RIP Ken Holtzman

[SouthRider]

Only played with the O's for half a season, but a big part of their history.  Holtzman was traded from the A's to the O's,  along with Reggie,  for Baylor and Mike Torrez in April, 1976.   Fun fact:  I saw Reggie's first game in an O's uniform on May 2, 1976.   It was the second game of a double header, coincidentally against his former club - the A's.   I don't remember much about Holtzman other than he complained about salary his entire time with the Orioles.   Free agency was set to begin after the '76 season and a lot of guys were looking forward to getting paid.   In August he was a big piece of the the trade with the Yankees that brought us Dempsey, McGregor, Tippy, Rudy May and Dave Pagan.  In 1977,  they traded Rudy May and two no names to Montreal for Gary Roenicke, Joe Kerrigan, and Don Stanhouse.    So,  Holztman played a huge role in  Orioles history.  

I remember my brother telling me how good Holtzman was when we got him.  It just didn't work out for him in Baltimore, as he just didn't want to be here.   As such, I always had a negative view of him.  Looking back, I certainly can understand his position at the time.  In the MLB link below they show him during an A's broadcast sometime recently.  Seems like he was liked by his team mates, at least Ray Fosse, and a nice guy.   Thanks Ken for your contributions to those great Oriole teams of the late 70's and early 80's  and thanks for being a part of my child hood.   I always remembered you.   

https://www.mlb.com/news/ken-holtzman-dies

 

[Tony-OH]

On 4/15/2024 at 6:52 PM, SouthRider said:

Only played with the O's for half a season, but a big part of their history.  Holtzman was traded from the A's to the O's,  along with Reggie,  for Baylor and Mike Torrez in April, 1976.   Fun fact:  I saw Reggie's first game in an O's uniform on May 2, 1976.   It was the second game of a double header, coincidentally against his former club - the A's.   I don't remember much about Holtzman other than he complained about salary his entire time with the Orioles.   Free agency was set to begin after the '76 season and a lot of guys were looking forward to getting paid.   In August he was a big piece of the the trade with the Yankees that brought us Dempsey, McGregor, Tippy, Rudy May and Dave Pagan.  In 1977,  they traded Rudy May and two no names to Montreal for Gary Roenicke, Joe Kerrigan, and Don Stanhouse.    So,  Holztman played a huge role in  Orioles history.  

I remember my brother telling me how good Holtzman was when we got him.  It just didn't work out for him in Baltimore, as he just didn't want to be here.   As such, I always had a negative view of him.  Looking back, I certainly can understand his position at the time.  In the MLB link below they show him during an A's broadcast sometime recently.  Seems like he was liked by his team mates, at least Ray Fosse, and a nice guy.   Thanks Ken for your contributions to those great Oriole teams of the late 70's and early 80's  and thanks for being a part of my child hood.   I always remembered you.   

https://www.mlb.com/news/ken-holtzman-dies

 

Great recap and story. Thanks for sharing. I was only 6 and 7 years old back then so knew of these guys, but didn't remember anything about them when they played for the Oriole.  

Holtzman had a nice career and in the end, he got several pieces that helped us when an AL pennant in 1979 and our only World Series championship in the last 50 years in 1983. 

[SteveA]

Two other former Oriole players who also just had one or two seasons with the O's, passed away in the last week.

Whitey Herzog, best known for his managing the Royals and Cardinals, died this week at 94.

And Odell Jones, who pitched for the Orioles in 1986, died at 71.

[WillyM]

I remember my father, who was a Yankees fan, taking me to Yankee Stadium to see a doubleheader with the Orioles in August 1962.

The Orioles were trailing, 2-1, in the eighth inning of the first game when Billy Hitchcock sent Whitey Herzog up to hit for Hobie Landrith.

My father leaned over and said, "I think this guy's going to hit a home run."

And he did.  Herzog pounded one into the right field bleachers, and the score was tied.

Herzog was not particularly known as a power hitter.  He hit only seven home runs that season and never more than eight in any season.  I never figured out what gave my father the premonition that he was going to hit one on that occasion, but I was certainly delighted that Herzog proved him right.

The homer turned out not to be enough, as the Yankees scored in the bottom of the ninth to win the first game, 3-2.  The Orioles came back to win the nightcap, 4-3.