Earl Weaver passed away last night. (With Roy Firestone Remembrance)

[SeaBird]

Fan tribute after Weaver's last home game on October 3, 1982

[weams]

Buck: From the Sun

"It took me so long to get to the point where I could call him Earl instead of Mr. Weaver. He wasn't too happy about that for a long time [that he was called Mr. Weaver]," Showalter said. "I'm so glad we honored him again [with the statue], and obviously we are still trying to get our arms around the different ways we can honor Earl's memory [in 2013]. I look at the No. 4 [plaque] in the dugout every day. I kind of look at it and sometimes I rub it when we need an extra out or a big hit."

[Dipper9]

Buck: From the Sun

Note to self....resist the urge to put Buck in the out of context thread!

[Can_of_corn]

Hardball Times 11 Facts about Earl Weaver

A few years ago, I wrote an article for the 2011 THT Annual book that looked at the best benches in baseball history. You take a team’s overall offensive line and subtract from that what the pitchers and starting position players contributed. The leftover is what the bench did. Take that result, figure Runs Created per 27 outs, and adjust for ballpark. That tells you what the best benches were.

By that approach, Weaver is king in finding good bats from his bench. Seven times his squads rated as the best batting bench in the league. From 1900 onward, only two managers can top that: John McGraw (11 times the best bench), and Casey Stengel (nine times). Both managed for a lot longer than Weaver and did it in eight-team leagues. Weaver placed first or second in most of his seasons, something no other prominent manager can claim.

In Weaver’s first six years, he had the best bench five times and the second-best bench the other time. His benches weren’t just good compared to others. Half of the time, they were as good as, or even better than, league-average hitting. Baltimore’s 1971 bench rates as one of the best in history. Led by super-sub Rettenmund’s .422 OBP in over 140 games played, the Baltimore bench averaged over five Runs Created per 27 outs in a league where teams scored under four runs per game.

There are a lot of great managers, but hardly any have the stature of Earl Weaver. To statheads, who often dismiss the importance of managers in general, Weaver is held up as a great one. He figured out the importance of getting on base and how a sacrifice bunt can hurt well before Bill James caught on. And he also recognized defensive value well before sabermetrics caught up.

To old-school guys, who often mock anything smacking of sabermetrics, Weaver is also held up as an ultimate manager. He had panache and drive. He was the ultimate gamer, willing to fight for any little detail. He was a master psychologist who did whatever he could to get his team ready. Weaver also had style, as evidenced by his numerous run-ins with umpires.

Weaver wasn’t just respected, he was idealized, and idealized by all sorts of fans who normally don’t agree on much else. Weaver had achievements, vision, consistency, and the right image. He displayed style and substance. Of all the great managers of the 1970s and 1980s, Weaver has the best reputation.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/11-things-i-didnt-know-about-earl-weaver/

[weams]

Scottie McGregor talks of Earl's health.

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2013/01/mcgregor-talks-about-weaver.html

[TonySoprano]

[weams]

In 1980, after the O's swept the Yankees in an August series at Yankee Stadium, a frustrated Boss vented that Weaver had out-managed his manager, Dick Howser. "I wouldn't invite Earl Weaver to Christmas dinner," Steinbrenner fumed, "but you've got to give the devil his due."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/earl-weaver-dead-82-article-1.1243096#ixzz2IeihdOjr

[OFFNY]

In 1980, after the O's swept the Yankees in an August series at Yankee Stadium, a frustrated Boss vented that Weaver had out-managed his manager, Dick Howser. "I wouldn't invite Earl Weaver to Christmas dinner," Steinbrenner fumed, "but you've got to give the devil his due."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/earl-weaver-dead-82-article-1.1243096#ixzz2IeihdOjr

I remember that series. I was at the beach on the day of the series finale, and when I came home, my brother Mark (Yankee fan) told me the details about the Orioles' comeback win that afternoon for the series sweep.

Also, I still remember the highlights of that game on the WPIX news, and there were a couple of cute little kids in Oriole helmets in the front row of Yankee Stadium that were jumping up and down when we had rallied in the top of the 9th. I wonder if those 2 little kids are here on the OH today?

[SeaBird]

.

Tim Kurkjian said that Weaver was one of the 3 greatest managers of all-time.

Also, according to Kurjian, Weaver's father was in the Orioles' clubhouse after a 1986 game. Earl's father said that he didn't like the way that his son had yelled at the umpires, and thought that he had made a fool of himself, and that Weaver never argued with another umpire again.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8859584/hall-famer-earl-weaver-former-manager-baltimore-orioles-dies-82

Nice story but Kurkjian needs to check his facts. Earl Weaver's father died in February 1980. Here's the obit:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19800220&id=o_AcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ymcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3150,2467073

[isestrex]

Nice story but Kurkjian needs to check his facts. Earl Weaver's father died in February 1980. Here's the obit:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19800220&id=o_AcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ymcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3150,2467073

You should email him

[Tony-OH]

NSFW, and probably already shared in this thread, but clearly a classic!

[video=youtube;QWQbN0jFo_k]

[OFFNY]

Nice story but Kurkjian needs to check his facts. Earl Weaver's father died in February 1980. Here's the obit:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19800220&id=o_AcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ymcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3150,2467073

Good digging, thanks.

For the record, my memory is clearly better than Kurkjian's.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Really good article on Weaver by O's fan Tom Scocca at Deadspin.

http://deadspin.com/5977618/tell-it-to-your-analyst-the-raging-genius-of-earl-weaver?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

[TonySoprano]

No mention of Cal. An oversight?

On Saturday afternoon, the family will receive visitors beginning at 3 p.m. at Fred Hunter’s University Drive (Funeral) Home in Davie, Fla. A memorial service will begin at 4 p.m.

A number of Weaver’s former players are expected to attend, including Hall of Famers Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Eddie Murray.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Weaver’s memory can be made to Miami Children's Hospital Foundation, 3100 SW 62nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33155.

The Orioles plan to hold a memorial service in Baltimore for Weaver at some point, but a date has not yet been set.

source - The Sun

[Frobby]

No mention of Cal. An oversight? source - The Sun

Maybe Cal has a conflict. I expect his schedule is busier than the others', and there's always the memorial service in Baltimore.