Earl Weaver Orioles Manager

The most famous ex-Baltimore Orioles manager, and one of MLB's finest-ever skippers, Earl Weaver, died early Saturday morning while on a team cruise. He was 82.

The Orioles organization was shook up about losing a big part of the team's history.

"Weaver stands alone as the greatest manager in the history of the Orioles organization and one of the greatest in the history of baseball," said Orioles owner Peter Angelos in a statement. "This is a sad day for everyone who knew him and for all Orioles fans."

"Earl made his passion for the Orioles known both on and off the field. On behalf of the Orioles, I extend my condolences to his wife, Marianna, and to his family."

He boasted a 1,480-1,060 career record and captured Manager of the Year honors three times. The 1996 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee chalked up five 100-win seasons, six AL East titles and four pennants.

Weaver was also fiery, collecting 91 ejections, including a pair in a doubleheader.

MLB mourned his passing, as well.

"Earl Weaver was a brilliant baseball man, a true tactician in the dugout and one of the key figures in the rich history of the Baltimore Orioles, the club he led to four American League pennants and the 1970 World Series championship," Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement released by MLB. "Having known Earl throughout my entire career in the game, I have many fond memories of the Orioles and the Brewers squaring off as American League East rivals. Earl's managerial style proved visionary, as many people in the game adopted his strategy and techniques years later.

"Earl was well known for being one of the game's most colorful characters with a memorable wit, but he was also amongst its most loyal. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to his wife, Marianna, their family and all Orioles fans."

During his tenure as major league manager, the Orioles won the American League pennant in 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1979.

In 1969, the Orioles were defeated in the World Series in five games by the New York Mets team known as the Miracle Mets. In 1970, the Orioles won the World Series by defeating the Cincinnati Reds in five games. In 1971, the Orioles lost the World Series in seven games to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 1979, the Orioles again lost the World Series in seven games to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1982, Weaver announced he would retire at the end of the season. After Palmer posted a 6.84 ERA in five starts, GM Hank Peters announced that "Palmer is never, ever, ever going to start another game in an Orioles uniform. I've had it." Weaver moved Palmer to the bullpen, but with the team needing another starter, he put Palmer back in the rotation in June. Shortly thereafter, Palmer went on an 11-game winning streak. The Orioles played poorly for the first half of the year before climbing in the standings to just three games behind going into a season-ending four-game series against the division-leading Brewers at Memorial Stadium. The Orioles beat them handily in the first three games to pull into a first-place tie. The final game of the series, and the season, on October 3, would decide the AL East title. Televised nationally on ABC, the Orioles suffered a crushing 10–2 loss. After the game, the crowd called for Weaver to come out. This tribute to the retiring Weaver provided intense emotion against the backdrop of the season-ending defeat, as Weaver, in tears, stood on the field and applauded back to the fans, and shared words and an embrace with Brewers manager Harvey Kuenn. On TV, broadcaster Howard Cosell captured the moment: "Thee Er-uhl of Bal-tee-more. They love...troo-lee love...this man, Er-uhl Weeev-ver! A man of the people. The Weeeve! One of a kind. A baseball gar-rate!"

The year following Weaver's retirement, Baltimore won the World Series. Palmer wrote, "We won with a team Earl put together." Owner Edward Bennett Williams coaxed Weaver out of retirement midway through the 1985 season, but he retired for good after the 1986 season, the only full losing season of his major league career.

Weaver's managerial record is 1,480–1,060 (.583), including 100+ win seasons in 1969 (109), 1970 (108), 1971 (101), 1979 (102), and 1980 (100). Weaver had a record average 94.3 wins per season.

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Major League Baseball - Orioles Managing Great Earl Weaver Dead at 82