It felt like I hit whipped cream.. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). When I was a kid, 'This Week in Baseball' hosted by Mel Allen would occasionally. Lets look at the 10 most comical moments in Orioles history: 1. Let me talk to you for a half hour and if it doesnt work out, Ill go home and retire. The next time he would see Minnesota would be as a visiting player. The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - No. He played under Orioles manager Earl Weaver starting in 1967. Baltimore won the series 4-1. At Bakersfield. Sudakis got upset and wasnt about to start anything with Munson so he sought out Dempsey on the plane and began to yell at him about who the real backup catcher was, ultimately stabbing Dempsey in the chest with a fork. Personable. Oh, that Rick Dempsey. It was a lot of fun. Mike Hiserman is former Sports editor of the Los Angeles Times. They knew that if anyone got in trouble, I was the one who was going to end up paying for the balls. He ended up hitting .304 in 19 playoff and World Series games for Baltimore. He possessed a cannon for an arm and was a magician who helped guide some of the games greatest pitching staffs to a pair of World Series titles, picking up a World Series MVP for himself along the way. 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. He talked about players and the things theyd done.. 3. I went into the dugout, and everyone was laughing about it. He and Billy were a lot alike. "Rick Dempsey found success in baseball, but his boyhood friend and teammate struggled,". Dempsey was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 23, 1969, with the Minnesota Twins. Just opened in Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Dempsey's Brewpub and Restaurant! Cleveland was one strange organization, Dempsey said. I went out to home plate and pointed to the stands and everyone started to cheer, as if I had already hit the home run. He would go from the clubhouse to the dugout, where he would take off his cleats, stuff a pillow under his jersey and head to the approximate area of home plate. Trying to advance to second after driving in the tying and decisive runs in the seventh inning of Baltimores eventual 4-3 win over Oakland, Lowenstein was struck by Jeff Newmans throw in the back of the head. I said, "Why would you want to do that? They wanted a lefty hitting catcher and I became Thurman Munsons backup guy. He is fairly certain Duprees recollection ends there too. Dempsey is quick to admit that bettering himself in sports, not academics, was his main focus while attending Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino. But whatever, he's Rick Dempsey. "No, really! I wasnt sleeping too good, trying to think of ways to get us going. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. free shipping SAME DAY SHIPPING. A missed sign might cause a player $10, a stiff penalty for a minor leaguer on a $1,000-per-month salary. Dempsey had become a Dodger coach for those two years, and he was hanging out atop the dugout steps before the game. The pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run. At the 1980 winter meetings, while Harry Dalton was trying to sort out the complexities of his trade with St. Louis, Baltimore general manager Hank Peters told Whitey Herzog, We wouldnt trade Dempsey and [then backup] Dan Graham for Simmons even up. Meanwhile, the rest of the Oriole offense was generating enough runs to let Weaver, after platooning Dempsey with Graham in 1980, learn to live with Dempseys mild bat (Dempsey knew Graham was a good hitter, but also felt Danny couldnt catch his own butt with both hands). I have searched far and wide across the great landscape of the Internet and have yet to find a trace of footage showing Dempsey sliding across a rain-soaked turf. 7. Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Tom Lasorda stories. I told him I can go home and start my managing career and that Id be okay, Dempsey said. The secretary had gone home and it was dark outside. He was mentioned again as a possible candidate for the Baltimore manager's job in 2010, after the firing of Dave Trembley. It ran its course and that was it.. I went into the clubhouse and was drying off because it was pretty wet out there. From that point on, every time it got gray or cloudy everywhere we went, one of the team officials would call me up and say, "Can you do your pantomime of Babe Ruth?" Dempsey, of course, inherited their genes, and thus went on to stuff towels in his shirt during a 1977 rain delay at Fenway Park, imitating Babe Ruth and sliding across the tarp on his padded stomach. You could tell he was in his element. [1] He played more games as a catcher than any other player in Orioles history (1230). Some NFL teams dont make the grade, players say. Wild Bill Hagy gets the crowd goingOctober 1979With his signature look and humble backstory, Hagy, a local ice cream truck and cab driver, became a Baltimore sports icon for the way he famously led chants of O-R-I-O-L-E-S during the late '70s and early '80s from the upper deck at Memorial Stadium. Dempsey also served as an Oriole color commentator in 2000 and began another stint in 2007, as the studio analyst for O's Xtra on MASN, the cable channel that carries Orioles games. Questions, compliments, or complaints can be sent to Matthew Taylor at roarfrom34@gmail.com. I took two mighty swings, twisting my body as far as it would go. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dempseys play-acting during rain delays are still among my favorite memories of those Orioles years. He started the 1976 season as Munsons backup but was dealt to Baltimore in a blockbuster deal on June 15 that also saw Tippy Martinez, Rudy May, Scott McGregor and Dave Pagan headed to the Os in exchange for Doyle Alexander, Ken Holtzman, Grant Jackson, Jimmy Freeman and Elrod Hendricks. Odds & lines subject to change. They started chanting we want Dempsey. Redskins. In 1985, Dick Enberg was in Toronto for Games 1 and 7 of the 1985 ALCS on NBC. Flashback Friday: Of Brother Lo and "Jesus Christ Around the Horn: Talkin' Baseball, From the Beltwa Jay Gibbons Makes His Pitch to Get Back in Baseball. Dempsey became the Orioles starting catcher in 1978 and held that position for a decade, helping the Orioles to the World Series in 1979 [they lost in seven games to Pittsburgh] and then again in 1983. Pinterest. Rick Dempsey could be generously described as a bad hitter and probably an overrated defensive catcher. While he loved playing with Munson and for Martin, Dempseys stay in New York was just about over. Your email address will not be published. Mar 28, 2014 - Rick Dempsey rain delay entertainment. Im going to hit a homer every 24 at-bats, drive in a run every five at-bats, turn your staff around, win the division, win the playoffs and then win the World Series. Catcher Rick Dempsey #24, of the Baltimore Orioles, argues the call with the home plate umpire Larry Barnett during a game on September 12, 1982 against the Cleveland Indians at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. He quickly tossed Weaver, and Weaver responded by spewing an animated, profanity-laced tirade. Dupree was a pitcher. He did get a pair of September callups but they were mere cameos. Perhaps inspired by Dempsey's motivational tactics, Jay Gibbons went 3-4 with a solo HR in Baltimore's 8-3 defeat of Tampa Bay last night. Presenting an unusual Rick Dempsey bobblehead that talks and plays music.Rick Dempsey was the Baltimore Orioles' catcher from 1976 to 1986, and was well loved for his sense of humor. Dempsey, who said he strives to be aggressive like Billy, smart like Earl and a motivator like Tommy, tries to be philosophical. Broncos. You know what I'm going to do? I got it signed by everybody. My brother [who was his ride] was a high hurdler so I became a miler on the track team and ran a 4:36 mile. I knew at that point they just wanted me to come in and quit so they didnt have to pay me but I refused to do that. Manager Earl Weaver #4 and catcher Rick Dempsey #24 of the Baltimore Orioles stands on the mound to make a pitching change during an Major League Baseball game circa 1982 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Your email address will not be published. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. John Lowenstein leaves the field a hero, on a stretcherJune 19, 1980There arent many scarier moments on a baseball field than when a player is hit in the head, but Lowenstein -- true to his nature -- was able to provide some levity when he found himself in such a situation. I held him to less yards that [Brian] Bosworth did. It was really foreign to me, Dempsey said. Should the teams play become exceedingly sloppy, Dempsey might occasionally launch into a postgame tirade, but he prefers to instruct rather than belittle his players. Same deal -- it was a rainy day, and Babe Ruth called his shot. We were childhood friends, and I made him give it to me. Whether Murcers presence in the lineup would have made a difference is up for debate since the Orioles won out to claim the title. He managed at Bakersfield in the Class-A California League to a 10th-place finish in 1993 before guiding Albuquerque of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League to a title in 1994 and a fifth-place finish in 1995. They say, "That's the guy who ran around on the tarp." I didnt know anything about being by myself and being on the road but I made a lot of friends early on. He was hooked on baseball and had been so since an early when he began listening to Vin Scully on Dodger broadcasts as an 8-year-old. This is as much of an education for me as it is for them, he says. I used to go to all the semi-pro games in Los Angeles and they played for a guy who was a scout for the Minnesota Twins, Dempsey said. Ricky Dempsey, 64 Also known as Ricky Dempsy Ricky Demsey Ricky Demps Has lived in Gulf Breeze, FL Pensacola, FL Little River, AL Pace, FL Related to John Staley, 67 Karen Staley, 65 Kyle Staley, 39 Alicia Staley, 44 View Profile Ricky Dempsey, 37 Has lived in Mineola, TX Alba, TX Albert, TX Irving, TX Related to William Strebeck, 95 Got any funny rain delay stories? Rick Dempsey and Rain Delays - The Times Have Changed roarfrom34.com/Baltim. Nobody in the Orioles dugout was laughing when it happened, but 16 years of hindsight have lightened the mood a bit. So, I said okay, Ill play for the worst team in baseball before I play for the Orioles., The Case of the Missing Folder: A Two-Part Hollywood Mystery. P.S.-- Dont forget, theres still time to vote in the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers of all-time balloting, results of which will be revealed Friday night. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. He hit .239 in 43 games. [1], While he was a light-hitting player, Dempsey's lengthy major league career was due in part to his excellent defensive skills, despite the fact that he never won a Gold Glove. Dupree crumpled to the dirt in a heap, several bones in his face fractured. Worked three years in Philly at Comcast covering the Phillies minor leagues and doing weekly TV spots. [6], For the next ten and a half seasons, Dempsey would remain as the Orioles' starting catcher. He called a good game, too, even if not good enough for the headstrong Palmer, who insisted on calling his own, using the signs only as a medium that would guarantee both pitcher and catcher knew what the next pitch was. He signed with Cleveland and the Indians finished with an MLB-low 61 wins in 1987. It was genuinely funny, and while impatient fans waited for the rains to end, theyd applaud Dempsey lustily. He added that Ripken took a liking to him and polished him up behind the plate. New team-record bonus as Orioles open 2023 international signing period, 2023 Orioles giveaways and promotions announced, Eight Orioles prospects among Baseball Americas top 100 list. This performance, however, differed from any before.\"I needed some new material,\" Dempsey said. [9] It was one of Dempsey's greatest disappointments of his playing career. Two people can say something totally different and it can mean exactly the same thing. "Players Swap Memories of Yankees-Orioles 10-Player Trade", "Rick Dempsey Looks Back on his 24 Seasons as a Big League Catcher", 1979 American League Championship Series at Baseball Reference, Rick Dempsey post-season batting statistics, "Rick Dempsey: His Career Survives Fires of Combat", "You're Looking at One for the Ages Here", Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rick_Dempsey&oldid=1132443572, Florida Instructional League Twins players, American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela, World Series Most Valuable Player Award winners, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2010, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, September 23,1969,for theMinnesota Twins, September 27,1992,for theBaltimore Orioles, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 22:38. The people in Milwaukee just loved it. He met Cal Ripken, Sr., who Dempsey called the greatest catching coach. Rick Dempsey always was a crowd favorite. Tonight's rain delay in the World Series brings one name to the mind of most baseball fans: Rick Dempsey. He eventually came out and I said Im sorry Mr. Claire, I never give up on anything, dont make me do it now. Which leads to this piece on Rick Dempsey's rain-delay entertainment: It was a lot of fun because I was flexible enough to get around the field without pulling a muscle or breaking anything. Thoughts from Brewers Nation or Is It "The Bre Flashback Friday: One of the "Forgotten Birds", Comeback Win No. Former MASN analyst Rick Dempsey, who had worked on the Orioles' pre- and postgame shows since 2007, admits the ballclub's decision to move on from him as part of the cuts at MASN "is. I was skating to the ball and the organist started playing rain drops keep falling my head. Dempsey was one of the best defensive catchers in the latter half of the 20th century. No, says Dempsey, a Crespi High graduate. I went into the managers office and said can you send me somewhere where I can get the opportunity to play? There is another side. But '83 is what it's really all about with Dempsey as a player. [2] In 1979, the Orioles defeated the California Angels in the 1979 American League Championship Series to reach the World Series. "Everyone tells me that," he replied . I just wanted to put it behind me and get to my managing career. Hes had that singular focus since he was a youngster growing up in California and starring in local Little and Pony Leagues. He wrote for the Long Beach Press Telegram and Orange County Register before joining The Times in 1982 and won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for investigative reporting on betting scams. I knew I could be a part time catcher for them but they had Chris Holies at the time, said Dempsey, who was eventually activated in June. The son of two former vaudevillians, he had a knack for performance, and was particularly renowned for his Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime. It was a comic turn hed occasionally perform during rain delays, stuffing his uniform with padding and prancing around a soggy tarpaulin performing exaggerated parodies of hitters, pitchers, umpires. People remember those gags during the rain delays, Dempsey says, toweling off in his office after catching in the bullpen. He appeared in eight games, had nine at-bats and collected one hit, a single against the White Sox on July 6. Then he started telling jokes, and then stories about the big leagues. Sep 26, 2022 #79 Almonte is entertainingly bad in the field. I said, "I don't think it's going to work this time.". Last night, our good. I know I could have played a couple more years. I said, "Well, that might be pretty cool, Sparky.". No one liked you and most of the veterans were cold and didnt want to talk. A steady rain postponed the Milwaukee Brewers-Baltimore Orioles game at County Stadium, but it didn't stop Rick Dempsey and Sammy Stewart from reenacting the final game of the Orioles' 1982. Rick Dempsey's age is 73. Frank Robinson runs Kangaroo CourtAug. Yes, that's where it all began. The downside is that he set my expectations too high for what I should reasonably expect of a catcher. While he was long an Orioles superfan and ballpark fixture, the 1979 World Series thrust Hagy onto the national stage. Thanks for sharing your memories, Enchanting Sunshine. 3, 1982Back by popular demand, Dempsey revived his pantomime performance for the Memorial Stadium faithful in July 1978, and reprised it with a twist on the final day of the 1982 season against Milwaukee. Category: Sports. He played for Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Tommy Lasorda and, along with Tim McCarver and Carlton Fisk, is one of only three catchers to play in the Major Leagues in four decades [1969-92]. Included in that group are Jeff Suppan, Sean Gilmartin and Ryon Healy. Back in those days, even though they fined players for throwing balls into the grandstand, Sparky didn't care. Lunds favorite: During spring training one year, Dempsey said he broke into a room shared by three teammates and hid in the closet. [1] Dempsey led American League catchers twice in fielding percentage, twice in baserunners caught stealing and once in assists. The only other time I did it was at Memorial Stadium in early July 1978. He turned out to be the best GM I ever talked to. Dempsey, 73, is semi-retired and living in California. No one ever interviewed me about being the Dodger manager but my name showed up in the L.A. Times about it and that upset someone, so I left the Dodgers. It ended when the second baseman and right fielder pulled up short on a fly ball between them. At 7 p.m., I was still sitting there. Wayne Bryant. His teammates and members of the opposing team would stand in the dugouts and applaud with the fans, especially when Dempsey concluded his routine with a mammoth belly-flop slide into home plate on the infield tarp, his momentum carrying him for yards, a rooster tail of rainwater behind him. He signed with the Dodgers and played three seasons there as a backup (two of them dreadfully bad), then moved to Milwaukee to catch 61 games in 1991. 5, 1989How about one that benefited the Orioles? With the worst record in minor league baseball. Really, hes only gone off on us once, Lund says. Quick with a quip. Sudakis was traded to the Angels after the season. After that, the fans didnt want to leave, it was incredible. So Rich Dauer came running in as I was drying off and said, "Demps, they want you to come back out there! That was Orels [Hershiser] last pitch that season. The decade wasnt always great, though. He told me he gave that ball to the Hall of Fame. Football Poster. Dempsey would wait until the tarp was nice and drenched, like a giant Slip-N-Slide. -- Excerpted by permission from If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles by Rick Dempsey with Dave Ginsburg. When the music was over I threw the ball to the fans in left field. Dempsey has been a candidate for managerial openings with the Orioles in the past, as recently as 2003 when the Orioles interviewed him for the spot that eventually went to Lee Mazzilli. The Orioles told me that I wasnt going to be the everyday catcher anymore and that they didnt want to pay me for that last year, Dempsey said. If you ever saw it, youd never forget it. He did this a few more times in his career, once in '82 at Milwaukee with a Robin Yount jersey on, pretending to be Yount hitting a homer. Rick Dempsey played for 24 years, with 3. [1] Dempsey spent a few more seasons shuttling between the Twins and their minor league teams, before being traded to the New York Yankees for Danny Walton on October 31, 1972. 30, 1977A singular figure in Orioles lore, Dempsey remains beloved to this day as much for his personality as for his on-field accomplishments. John Rikard Dempsey (September 13, 1949 - ) played major league baseball for 24 seasons as a catcher for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. Babe Ruth used to be with the Red Sox. [1] He ended his career with a .988 fielding percentage. Today. He popped up to second in his first at-bat but singled to center off Chris Zachary to lead off the ninth in a 6-2 victory. \"I got tired of the same old stuff.\"About 45 minutes after the game was to have started, Dempsey ran onto the tarp and slid across the infield. Well, for that I think of him pronouncing Melky Cabreras first name as Milky. Either way, thinking of the guy puts a smile on my face. Author of the popular blog The Bobblist, which covers everything A to Z in the world of bobbleheads. So, to pigeon-hole Dempsey as simply the guy who ran around in the rain would not do justice to someone who was one of baseballs most durable and dependable players for 24 seasons. Mike Curtis Baltimore Colts. These guys here are just babies. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. The Orioles played the next night in Yankee Stadium, earning a 1-0 victory that seemed very hollow. The competitive side. Which is why such a swing of emotions unfolded when Indians center fielder Brad Komminsk seemed to take a home run away from Ripken Jr. on this September night at Memorial Stadium, only to have his momentum carry him over the center-field wall. Then, in the late 1980s, he moved over to play near his family's home in Agoura Hills, becoming a . Check resumes and CV, arrest records, social media profiles, public records, places of employment, publications, business records, photos and videos and news . See About archive blog posts. Bakersfield is an equal-opportunity loser, having blown games in almost every way imaginable. Here he is, with the Bakersfield Dodgers, and in his very first season as manager, his is the worst team in the Class-A California League. Just e-mail your list of the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers, ranked in order, to houston.mitchell@latimes.com. Thats where I made my mark. Top 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - 2014, Ill take For The Home Team for $400, Alex. He then went 2-for-12 in the ALCS against the White Sox, but then came the World Series. I put the pillow in it, which he wasn't too happy about because he didn't want to be fat. I went around the bases and slid into home plate, making a big wave as I sloshed across the tarp. [1] Dempsey is one of only 29 players to play in four different calendar decades. In the midsts of the downpour two younger doofs decide it would be cool to sit out in the bleachers, in the rain. I was 40 years old but I knew I could still play, Dempsey said. [8] In the 1979 World Series, the Orioles won three of the first four games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and seemed to be on the verge of winning the championship, when the Pirates, led by Willie Stargell, rebounded to win the final three games. Were not talking about wins and losses so much as were trying to get guys who are supposed to be prospects to start playing the game the way its supposed to be played.. Catcher who won World Series titles with the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers during his 24-year career. If a section of the fans would yell and scream and holler for him during batting practice, he would throw a ball to whichever group screamed the loudest. Really. Guys were telling jokes, kind of ripping on each other and getting loud, recalls Ed Lund, Bakersfields catcher and a St. Francis High graduate, and he just kind of slowly walked back down the aisle and listened. This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. I said, "No. But still there was a conflict with Weaver. Were getting to that age where we have to keep an eye on each other. 17, 1980Now for one a bit less good-natured, but that will live forever nonetheless. Dempsey spent all of 1974 with the Yankees, serving as Munsons backup for most of that time. He opened 1968 with Wisconsin Rapids of the Class-A Midwest League but was there for 11 games before moving to Auburn of Class-A New York-Penn League. After his playing career ended, Dempsey became a minor league manager in the Los Angeles Dodgers organisation, winning the 1994 Pacific Coast League championship with the Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes. In 1995, Dempsey worked as a field reporter for ABC's coverage of the All-Star Game from Texas.'. I hit him, Dempsey says. He went to Spring Training with Baltimore in 1992 and didnt make the club, getting cut the last week of camp. Well, for that I think of him pronouncing Melky Cabrera's first name as "Milky." It seemed to Dempsey that the team was usually leading when Dupree came in and trailing by the time he came out. He was the new Dodgers GM and I waited in his office at 2 p.m. His secretary told me he was in a meeting and that he would come out and get me when he was done. The new spot is named after Orioles fan favorite and 1983 World Series MVP, Rick Dempsey. He remained the starting catcher through 1986 but hit just .208 at the age of 36. 1. When I first got traded, I met them in Chicago and I didnt start a game for quite a while. It was great.. List of Major League Baseball players who played in four decades, 100 Best Percentage of Baserunners caught stealing 1956-2007, Catcher Encyclopedia, "For Catchers, The Name of the Game is Defense", "Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame at MLB.com", Orfalea, Gregory. [18] During his career, Dempsey caught ten different 20-game winning pitchers. I remember having a hard time with Rod Carew. Before disappearing into the dugout, Lowenstein reassured them hed be OK by hoisting his torso and both arms airborne in sudden, triumphant fashion. I learned the game from Thurman. I put a pillow in my shirt so I could look a little bit like Babe Ruth. I cant leave her alone for that long. I remember turning toward him and he was right in my face, Dempsey says. Shortly after completing the lone no-hitter of his career in an 8-0 win over the As, Palmer was accused of poor baserunning by Judge Robinson, despite the fact that hed finished 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI as well. Komminsk goes up, over and out of sightSept. Dempsey joined the Air National Guard in 1969, which allowed him to continue playing for much of the summer and he played well back in the Midwest League, hitting .364 in 151 at-bats. But as with so much art, nothing beats the original. Now that is entertainment! But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays. Rick Dempsey: What Inspired His Rain-Delay Theatrics. New York came calling, Dempsey said. [1] He played for 24 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1992, most prominently for the Baltimore Orioles where he played for 10 years and was a member of the 1983 World Series winning team. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. I have my grammar school sweetheart and well be married 54 years in February. I ran out there, and people started to cheer a little bit just because I ran out on the tarp. The man who used to entertain the crowds at old Memorial Stadium with rain-delay impersonations of Babe Ruth pigeon-toeing around the bases, complete with ample gut padding and head-first slides . 1 catcher for the Orioles through the 1986 season. It wasn't even really premeditated, but Sammy just thought of it at the spur of the moment, went on the field, and did it. I got to my room and stuck my key in the door and it didnt open. I had to do it at least once at home. She was also charged with trespassing and spent eight hours in jail, according to the Baltimore Sun. 8. I signed as a 145-pound catcher and two years later I was playing in the big leagues.. Dempsey hit .293 with seven homers and 61 RBIs in 73 games and was named as the leagues Rookie of the Year. In addition, he serves as a game analyst for occasional games on MASN. Max Power I didnt get to play baseball when I was a freshman or sophomore because I didnt have a way home. Whats interesting is that the idea to perform in the rain was actually Sparky Lyles and not Dempseys. Rick Dempsey was a catcher for 24 MLB seasons and MVP of the 1983 World Series in which the Orioles beat the Phillies. R ick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. The two tore up the lobby and in the melee Bobby Murcer got hurt and missed the final two games of the season. He hit .206 in 102 at-bats with nine RBIs. Rick Dempsey Autographed Signed Baltimore Orioles Jersey Inscribed MVP 83 Ws (JSA COA) BIG. He told me I did a great job. [10], The highlight of his career came in 1983, when the Orioles won the American League Eastern Division pennant, then defeated the Chicago White Sox in the 1983 American League Championship Series, before winning the 1983 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. So, I went back out to the tarp and did Babe Ruth hitting the homer. If the Dodgers are anything, it is young. 2 comments 70% Upvoted This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast Sort by level 1 drexhex 8 years ago See this video for more of Dempsey's rain delay antics 5 level 1 I like our ducks aresef 8 years ago In '78, Dempsey took over behind the plate, and upped his hitting to non-embarrassing levels, at .259/.327/.356 with six homers. Had one beat writer from another newspaper threaten to kill him in an elevator at the winter meetings.