Either way, thinking of the guy puts a smile on my face. Think again, as Jim Palmer learned. The Rise of Rain Delay Shenanigans - Slate Magazine 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 baseball's most memorable characters. It is supposed to bring joy, every night a chance to escape for nine innings. 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. He spent it in the press box with the Bakersfield broadcast team, doing color commentary. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. Loved it! | Baltimore orioles Weaver wont go quietlySept. Today. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part ISept. I loved everything about him, especially the way he would pick off every would be base-stealer. I went around the bases and slid into home plate, making a big wave as I sloshed across the tarp. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Dance Framed Photo 12"x15" Hammer Price: Auctioneer has chosen not to publish the price of this lot Auction Date: Nov 06, 2020 10am ET Auctioneer: Paul E. Saperstein Co., Inc. See item details . 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. I went to the summer league in 67 and played half a game every other day. It started to rain and everyone left the field and when they covered it up, there was one baseball on the tarp. I know I could have played a couple more years. Wild Bill Hagy gets the crowd goingOctober 1979With his signature look and humble backstory, Hagy, a local ice cream truck and cab driver, became a Baltimore sports icon for the way he famously led chants of O-R-I-O-L-E-S during the late '70s and early '80s from the upper deck at Memorial Stadium. Tommy [Lasorda] had a little heart attack around that time and there was a lot of speculation as to who would replace Tommy. The Rain of Dempsey - BallNine "Rick Dempsey found success in baseball, but his boyhood friend and teammate struggled,". 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. Ask Dupree about Dempseys other side. Palmer told me I had to stand up to him otherwise hed bury me. Ricky Dempsey, 64 Also known as Ricky Dempsy Ricky Demsey Ricky Demps Has lived in Gulf Breeze, FL Pensacola, FL Little River, AL Pace, FL Related to John Staley, 67 Karen Staley, 65 Kyle Staley, 39 Alicia Staley, 44 View Profile Ricky Dempsey, 37 Has lived in Mineola, TX Alba, TX Albert, TX Irving, TX Related to William Strebeck, 95 This time they won, topping the Phillies in five games with Dempsey earning the Series MVP after hitting .385 with four doubles and a homer. But at least he is gathering good material and having a few good laughs, right? While he loved playing with Munson and for Martin, Dempseys stay in New York was just about over. True story. Follow Dave Ginsburg on Twitter@Ginzy3. 5. R ick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. Dempsey had five hits in the World Series, four doubles and a homer, and the Orioles beat the Phillies in five games. Dempsey s words proved to be prophetic. I knew I could be a part time catcher for them but they had Chris Holies at the time, said Dempsey, who was eventually activated in June. The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - No. Had one beat writer from another newspaper threaten to kill him in an elevator at the winter meetings. 8. With his players, and himself. Two people can say something totally different and it can mean exactly the same thing. He hit .206 in 102 at-bats with nine RBIs. Then, about halfway down the third-base line he would start his slide, which would hydroplane him down the tarp and across home plate, where he would call himself safe. 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. SoSH Member. 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. 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. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). Yeah, a Rick Dempsey rain delay was a gas, and Wild Bill Hagy was more popular than the mayor, but when the Birds took the field, they never arrived via a fire-spewing UFO that descended from the . Dempsey grabs the mic1986Dempsey turned his act musical in 1986, when he serenaded a rain delay crowd to Chuck Berrys classic Johnny B. Goode. Soon, Dempsey & the Invisible Orioles Magic Band was born, complete with Eddie Murray and Floyd Rayford on the drums, Mike Boddicker on bass and John Habyan and others handling backup vocals. 6. During his season with the Brewers, Dempsey made two relief pitching appearances, giving up three hits and one run in two innings pitched. It was pretty neat because my teammates kept throwing me balls so I could keep tossing them into the grandstand. [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. Im 175 pounds and hes 235 with world-class speed. That decision wasnt final, though. "Hey Rick," I shouted, "I saw your rain delay act at Fenway back in 1977!". Dempsey, 73, is semi-retired and living in California. The Comedic Stylings Of Rick Dempsey Published on 5/9/2007 by GC When Gary Thorne is the one embarrassed at your poor choice of words, something has gone horribly wrong. 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. All the pitchers enjoyed having me behind the plate. The first guy to come up to me in the locker room was Harmon Killebrew, Dempsey said. Whenever I think of Dempsey as a player, two memories come to mind: his rain delay routine and his 1983 World Series MVP. It was great.. So, I said okay, Ill play for the worst team in baseball before I play for the Orioles., The Case of the Missing Folder: A Two-Part Hollywood Mystery. Dempsey's Brew Pub & Restaurant - Baltimore, MD | OpenTable Now that is entertainment! He went on for more than an hour, Lund says. Dempsey was, too, when he earned a late-season call-up to the Minnesota Twins at age 19. No matter the ball remained secured in Komminsks glove; his body landed outside the field of play, and Ripken was rewarded with a home run all the same. 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. Really. 2023 Orioles vs. projections: Cionel Prez. Handled pitchers well, loved to slide on wet tarps during rain delays. Dempsey waited. It's a danceoff! There was a chopper to the mound and he was on third and Im thinking I cant block this guy. Rick Dempsey: What Inspired His Rain-Delay Theatrics 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. But as she often did, Morganna stole the show. He came to my mothers house in 1967 in Simi Valley and I signed a contract. As usual, his effort was a little off. Baltimore became the first visiting team to win Games 3, 4 and 5 since 1961, when the New York Yankees did so vs. the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. He will enter 2006 as the bullpen coach, replacing Ellie Hendricks. Jack Cust goes swimmingAug. 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. Yes, that's where it all began. 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. I ran around the bases and I ended up throwing the baseball to the group that sang the loudest. The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - No. 31 - Rick Dempsey The worst thing was, being manager, I had to call his wife and tell her what happened, Dempsey says. After his tenure with the Orioles ended in 1986, Dempsey signed with Cleveland for the 1987 season, where he did little and was released in October. Twenty-two Flags over the Bronx Ride the Iron Horse, take a cruise on the Yankee Clipper and visit the Seraglio of the. Dave Duncan [the starting catcher] got hot and started playing well, so they stuck with him. Nfl Colts. He remained the starting catcher through 1986 but hit just .208 at the age of 36. WHO IS Rick Dempsey? I got it signed by everybody. 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 Dempseyof the Los Angeles Dodgers attemptsto catch a foul ball at Dodger Stadium circa 1988 in Los angeles,California. Can he keep it up? He played under Orioles manager Earl Weaver starting in 1967. 5, 1989How about one that benefited the Orioles? The secretary had gone home and it was dark outside. Thats when Dempsey dressed up like old friend Robin Yount and recruited teammate Sammy Stewart to play Jim Palmer. I went into the managers office and said can you send me somewhere where I can get the opportunity to play? Then, after a while, I pretty much came to terms with the fact that were developing here. "Yeah, sure you did!". Combined, the five current and former players who sit on USA Basketball's 15-person board Seimone Augustus, Jennifer Azzi, Harrison Barnes, Sue Bird and Durant have 13 Olympic gold medals, eight FIBA gold medals from World Cups and world championships, and a pile of other honors from their time wearing the red, white and blue. Even better than that were his rain delay antics. Jones antics in Detroit bring back memories of Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime, http://www.youtube.com/v/13dUZTSf_lM&hl=en, Thanks to the Tigers Todd Jones, shown in the rain delay video above, this weeks Flashback Friday could only be about one thing: Rick Dempseys Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime.. Baltimore won the series 4-1. The two tore up the lobby and in the melee Bobby Murcer got hurt and missed the final two games of the season. He told me he gave that ball to the Hall of Fame. No, says Dempsey, a Crespi High graduate. No one liked you and most of the veterans were cold and didnt want to talk. 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. He managed at Bakersfield in the Class-A California League to a 10th-place finish in 1993 before guiding Albuquerque of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League to a title in 1994 and a fifth-place finish in 1995. After jury approval, Palmer was fined. I used to listen to him and Jim Palmer battling. List of Major League Baseball players who played in four decades, 100 Best Percentage of Baserunners caught stealing 1956-2007, Catcher Encyclopedia, "For Catchers, The Name of the Game is Defense", "Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame at MLB.com", Orfalea, Gregory. The Comedic Stylings Of Rick Dempsey - Can't Stop The Bleeding Which leads to this piece on Rick Dempsey's rain-delay entertainment: Dempsey, who said he strives to be aggressive like Billy, smart like Earl and a motivator like Tommy, tries to be philosophical. @busfield google "Rick Dempsey rain delay" for the greatest o's rain delay moments of all time. 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. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. 2 comments 70% Upvoted This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast Sort by level 1 drexhex 8 years ago See this video for more of Dempsey's rain delay antics 5 level 1 I like our ducks aresef 8 years ago But '83 is what it's really all about with Dempsey as a player. Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. Rick Dempsey could be generously described as a bad hitter and probably an overrated defensive catcher. Rick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. You can see him out on the field sometimes and you know he just wants to pull his hair out.. 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. Keith Olbermann on Twitter: "In the great tradition of Rick "Rain Delay Rick Dempsey's tie game - Baltimore Sun Back in those days, even though they fined players for throwing balls into the grandstand, Sparky didn't care. Baseball Park. They said they wouldnt pick up my option. Cal gets a good-luck kissMay 2, 1988When looking back on this one, context is important. He started the 1976 season as Munsons backup but was dealt to Baltimore in a blockbuster deal on June 15 that also saw Tippy Martinez, Rudy May, Scott McGregor and Dave Pagan headed to the Os in exchange for Doyle Alexander, Ken Holtzman, Grant Jackson, Jimmy Freeman and Elrod Hendricks. Sep 26, 2022 #79 Almonte is entertainingly bad in the field. We want Dempsey!" * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Boog, Brooks, and Frank, Mid 1960's Orioles | Orioles baseball, Famous We were childhood friends, and I made him give it to me. Still Singin' in the Rain . . . : . . . but Dempsey's Humor Dampened by The ones that provided levity and laughs, and for those reasons, went on to live forever. He appeared in 77 games, hit .251 [42-for-167] with seven homers and 30 RBIs. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. Youth is most often blamed, and it is a legitimate excuse. Baseball Players. One time in Toronto, one of the Blue Jays staffers called me and asked me to do it. [7][13][14][15], In 1987, Dempsey became a free agent and signed a contract to play for the Cleveland Indians. 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. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Available for purchase from the publisher, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The lone bench player for New Bedford at the start of the game was infielder Dan Haugh, who, along with pitcher Aaron Messier, did their best Rick Dempsey rain-delay imitation. Rick Dempsey played for 24 years, with 3. I got a little notoriety in Earl Weavers eyes, Dempsey said. Personable. It was tough for a while, Dempsey says. 10. Rick Dempsey and Rain Delays - The Times Have Changed The restaurant will be open year-round on game days and non-game days. In Baltimore it was hard to break the ice, Dempsey said. 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). One punch. 30, 1977A singular figure in Orioles lore, Dempsey remains beloved to this day as much for his personality as for his on-field accomplishments. Soon after, his teammates arrived, quickly setting up a poker game. We had our share of arguments, too. Dempsey was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 23, 1969, with the Minnesota Twins. I remember turning toward him and he was right in my face, Dempsey says. Rick Dempsey, the number of the beast - True Blue LA Were getting to that age where we have to keep an eye on each other. Good thing the man has such a great sense of humor. The Orioles played the next night in Yankee Stadium, earning a 1-0 victory that seemed very hollow. I hit him, Dempsey says. Rick Dempsey's tie game - Hartford Courant It wasnt all bad for Dempsey, though. While Dempsey had a long and storied career some folks just cant get over the fact that he was the guy who ran around in the rain. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. What does a successful 2023 look like for the Orioles best hitters? That was one of the saddest days for me ever. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies after brain aneurysm, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, Sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Clippers win waiver bid for Chauncey Billups, Brendan Burke, son of Brian Burke, dies in a car crash. Dempsey was one of the best defensive catchers in the latter half of the 20th century. I wasnt sleeping too good, trying to think of ways to get us going. 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. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. There isn't a ton to say about Dempsey the player. 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. Baseball Rain Delays Are Officially Awesome - Blogger Hiserman has been Sports editor of The Times San Fernando Valley and Orange County editions. Sports Baseball. I told him I can go home and start my managing career and that Id be okay, Dempsey said. We had a day off in Minnesota and the Yankees were in the same hotel. Dempsey spent all of 1974 with the Yankees, serving as Munsons backup for most of that time. The downside is that he set my expectations too high for what I should reasonably expect of a catcher. October 21, 2019 | 00:01:51 Rick Dempsey's famous bit in 1977 where he runs around the infield tarp during a rain delay in Fenway and then slides home Baltimore Orioles Season 2019 They started chanting we want Dempsey. When his teammates fled, Dempsey took their money. Dempsey knew that he wanted to keep playing. When I was a kid, 'This Week in Baseball' hosted by Mel Allen would occasionally. [8] In the 1979 World Series, the Orioles won three of the first four games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and seemed to be on the verge of winning the championship, when the Pirates, led by Willie Stargell, rebounded to win the final three games. Another sad day came when it became apparent that Dempseys time in Baltimore was over. [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. Later in 2006, he became the first base coach again when the team reassigned Dave Cash. I got to my room and stuck my key in the door and it didnt open. I cant leave her alone for that long. I took two mighty swings, twisting my body as far as it would go. Spent eight years at MLB.com, more than half of that as the Mets beat writer. 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. Dempsey is quick to admit that bettering himself in sports, not academics, was his main focus while attending Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino. In celebration of Palmer's birthday, we present these 22 classic SI photos of No. Lunds favorite: During spring training one year, Dempsey said he broke into a room shared by three teammates and hid in the closet. [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]. Gambling problem? 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. But I learned how to handle a good staff with Baltimore and ended up being the everyday catcher for 10 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. I was happy to get away from Cleveland, though.. So, to pigeon-hole Dempsey as simply the guy who ran around in the rain would not do justice to someone who was one of baseballs most durable and dependable players for 24 seasons. 4. I had to do it at least once at home. 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.