Fred Claire, World Series-winning Dodgers GM, dies at 91
Fred Claire, who served as normal supervisor of the Los Angeles Dodgers for 11 years, died on Monday. He was 91 years outdated.
“The Dodgers are grieving the passing of Fred Claire, a longtime key fixture of our group,” stated Dodgers president CEO Stan Kasten in an announcement. “Fred introduced many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, in addition to a 1988 World Series title, and we’re without end grateful for his management throughout such a memorable period. Our hearts exit to his spouse Sheryl and his household.”
Originally a journalist, Claire labored in a number of roles within the Dodgers group after becoming a member of in 1969 as a public relations government. While engaged on the PR aspect, he performed a hand in creating the “Dodger blue” model.
Advertisement
Following the firing of Al Campanis after Campanis’ controversial remarks on “Nightline,” then-Dodgers president Peter O’Malley put in Claire because the group’s new GM in April 1987.
“I knew some folks would possibly say, what does this man learn about baseball, he lined it from behind a typewriter?” O’Malley told the Los Angeles Times in 2017. “But I knew Fred may take it. I knew he may do it. And he did it. He deserves numerous credit score for stepping in shortly, with none advance discover, and doing an excellent job.”
After the Dodgers missed the playoffs for the second straight season, Claire introduced in Kirk Gibson, Mike Davis, Jay Howell, and Jesse Orosco, amongst others, that winter. Gibson would go on to win the 1988 NL MVP award.
The Dodgers would end first within the NL West with 94 wins in 1988 and knock off the New York Mets in seven video games within the NLCS to return to the World Series after a seven-year absence.
Advertisement
Gibson’s memorable season would proceed in Game 1 towards the Oakland Athletics when the left-hander hit his legendary pinch-hit, walk-off dwelling run off Dennis Eckersley. The Dodgers would go on to win the collection in 5 video games, incomes the franchise its sixth championship.
Claire would stay as GM till June of 1998. During his time in cost, the group received a World Series and two NL West titles.
“Honestly, in my coronary heart and soul, it was a thrill and honor to have the chance to stroll into Dodger Stadium every single day and go to work,” Claire told the LA Times in 2017. “This is actually sufficient for me.”
