RIP Earl Weaver

[SI1020]

I'm going to say it. Yes, I'm a Sox fan and always will be but Earl Weaver is my all time favorite manager. JB is right about the sabermetrics comment. He loved the three run homer and didn't care much for the bunt. His teams rarely beat themselves, and IMO Earl was one of those rare managers that could get his team a few extra wins a year himself on his baseball smarts. Plus he was entertaining. Yes MtG he is another big reason why baseball is the greatest game in the world. RIP Earl Weaver.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by russ99

Earl waited on the 3 run homer way too much for my taste, but what a great manager.

Plus he poured his vast knowledge into Earl Weaver Baseball, the first serious computer baseball game, which still has the best lineup generation ever. I played in sim leagues with the Amiga version

RIP, Earl.

What's funny about the "wait for the three run homer" strategy he used is that in '73 and '74 his Orioles led the league in stolen bases and they were third and fourth in '75 and '76. His teams were built around solid pitching and if he had big boppers in his lineup like Boog Powell and Frank Robinson he was content to sit around and wait for the homers, but he could make things happen when he had a lineup with Paul Blair and Don Baylor. A very good manager. RIP.

[Frater Perdurabo]

The other thing is that "wait for the three run homer" was the last part of the philosophy, only coming AFTER pitching and defense.

[Southsider101]

They don't make them like Earl any more. When the Orioles came to town I was sure to be at the game not only to see greats like Blair, Powell and Robinson (Brooks and Frank) but also to watch one of the greatest umpire-baiters of all time. I have to wonder how the thin skinned umps of today would react to a guy like Earl? Let's not forget that Weaver was also prolific tomato grower and had an ongoing "feud" with the O's head groundskeeper over who grew the best tomatoes. Of course, the famed tomato patch would grace the left field territory of old Memorial Stadium until the move to Camden Yards.

http://ballparkdigest.com/2011041037...s-tomato-patch

Keeping in mind that Weaver may have had the foulest mouth of any manager in recent memory, he and Baltimore broadcaster Tom Marr combined to produce one of the funniest (and obscene) pranks in baseball broadcasting. Apparently the original tape was made in the early 80's and made the rounds of baseball media for years before being posted on the web in the 90s.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon...downs/1847369/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWQbN0jFo_k

So RIP Earl, and here's wishing that you and Alice Sweet have a bumper crop of tomatoes!

[chicagowhitesox1]

RIP Weaver, deff one of my favorite managers. Those Youtube videos of him are something else too. The Alice Sweet one I have to kinda wonder if it's even real.

I always liked Palmers quote on Weaver "The only thing he knows about the big leagues, is that he couldn't hit." I'm sure Palmer will miss him, it would be pretty hard to not miss a guy like Weaver.

[A. Cavatica]

Also my all-time favorite manager. An absolute genius at in-game managing.

I lived in DC when he was managing in Baltimore, so I got to see a lot of O's games, and in fact the only time I ever got to see the Sox was in Baltimore.

[LITTLE NELL]

Would love to know what our record was against the Orioles under Weaver (not good), great manager, didn't hurt that he had the horses.
RIP Earl.

EDIT: Just looked it up on Baseball Reference, 139-85 against the Sox for a .621 winning pct.

[Viva Medias B's]

If a present day manager did what Earl did on "Manager's Corner," he would be fired within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, I remember being at a Sox-O's doubleheader at the old ballpark in 1979. Weaver got ejected from at least the first game, maybe the second one too but I don't remember.

[michned]

My favorite Weaver quote was something I heard on a network telecast once and never forgot.

One Sunday morning Orioles outfielder (and former Sox) Pat Kelly returned from a team church service and told Weaver, "Skipper, this morning I learned to walk with the Lord."

Replied Earl: "I wish you could learn to walk with the bases loaded."

[Railsplitter]

Interesting oddity: The years Weaver's Orioles went to the Series, the won thier division with over 100 games. (1969, 70, 71, 79) The years the O's won the east with fewer than 100 wins. ( 73, 74) they failed to win the LCS.

1971 Orioles had four 20 games winners (Dave McNally, Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, and Pat Bodson, IIRC) that's somthing you wan;t see these days.

[Southsider101]

Originally Posted by Viva Medias B's

If a present day manager did what Earl did on "Manager's Corner," he would be fired within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, I remember being at a Sox-O's doubleheader at the old ballpark in 1979. Weaver got ejected from at least the first game, maybe the second one too but I don't remember.

According to his bio, he was ejected from both ends of a doubleheader three times. It does not say who the O's were playing at the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_We...ger.27s_Corner


Best Weaver line: he once told an umpire that he could appear on What's My Line wearing his mask, chest protector and ball/strike indicator and still nobody would guess he was an umpire.

[Chez]

Earl was great. So were the Oriole teams he managed.