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 Weaver managed the Orioles for 17
years, including 15 in a row, using
the philosophy of "if you play for
one run, that's all you get."
Throughout his career, Weaver
managed for the three-run homer and
solid pitching to hold that lead,
and liked to use extensive data on
past performance to help make
decisions, philosophies adopted by
his second baseman and managerial
protégé
Davey
Johnson.
Weaver also liked to bait umpires,
and was thrown out of almost 100
games (including a rare
World
Series
ejection in Game Four of the 1969
Series) and suspended at least four
times. In 1985, he was ejected from
both ends of a doubleheader...Book
Earl Weaver for Your Event
A minor-league second baseman,
Weaver never played in the major
leagues, toiling in the Cardinal and
Pirate organizations from 1948
through 1957 when he became a
manager in the Orioles system. He
managed in the minors until he was
brought in to replace O's skipper
Hank
Bauer
midway through 1968. The next
season, he led the Orioles to 109
wins, at the time tied for the third
most victories in AL history. But
his heavily favored team, featuring
such future Hall of Famers as
Jim
Palmer,
Brooks Robinson,
and Frank
Robinson,
ran into the Miracle Mets in the
World Series, where they suffered a
stunning five-game loss. The Orioles
won 108 games in 1970, this time
taking the Fall Classic in a
five-game romp over the Reds, thanks
largely to Brooks Robinson's
brilliant series at the plate and at
third base. In 1971, Weaver and the
Orioles won their third straight
pennant, but dropped the World
Series in a seven-game setback at
the hands the Pirates. Many critics
blamed Weaver for the loss, since he
had refused to bench injured first
baseman Boog
Powell,
who hit only .111 in the Series.
Powell had fractured his wrist in
August, aggravated the injury when
he was struck on the wrist by a
pitch, and was visibly in pain at
each at-bat in the Series.
Weaver came back to manage the
Orioles midway through the 1985
season (taking over for
Joe
Altobelli,
Weaver for the second time in his
career replaced an Orioles' manager
who had won a World Championship
just two years prior). In 1986, he
suffered his first-ever losing
season, winning just 73 games, and
retired for good. Weaver won 100
games five times, and his .583
winning percentage ranks among the
best in baseball history. In 1996 he
was elected to the Hall of Fame.
>>>
Book Earl Weaver for Your Event
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