of Fame duo in absurdist, legendary style. October 7, 2012. 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 Rick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. They split the two games and Baltimore won its final two games to win the division. Thats not really me.. 20; No. I sat there crying asking myself is this what its come to? Doncha just bet hes having a hoot about this? Autograph - Q&A Segment . Consider his "rain delay theater" a blend of both, and one of the more famous comedy bits in MLB history. Weaver had history with Haller; years earlier, hed publicly said Haller shouldnt be allowed to call Tigers games because his brother, Tom, was their backup catcher. He is famous for being a Baseball Player. Rick Dempsey of the Baltimore Orioles at bat during a game from his 1985 season with the Baltimore Orioles. Then he grabbed a bat and beckoned for a pitcher. He speaks warmly about memories of attending drive-in movies with his parents and how, in between features, he was consumed with the highlights of Dodger games that were shown on the big screen. 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. Deep into their storybook Why Not? stretch run in 1989, every win and every run mattered. Same deal -- it was a rainy day, and Babe Ruth called his shot. Loved it! Advertisement If these rain-delay antics have a godfather, it is probably Rick Dempsey, the one-time Orioles catcher, who back in the early '80s brought out a comical home run trot around. 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. I declared myself safe, the crowd went nuts, and I walked off the field completely drenched. 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. JCizzle Member. Friday, May 22, 2009. These guys here are just babies. He met Cal Ripken, Sr., who Dempsey called the greatest catching coach. He had the most impact on me of any person or player. I was the most brutal manager ever for Bakersfield, Dempsey said. We had our share of arguments, too. Source: Okrent (1985), Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game, p. 246. \"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. And plotted. Crazy things have happened during rain delays in the past (i.e.- Rick Dempsey), but this video might just put them all to shame. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Rick Dempsey Autographed Signed Baltimore Orioles Jersey Inscribed MVP 83 Ws (JSA COA) BIG. Dempseys line for the season was just about what he told Claire it would be. Pinterest. Sure, you remember Dempsey. But whatever, he's Rick Dempsey. I yelled and screamed and Fred told me we want you to be Rick Dempsey and not Earl Weaver. 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 . Dempsey would point to the outfield seats, then hit an invisible pitch with an exaggerated swing. Quick with a quip. Nfl Colts. I ran out there, and people started to cheer a little bit just because I ran out on the tarp. But I would like to be involved with a team in some respect.. [21] He then joined the New York Mets organisation, managing the Norfolk Tides in 1997 and 1998. He was famous for his rain delay performances, in which he emerged from the dugout in stocking feet onto the tarpaulin covering the infield and pantomimed . It ended when the second baseman and right fielder pulled up short on a fly ball between them. Dempsey, who said he strives to be aggressive like Billy, smart like Earl and a motivator like Tommy, tries to be philosophical. Later in 2006, he became the first base coach again when the team reassigned Dave Cash. Chass, Murray. His teammates and members of the opposing team would stand in the dugouts and applaud with the fans, especially when Dempsey concluded his routine with a mammoth belly-flop slide into home plate on the infield tarp, his momentum carrying him for yards, a rooster tail of rainwater behind him. [1] Dempsey led American League catchers twice in fielding percentage, twice in baserunners caught stealing and once in assists. He would go and hang out with the players, drink with them and do all that stuff. 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 cant leave her alone for that long. [18] During his career, Dempsey caught ten different 20-game winning pitchers. I said, "No. Thats where I made my mark. DisneyExaminer is proud to present MagicClass with Rick Dempsey, Senior Vice President of Disney Character Voices. Dempsey, of course, inherited their genes, and thus went on to stuff towels in his shirt during a 1977 rain delay at Fenway Park, imitating Babe Ruth and sliding across the tarp on his padded stomach. 2015 Topps 1976 Original Buyback #272 Rick Dempsey: $1.08: 2017 Topps Rediscover Topps Buyback Bronze #593 Rick Dempsey: $1.33: 2017 Topps Rediscover Topps Buyback Silver #593 Rick Dempsey: $4.53: Search Inventory Selling History By Set By Player By Set By Player Social About All Sports Baseball Basketball Football Golf . The only other time I did it was at Memorial Stadium in early July 1978. Now, its too late for me to take a managing job. Nobody in the Orioles dugout was laughing when it happened, but 16 years of hindsight have lightened the mood a bit. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. 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 appeared in 77 games, hit .251 [42-for-167] with seven homers and 30 RBIs. But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays. Ask Dupree about Dempseys other side. Catcher who won World Series titles with the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers during his 24-year career. The hard way. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? [1] document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2020-2022 BallNine, llc. 1. Dempsey occasionally must be reminded that he is dealing with a cast of mostly teen-agers. I was skating to the ball and the organist started playing rain drops keep falling my head. 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. Back in those days, even though they fined players for throwing balls into the grandstand, Sparky didn't care. Former MASN analyst Rick Dempsey, who had worked on the Orioles' pre- and postgame shows since 2007, admits the ballclub's decision to move on from him as part of the cuts at MASN "is. Fox ought to track down footage of it and show it during Game 5 on Tuesday, which is also expected to be rained out. Bakersfield is an equal-opportunity loser, having blown games in almost every way imaginable. I wasnt sleeping too good, trying to think of ways to get us going. 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. The secretary had gone home and it was dark outside. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [1] Dempsey spent a few more seasons shuttling between the Twins and their minor league teams, before being traded to the New York Yankees for Danny Walton on October 31, 1972. 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. Gambling problem? Thanks for sharing your memories, Enchanting Sunshine. After that, the fans didnt want to leave, it was incredible. 16 from Two Runs or More, The Start of Rookie League Ball in Bluefield. The downside is that he set my expectations too high for what I should reasonably expect of a catcher. He told me I did a great job. Just opened in Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Dempsey's Brewpub and Restaurant! Dempsey would remain the No. Think again, as Jim Palmer learned. 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." Earl was not an easy guy to get along with. $269.99. 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. That was Orels [Hershiser] last pitch that season. But Sparky never did it. [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. You can see him out on the field sometimes and you know he just wants to pull his hair out.. They were chanting, "We want Dempsey! 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 was a yeller and a screamer and he beat the fundamentals of the game into you. I put the pillow in it, which he wasn't too happy about because he didn't want to be fat. I got along with him really well.. One time in Toronto, one of the Blue Jays staffers called me and asked me to do it. "Yeah, sure you did!". That decision wasnt final, though. I went to the summer league in 67 and played half a game every other day. I got a little notoriety in Earl Weavers eyes, Dempsey said. 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. He is 43 now, and trying to remain patient. No wonder television wanted him. He believed in a strong defensive catcher. Managing, he says, is like batting. When Spring Training rolled around in 1988 Dempsey was at Vero Beach with the Dodgers. Watch. If a section of the fans would yell and scream and holler for him during batting practice, he would throw a ball to whichever group screamed the loudest. 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 . Santarone would pour a layer of vinegar over the mix and let it set for a few days, then drain it and do the same with oil. Last game of the season!". 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. Football Poster. [1] Dempsey is one of only 29 players to play in four different calendar decades. Press Box - Thu, 23 Jul 2020 . Category: Sports. Yeah, its too early to draw conclusions about anything, but its not too early to feel the optimism already. The decade wasnt always great, though. They said they wouldnt pick up my option. In this conversation. Rick Dempsey played for 24 years, with 3. He has established a kangaroo court that levies fines on players for unacceptable actions. For relief from baseball pressures, he would take it upon himself to be the club entertainer. 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! 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. Dempsey may have gotten along with Martin and Martin with him but Martin was fired after the season and Dempsey found himself in the Double-A Southern League in each of the next two seasons. He was also named a first team NYPL all-star and lauded by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. It started to rain and everyone left the field and when they covered it up, there was one baseball on the tarp. 4. I wouldnt tell them that stuff. He signed with Cleveland and the Indians finished with an MLB-low 61 wins in 1987. 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. With his players, and himself. The organist started playing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." He remained the starting catcher through 1986 but hit just .208 at the age of 36. He retired in November 2020. Now Dempsey as an Os Extra announcer? It seemed to Dempsey that the team was usually leading when Dupree came in and trailing by the time he came out. Were not talking about wins and losses so much as were trying to get guys who are supposed to be prospects to start playing the game the way its supposed to be played.. Well, for that I think of him pronouncing Melky Cabrera's first name as "Milky." Redskins. He played under Orioles manager Earl Weaver starting in 1967. They either dont hit, dont pitch, dont field or dont run the bases properly. Whether Murcers presence in the lineup would have made a difference is up for debate since the Orioles won out to claim the title. I looked up in the stands and saw about 15 people there. Before disappearing into the dugout, Lowenstein reassured them hed be OK by hoisting his torso and both arms airborne in sudden, triumphant fashion. The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - No. Sudakis was traded to the Angels after the season. I said, "Well, that might be pretty cool, Sparky.". Dempsey knew that he wanted to keep playing. Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. When we got back to Baltimore, I was dropped off at a hotel on I-695 and went to the desk to get my key. They knew that if anyone got in trouble, I was the one who was going to end up paying for the balls. A story Dempsey might want to tell his Bakersfield team. By Tuesday morning, it was a winter wonderland in Wilton, with 7 inches of snow recorded by 8 a.m., according to the National . Rick Dempsey's age is 73. 3. What made that tarp act even more special was that Sammy Stewart came out and pitched to me, as if he was Jim Palmer, who had given up those two home runs. 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. Another sad day came when it became apparent that Dempseys time in Baltimore was over. Dempsey had five hits in the World Series, four doubles and a homer, and the Orioles beat the Phillies in five games. He had the best record in the league at throwing out base stealers, and had mastered the rest of a catchers defensive repertory as well. The ball was worth $6.5 million. Dupree crumpled to the dirt in a heap, several bones in his face fractured. Youth is most often blamed, and it is a legitimate excuse. I held him to less yards that [Brian] Bosworth did. 5, 1989How about one that benefited the Orioles? Nov 18, 2011 73 Dislike Share Save TheHalocodplayer 8 subscribers This montage was shown during a Boston Red Sox rain delay back in 1983. 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. I took two mighty swings, twisting my body as far as it would go. He was an interim manager while playing in Puerto Rico in the early 80s. Weaver wont go quietlySept. It wasnt all bad for Dempsey, though. Cionel Prez contributed beyond our expectations in 2022. R ick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. He was a one-man diversion during a rain delay. I went to Fred Claires office. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. Palmer had been doing commercials for Jockey underwear, so Sammy wore briefs outside of his uniform pants. They wanted a lefty hitting catcher and I became Thurman Munsons backup guy. Mar 28, 2014 - Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. Got any funny rain delay stories? When I first got traded, I met them in Chicago and I didnt start a game for quite a while. He eventually came out and I said Im sorry Mr. Claire, I never give up on anything, dont make me do it now. 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. I wasnt a very good student. We could have sold it, split the money and been very happy., Rick Dempsey while with the Los Angeles Dodgers.(Getty). [citation needed]. The competitive side. 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. The Yankees were a game out of first heading into the final two games. Your email address will not be published. . John Rikard Dempsey (born September 13, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player. It was great.. The mic caught every word. Author of the popular blog The Bobblist, which covers everything A to Z in the world of bobbleheads. This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. John Lowenstein leaves the field a hero, on a stretcherJune 19, 1980There arent many scarier moments on a baseball field than when a player is hit in the head, but Lowenstein -- true to his nature -- was able to provide some levity when he found himself in such a situation. But as with so much art, nothing beats the original. Then I ran off the field, and that was it. 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.. It wasn't even really premeditated, but Sammy just thought of it at the spur of the moment, went on the field, and did it. I saw Sparky a year or two after I did it the first time and said, "I finally did what you wanted to do." 30, 1977A singular figure in Orioles lore, Dempsey remains beloved to this day as much for his personality as for his on-field accomplishments. See About archive blog posts. People who heard him say he was great. 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. The Orioles won 10-3. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). He would go from the clubhouse to the dugout, where he would take off his cleats, stuff a pillow under his jersey and head to the approximate area of home plate. 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. He spent it in the press box with the Bakersfield broadcast team, doing color commentary. But at least he is gathering good material and having a few good laughs, right? I thought that was kind of cool, that he got so many different sections at Yankee Stadium involved in that. On his team was a fellow named Mike Dupree. You know what I'm going to do? Babe Ruth used to be with the Red Sox. Dempsey was one of the best defensive catchers in the latter half of the 20th century. Dempsey hit .293 with seven homers and 61 RBIs in 73 games and was named as the leagues Rookie of the Year. Dempsey made his Major League debut on Sept. 23 against the Royals at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. I loved Billy; he was a little guy like me, Dempsey said. [17] After three seasons with the Dodgers, he played one season with the Milwaukee Brewers, before returning to the Baltimore Orioles for his final season in 1992.[16]. The end, however, was near. So, I went back out to the tarp and did Babe Ruth hitting the homer. 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. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. Really, hes only gone off on us once, Lund says. 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 went into the dugout, and everyone was laughing about it. I was one of those kinds of players that just pulled for all of the guys.. [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. Guys were telling jokes, kind of ripping on each other and getting loud, recalls Ed Lund, Bakersfields catcher and a St. Francis High graduate, and he just kind of slowly walked back down the aisle and listened.