Earl Weaver, 82, dies while on cruise

ESPN.com news services ^ | January 19, 2013

[jttpwalsh]

As I recall,the runner, Bernie Carbo never touched the plate, the catcher, Elrod Hendricks tagged him with his glove, but the ball was in his bare hand, and the umpire, Ken Burkhardt made the call, even though Burkhardt’s back was to the plate, so he couldn’t see, after getting knokced over. 40 year ago, you say? I’m not getting old, but my kids are ;) - thanks for the memory!

[ConservativeStatement]

That is how it happened. I also recall, when buying SI as a kid, the insert to subscribe by mail was a postcard with that play as the background image.

[Joe 6-pack]

Anecdote from Wikipedia:

"During one particular tirade with an umpire, Weaver headed to the dugout screaming, "I'm going to check the rule-book on that" to which the umpire replied, "Here, use mine." Weaver shot back, "That's no good - I can't read Braille."

[Strategerist]

I wonder what he thought of all the sabergeeks and the decision scientists?

Actually in a lot of ways, Weaver was the original sabergeek, and he was the opposite of the "old school" baseball conventional wisdom. He also was incredibly intelligent.

In the early years of sabermetrics analysts emphasized that drawing walks was key, base stealing mostly irrelevant and often counterproductive, and sacrifice bunts almost always a stupid waste of time.

Weaver loved players who drew walks, believed in three run homers rather than guys getting thrown out stealing, and hated bunting with a passion.

[jttpwalsh]

The good old days !

[Newtoidaho]

Classic

[MD Expat in PA]

I grew up in Baltimore during the 70’s and was a huge Oriole fan. I knew more about baseball back then than most of the boys in my neighborhood.

When my best friend and I could afford left field bleacher tickets or if we saved enough, nose bleed upper deck seats, we would catch the no. 6 bus from South Baltimore to 33rd Street and Calvert and walk to Memorial Stadium or convince one of our parents to give us a ride, we were at the game, if not we were watching on TV or listening on my transistor radio. Those were some good times.

RIP Earl.

[MD Expat in PA]

It was always an odd team that he ended up with. He had tons of pitching talent, and always three guys who could hit thirty homers each. But you can’t find any Weaver teams with stolen base guys. If anyone on his team stole more than ten bases a season....that was a big deal. It was pure entertainment to watch him leave the bench and argue for five minutes over some insignificant or minor play.

The Earl Weaver Orioles of the 70’s and early 80’s had as you said, tons of pitching talent and some heavy hitters. But the Orioles also had some great defensive basemen and fielders like Brooks Robinson, Boog Powel, Paul Blair and Mark Belanger. But it was painful to watch either Brooks or Boog run the bases. FWIW, Al Bumbry who played during the Weaver years was supposedly one of the fastest Orioles on base ever, he was Baltimore's all-time leader in stolen bases with 252.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[MD Expat in PA]

Also story I heard: A religious player asked Earl, “Would you like to go walk with the Lord with me today?”

Earl: “Son, I’d rather have you walk with the bases loaded.”

That player was Pat Kelly and yes, Earl did say that to him (at the very end of this video).

Earl Weaver

[SevenofNine]

There is uncensored version on YOU TUBE right now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpS-XFXxJvE&feature=player_embedded

[SevenofNine]

There is uncensored version on YOU TUBE right now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpS-XFXxJvE&feature=player_embedded

[foreverfree]

This PA expat in MD grew up in Delaware Co., PA near the Delaware state line during Weaver's heyday. I was and am a Phillies fan first, but thanks in part to my great aunt (RIP) from Anne Arundel Co. (who had a 1966 O's team photo and glass), I adopted the O's as my AL team. Easy reception of WBAL from Baltimore helped iykwim. WBAL is now on its third go round of carrying the Birds going back to the '70s. RIP Earl.

ff

[GnL]

I grew up listening to the O’s on the radio, listening to the play by play as I fell asleep in bed, waking the next morning to check the paper to see the score. While everyone remembers his tirades against the umpires, he was so well loved by the people of Baltimore. This video sums that up, as reported on by Howard Cosell...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D13-QS5eQMM

We’ll miss you, Earl.

[1217Chic]

Hope he doesn’t argue too much with St. Peter (:

[Thrownatbirth]

Spent whole summers in the 80's with Wild Bill Hagy and crew in the upper deck (The Roar From 34). I remember one game where Earl was thrown out just giving the ump the lineup card....before the game even started!

To this day, I still wonder what Earl said.