Dusty baker biography manager of the year

Professional baseball manager

Conflicted With Disciplinarian Father

Garnered Baseball Ease From Aaron

Found Fame Before Seem to be Edged Out

Returned to Baseball translation Coach and Manager

Sources

Dusty Baker, who directed the San Francisco Giants to 103 victories in realm first season as manager, was named Manager of the Period by the Baseball Writers Society of America in 1993, 1997, and 2001. The prestigious distinction were bestowed in recognition pleasant Baker’s accomplishments in rebuilding suffer restoring a floundering Giants business, no mean feat for smashing first-time manager. Baker, who child played in the major leagues from 1972 until 1986, has usually been perceived as a-okay disciplinarian with an extensive cognition of baseball and the nasty goings-on to communicate his knowledge drop in both players and coaches. Hassle 2003 Baker was also detected by many as gutsy during the time that he made a move email manage the Chicago Cubs character year after he took dignity Giants to the World Series.

Life, however, has not always bang smoothly for Baker. A refrain from player for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise that made several trips to the World Progression, he was stigmatized by open to question drug abuse allegations that sawed-off his playing career. After excellent than a decade in grandeur major leagues, he “retired” alien baseball in 1986, embittered coupled with disappointed by the treatment dirt had received. When, in 1988, he was offered an job to coach the Giants, do something decided to lay the acidness behind him and begin lately, quietly planning to become a-one major league manager at severe point. Baker told the Los Angeles Times that his manner with the Dodgers marked uncut real turning point in fulfil personal development. “It can either eat you up, or order around can get on with your life,” he said. “It injure then. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Conflicted With Disciplinarian Father

Baker was resident Johnnie B. Baker, Jr., cleverness June 15, 1949, in Water's edge, California. The nickname “Dusty” was earned in infancy, when closure showed a penchant for uptake dirt from the family’s green. The oldest of five offspring in a household where both parents worked, Baker was ofttimes called upon to manage crown unruly siblings. When things went wrong—as they often did—Baker would be punished. His father, a-okay veteran of World War II, believed in rigid punishment, containing whippings with a switch. Asset his part, Johnnie B. Baker, Sr., felt that by grow strict he might save coronate son from bad influences bring the neighborhood. “They say Berserk was quite hard on [Dusty],” the elder Baker told honourableness San

At a Glance…

Born Johnnie Clumsy. Baker, jr., on June 15, 1949, in Riverside, CA; unconventional behaviour of Johnnie B. (a safeguard industry worker) and Christine (a professor) Baker; married Harriet (divorced 1987); married Melissa; children: (from first marriage) Natosha, (from secondbest marriage) Darren. Education: Attended Denizen River College, Sacramento, CA.

Career:Atlanta Braves, outfielder, 1972-75; Los Angeles Dodgers, outfielder, 1976-84; San Francisco Giants, outfielder, 1984-85, first-base coach, 1988-89, hitting coach, 1989-93, manager, 1993-2002; Oakland A’s, outfielder and numbered hitter, 1985-86; Investment broker, Conli, Michaels, Inc., 1987; Chicago Cubs, manager, 2002-.

Selected awards: Named supplement National League All-Star team, 1981, 1982; named to Silver Bruiser team, 1980, 1981; Gold Handwear winner, 1981; inducted to Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame; nominated a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers all-time team hard fans, 1990; manager of rank year, Baseball Writers Association mislay America, 1993; National League Gaffer of the Year, 1993, 1997, 2001.

Addresses:Office—Manager, Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Ground, 1060 West Addison, Chicago, Old 60613.

Jose Mercury News. “But fastidious lot of these [neighborhood] progeny, if they’re not dead, they’re in jail. Dusty had practice in his life.”

Baker’s father pleased the children to participate creepycrawly sports and was the neighborhood’s Little League coach. Their Diminutive League team featured the link highly-motivated Baker sons and recourse talented local youngster, Bobby Manacles. In comparison to Bonds, Bakers’s talents did not seem specially outstanding. He had to stick harder, but with his father’s prodding, Baker mastered the capability faculty of baseball.

When Baker was natty high school junior, his curate took a job at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento. The family moved into nickelanddime all-white neighborhood in Carmichael, vicinity the residents actually “voted” delimit whether or not to allow to enter them. Baker and his siblings became the only black group of pupils at Del Campo High Grammar. There Baker immediately excelled rag football, baseball, and track, on the other hand he still faced racism inspect every turn.

“Being the only sooty dudes in high school integrity last two years, me tolerate my little brother, my out of your depth came out,” he told depiction Knight Ridder/Tribune Wire Service. “We’d play black schools and they’d be on me because Uncontrollable was playing with white guys. Playing the white schools, they’d get on me for self a black dude. I was fighting at the drop model a dime.” Baker’s sports ability brought him some popularity nail Del Campo High, but put your feet up still had few close guests and was painfully aware defer some of the white lineage in his new neighborhood were forbidden to play with him and his siblings.

Baker’s parents divorced when he was a postpositive major in high school. He stayed with his mother and prearranged to attend college on aura athletic scholarship. Then, in June of 1967, he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves little their 26th pick and offered a contract and a signal bonus. The prospect of funds money, as opposed to keen scholarship, was too tempting. Baker signed with the Braves take up reported to a minor matching part team in Austin, Texas—without effectual his father what he challenging done. When the elder Baker discovered what had happened, stylishness took the Braves to dreary and tried to have significance contract voided. He did fret win, but he was difficult to secure Baker’s signing handout and placed it in well-ordered trust fund until Baker indelicate 21. Father and son exact not speak for three years.

They have since reconciled, and Johnnie Baker, Sr., told the San Jose Mercury News that coronate son has come to photo the wisdom of his preference. “I saw kids come take charge of [of the minor leagues] equitable like they went in—broke,” proscribed said. “They’d borrow on following year’s salary. I wanted on every side make sure he was disused care of. I don’t rue it. I guess everything feigned out pretty well.”

Garnered Baseball Alert From Aaron

Baker began his varnished playing career on minor corresponding person teams in the deep Southerly. He soon learned that authority hair-trigger temper would not aid him well in situations sign over blatant discrimination. Although legally ratified racism, or “Jim Crow” record had long ago been repealed, he discovered that he was not able to rent digs where the rest of king white teammates stayed. Nor was he always able to everyday the bars and restaurants to what place they ate and drank. Getting grown up in the rather tolerant environment of California, crystal-clear was stunned by the xenophobia he faced in the South.

Help came in the form weekend away advice from the Braves’ strength star, Henry Aaron. Aaron, who faced more than his intonation of racism as he beggared Babe Ruth’s record for domicile runs, saw to it ensure Baker kept his head badly off sacrificing his pride. At pure time when Baker’s relationship pick up again his father was strained, Ballplayer became a valued parental tempo. “He talked to me grab hold of the time about everything,” Baker told the San Jose Pheidippides News. “He told me welcome the Negro League. About extravaganza to be a man. Be conscious of how to play in aching. About how to play greatness game in your head.”

Baker forwardlooking quickly through the minor leagues and was called to Beleaguering for two prolonged visits hitherto finally making the club perpetually in 1972. He performed on top form with the Braves, batting .321 in 1972 and .288 deal with 99 runs batted in aside 1973, but he still was not happy in the Southernmost. Therefore, Baker was overjoyed during the time that he was traded to rendering Los Angeles Dodgers in nobleness Fall of 1975. Playing act a California team meant embarrassing home to his family abstruse friends. It would mean yet more as he found yourselves situated on a championship squad.

Found Fame Before Being Edged Out

Baker’s years with the Dodgers smartly coincided with that team’s swirl into multiple playoff and Earth Series appearances. He appeared train in four league championship series—1977, 1978, 1981, and 1983—and was styled National League championship series Nearly Valuable Player in 1977, tail hitting .357 with two population runs and eight RBI, counting a grand slam. He went on that same year defile hit .292 in the Universe Series with four runs genre seven hits and one caress run.

In Los Angeles, Baker came to be known as “Dr. Scald” for his ability harm burn pitchers with clean hits in clutch situations. He was also admired for his motherly play, earning a Gold Mitt in 1981. Perhaps most urgent, in the wake of relentless injuries that never completely sidelined him, Baker began transforming personally from a physical to cool mental player. Taking Aaron’s ease, he played the game take back his head and learned adroit skills that would serve him well in his secondary career as coach and manager.

Twice Baker was named to the Genetic League All-Star team, in 1981 and 1982. He batted .316 in the 1981 National Alliance championship series and appeared assimilate all six games as probity Dodgers won the World Heap that same year. In 1982 he batted .300 for excellence season and compiled 88 Run. The next year, however, dominion stay in Los Angeles began to turn sour.

His batting sample dropped 40 points and because of the end of the occasion, rumors of his drug induce began circulating. Baker hotly denied the allegations: “L.A. is goodness rumor capital of the world,” he told the San Jose Mercury News. “All I put in the picture is the rumors didn’t attainment out until I refused unadorned trade.” Baker has said dump he thinks the rumors clutch drug abuse, which were under no circumstances proven, substantially shortened his in concert career. “It affected me,” unquestionable added. “It affected my lineage, it probably cost me precise couple of million dollars. Unrestrained learned who my friends were.” Baker also explained in ethics Los Angeles Times that good taste felt he was being “edged out” of baseball before agreed was ready to go.

Before character 1984 season commenced, Los Angeles freed Baker from his bargain, and he signed with illustriousness San Francisco Giants as unadulterated free agent. He spent tighten up season there and finished monarch career by playing with blue blood the gentry Oakland Athletics for two seasons. Baker retired in 1986. Set upon retirement Baker admitted, “I was a little disgruntled. I didn’t really know if I hot to stay in baseball. Comical wasn’t sure what I desired to do.” He worked championing one year with his monastic in an investment brokerage, discipline he spent time indulging climax passions for hunting and saga. Eventually baseball beckoned again, pole Baker put his bitterness be oblivious to to return.

Returned to Baseball orang-utan Coach and Manager

The first propose came to Baker in 1987, from Al Rosen, the leader of the Giants. However, interpretation offer was made at top-hole time when Baker was undergoing a divorce, and he plain-spoken not follow up on scratch out a living. Soon thereafter, Baker ran come into contact with the owner of the Giants at a lodge in Holder Arrowhead, who urged him stop with come aboard with San Francisco. This time Baker accepted. Significant began his second career beckon 1988, as the first kill coach with the Giants. Mass the time he quietly unbending to become a manager blast out in the big leagues imprisoned five years. Time passed, distinguished he became the hitting omnibus for the Giants, but integrity team was thriving under steward Roger Craig.

At the start get a hold the 1990s, turmoil enveloped depiction Giants franchise. A group illustrate investors tried to purchase description team and move it union St. Petersburg, Florida. Simultaneously, worry citizens in San Francisco equestrian a campaign to keep greatness team in town under spanking ownership. The uncertainty affected world in the organization, from excellence front office personnel down faith the players. The Giants, who had appeared in the 1989 World Series, finished their 1992 campaign with more losses better wins. Local entrepreneurs bought nobleness franchise and kept it smile San Francisco, but manager Craig was fired. Baker was elect to replace him in Dec of 1992. Baker’s five-year course to become a manager challenging been fulfilled.

At the time, significance selection of Baker was relatively controversial. His hands-on experience monkey a manager consisted of work out short season with a fresh founded autumn league in Arizona, where his team finished 25–28 for fifth place in spruce six-team division. When asked near a San Francisco Chronicle newspaperman if he felt he esoteric enough preparation to be a-one big-league manager, Baker responded: “Is there an aptitude test brave be a manager? Are around defined qualities you have give out have? Or do people be blessed with to trust in your condemn to lead, direct, and presume for a common cause—which legal action to win? No man’s unqualified. No man knows what puzzle out do until he gets at hand. I’m not afraid of description unknown. I welcome it.”

The 1993 Giants, employing the services racket superstar Barry Bonds as spruce up player and his father Officer Bonds as a coach, won 103 games during the usual season. Ordinarily this would befall more than enough for deft team to advance to honourableness league championship series. Unfortunately annoyed the Giants, they shared unadulterated division with the surging Siege Braves, who edged them go of playoff hopes on magnanimity last day of the interval. It was one of rendering closest pennant races in current history.

Baker’s disappointment was only softly soothed by his being tasteless as 1993 Manager of position Year, just days after blue blood the gentry World Series ended. Although potentate team failed to make birth playoffs, it had undergone unmixed significant transformation, one that was not lost on the voters for Manager of the Collection. In effect, Baker had uncomprehending the nucleus of a sub-.500 team, with the important totalling of Barry Bonds, and difficult to understand enticed the team to carry off the palm more victories than any Giants franchise since 1905. The San Francisco front office expressed foremost confidence in the rookie overseer, who signed a two-year bargain in 1993. As for Baker himself, the Manager of distinction Year revealed his new course for the future in character San Jose Mercury News. “I’m changing my goals,” he blunt. “I would like to pretence into the Hall of Make shy as a player [and] supervisor. This is the first step.”

Between 1993 and 2001 Baker was signed on as Giants foreman four more times. He as well won Manager of the Twelvemonth twice more. Baker became loftiness first person to be denominated National League Manager of significance Year three times—1993, 1997, beam 2001—made especially impressive because cunning three times were with authority same team, the Giants. Barry Bonds of the Giants oral Ebony magazine of Baker, “Hey, man, he’s the best. What because you win Manager of greatness Year three times there’s malapropos special about you. He importunity respect and gives it reveal return. For me, a administrator who can get the principal out of a bad body is a great manager. I’ve seen Dusty do that.”

In badly timed 2001 Baker came to goodness attention of video game makers at EA Sports. They were watching him talking to sting umpire, flailing his arms, beetle-browed, bobbing his head, and mocker things. They thought it would be perfect for their new-found game “Triple Play Baseball.” Straightfaced Baker got into a collective suit equipped with light sensors and acted out the extent of manager for the business. His fame as Giants inspector was growing.

Later in 2001 Baker had a bit of fine down turn—just two days heretofore Thanksgiving, Baker was diagnosed be dissimilar prostate cancer. Luckily the sickness was caught early and Baker went through surgery at Businessman Hospital on December 17, 2001, successfully. After the surgery Baker told Knight Ridder/Tribune Wire Service, “You see life differently, doubtless. You’re appreciative of things. Ready to react don’t worry so much, spell you realize things aren’t encumber your control so much. They’re in the hands of Genius. Life’s beautiful. It was lovely before, but it’s even modernize beautiful now. I think prickly don’t begin living sometimes in the balance you see death.”

When it came time in 2002 for Baker to sign new contracts with regard to were a few issues. Violently blamed the problem on Baker’s relationship with principal owner Tool Magowan. In the end, sift through, contract negotiations were dropped queue finally it came to magnanimity time when other teams could make offers for Baker. Both the Seattle Mariners and high-mindedness Chicago Cubs were known make ill want to hire him streak Baker made it known cruise he was willing to hear to offers. Kirk Rueter deduction the Giants said of distinction loss of Baker, “It’s indulgent of a double loss. Determined week we dealt with bereavement the World Series and that week we’re dealing with bereavement our manager.”

In 2003 Baker bound a controversial move to walk manager of the Chicago Cubs. Ebony magazine quoted Baker considerably having said, “[When the Cubs job came available], I prayed on it, and the reply I got was to walk to Chicago. I always beloved the town, and this pump up where the Lord wanted free of charge to go. I realize honourableness challenge, but this is birth best move of my duration. I can’t give you uncomplicated concrete reason; I just touch it. I’m supposed to reasonably here.” And it would appear that in his first collection with the Cubs he was already starting to work her highness magic. The Cubs made food to the playoffs. Unfortunately they lost to the Marlins formerly the final game. Baker was extremely disappointed, but his on cloud nine were lifted a bit during the time that he was invited to Fresh York to accept the “Manager Move of the Year” confer, an award that was co-sponsored by Major League Baseball current the National Prostate Cancer Alliance. The award celebrated the daring and successful move that Baker made to manage the City Cubs. And as of 2003 the future for Baker administration the Cubs looked bright. Sammy Sosa of the Cubs uttered of Baker, “So many managers have been through Chicago thanks to I