Lou Gorman
Encyclopedia
James Gerald "Lou" Gorman (February 18, 1929 – April 1, 2011) was an American
baseball
executive, and the former general manager
of the Boston Red Sox
and Seattle Mariners
of Major League Baseball
. He spent more than three decades in baseball operations, as a general manager, assistant GM, farm system director or scouting director, and at the time of his death he was the Red Sox' executive consultant for public affairs with an emphasis on community projects. He also was the coordinator of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
, to which he was inducted in 2002
. He was inducted in the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
, Gorman grew up a Red Sox fan. At the high school level, at La Salle Academy, Providence
, he was an excellent athlete, but was cut from the minors. His Baseball Reference player page records that Gorman played in 16 games for the 1948 Providence Grays
of the Class B New England League
, compiling a batting average
of .036. After his professional playing career stalled, Gorman enrolled in Stonehill College
for his bachelor's degree
and Bridgewater State College
for his master's
. Then he joined the United States Navy
, where he served more than eight years of active duty, including two tours in Korea
, and 34 years in all including his tenure with the United States Navy Reserve
. He retired with the rank of captain.
Gorman resumed his baseball career in 1962
in minor league baseball
when he became general manager with the Class D Lakeland Giants in the San Francisco Giants
' system, then, in 1963 with the Single-A Kinston Eagles in the Pittsburgh Pirates
' chain. He then joined the Baltimore Orioles
' Major League front office in as assistant farm director. He was promoted to director of player development in 1966
, when the Orioles won their first World Series
championship. In , Gorman became the first farm system director in the history of the Kansas City Royals
, where he eventually also assumed control of the team's scouting department. For his efforts, he was promoted to vice president in and assistant general manager in .
But he soon departed for a new expansion team when he was appointed the first-ever general manager of the Seattle Mariners
when they entered the American League
in 1977
. Although the under-capitalized Mariners struggled during Gorman's four seasons in Seattle, he obtained early Mariner standout Ruppert Jones
in the 1976 Major League Baseball expansion draft (from his old Royals' organization) and drafted centerfielder Dave Henderson
with his first-ever No. 1 choice in the June 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
.
After building the Seattle organization from scratch, he returned to the East Coast as vice president, player personnel, of the New York Mets
in 1980
. Working under Mets' GM Frank Cashen
, with whom Gorman served with the Orioles, he helped lay the foundation for the Mets' 1986 World Series
championship — achieved at the expense of his next team, the Red Sox.
season, the Red Sox were embroiled in a legal dispute involving two ownership factions seeking control of the team. Gorman was named a vice president of baseball operations in the Boston front office in January 1984; then, five months later, when the legal case was settled, he was officially appointed vice president and general manager, succeeding co-owner Haywood Sullivan
, who moved up to chief executive officer. When Gorman took on the GM job, the Red Sox already had players like Roger Clemens
, Wade Boggs
, Dwight Evans
and Bob Stanley
, stars that would form the nucleus of the talented Red Sox teams of the late 1980s. However, it was Gorman's acquisitions (from the Mariners) of Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
that helped lead the Red Sox to the 1986 World Series
.
Though the team made it back to the playoffs in 1988
and 1990
, it never got any closer to a championship than it had in 1986. Gorman made several key trades, such as picking up Nick Esasky
and Rob Murphy
from Cincinnati
and getting all-time saves leader Lee Smith for World Series goat Calvin Schiraldi
and pitcher Al Nipper
, but he made mistakes as well. It was Gorman who traded away future All-Stars
Jeff Bagwell
and Curt Schilling
in pennant-stretch deals. The Boston farm system, which had produced players such as Mike Greenwell
, Ellis Burks
, Jody Reed
and Todd Benzinger
early in Gorman's tenure, developed everyday players such as Mo Vaughn
, John Valentin
, Aaron Sele
, Tim Naehring
, Carlos Quintana
and Scott Hatteberg
in the early 1990s, but the flow of talent was not enough to keep the club at the forefront of its division. The Red Sox were unable to retain free agents Bruce Hurst
, Esasky and Mike Boddicker
(a front-line starting pitcher acquired in the Schilling trade), and when the team returned to the free agent marketplace after the season, catcher Tony Peña
and pitchers Jeff Reardon
and Danny Darwin
approached expectations, while high profile signings Jack Clark
, Frank Viola
and Matt Young
were major disappointments.
After the 1990 AL East
title, the Red Sox faded from contention, and in 1992
, finished last in their division — the team's first cellar-dweller in 60 years. After another losing campaign in 1993
, wholesale changes were made in the Red Sox front office. Gorman was relieved of his GM responsibilities after the season, becoming senior vice president of baseball operations. A few weeks later, John Harrington, executive director of the JRY Trust
, which held managing general partner control of the team, bought out minority general partner Sullivan to assume full control. Harrington then hired Montréal Expos
GM Dan Duquette
(another native New England
er) as Gorman's permanent successor.
Gorman was a senior vice president, then executive vice president, in the team's baseball operations department through 1996. He also served as a member of the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team
, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping former Major League, Minor League, and Negro League players through financial and medical difficulties.
In his later years, Gorman was the Chairman of the Board of the Newport Gulls
of the NECBL, and was instrumental to the team.
After a period of declining health, Gorman died at Massachusetts General Hospital
, Boston, at age 82 on the Opening Day of the Red Sox' season. Mayor Thomas Menino
declared April 8, 2011, the day of the home opener at Fenway Park, as Lou Gorman Day in Boston. The Red Sox also paid tribute to Gorman during the game that afternoon.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
executive, and the former general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He spent more than three decades in baseball operations, as a general manager, assistant GM, farm system director or scouting director, and at the time of his death he was the Red Sox' executive consultant for public affairs with an emphasis on community projects. He also was the coordinator of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of former Boston Red Sox baseball players. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, past and present media personnel, and representatives from The Sports Museum of New England and the...
, to which he was inducted in 2002
2002 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Anaheim Angels*Postseason - October 1 to October 27Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
. He was inducted in the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
Career with the Orioles, Royals, Mariners and Mets
A native of South Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Gorman grew up a Red Sox fan. At the high school level, at La Salle Academy, Providence
La Salle Academy, Providence
La Salle Academy is an independent, co-educational Roman Catholic college preparatory day school located in the Elmhurst neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island...
, he was an excellent athlete, but was cut from the minors. His Baseball Reference player page records that Gorman played in 16 games for the 1948 Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
of the Class B New England League
New England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
, compiling a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .036. After his professional playing career stalled, Gorman enrolled in Stonehill College
Stonehill College
Stonehill College is a private Roman Catholic college located in Easton, Massachusetts, United States, founded in 1948. Situated in North Easton, Massachusetts, a suburban community of 23,329 people, Stonehill is located south of Boston on a campus, the original estate of Frederick Lothrop Ames...
for his bachelor's degree
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater State University is a public liberal-arts college in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is the largest college in the Massachusetts state university system outside of the University of Massachusetts system. The school's mascot is the bear.-History:BSU was founded by...
for his master's
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
. Then he joined the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, where he served more than eight years of active duty, including two tours in Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and 34 years in all including his tenure with the United States Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
. He retired with the rank of captain.
Gorman resumed his baseball career in 1962
1962 in baseball
The 1962 season is perhaps most notable for the dismal 40–120 record of the New York Mets, the third-worst winning percentage and the record for most games lost since 1900.-Major League Baseball:...
in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
when he became general manager with the Class D Lakeland Giants in the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
' system, then, in 1963 with the Single-A Kinston Eagles in the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
' chain. He then joined the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
' Major League front office in as assistant farm director. He was promoted to director of player development in 1966
1966 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing first in the American League with a record of 97 wins and 63 losses, nine games ahead of the runner-up Minnesota Twins. It was their first AL pennant since 1944, when the club was known as the St. Louis Browns. The Orioles swept the NL...
, when the Orioles won their first World Series
1966 World Series
The 1966 World Series matched the Baltimore Orioles against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Orioles sweeping the Series in four games to capture their first championship in franchise history...
championship. In , Gorman became the first farm system director in the history of the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, where he eventually also assumed control of the team's scouting department. For his efforts, he was promoted to vice president in and assistant general manager in .
But he soon departed for a new expansion team when he was appointed the first-ever general manager of the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
when they entered the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in 1977
1977 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Reggie Jackson, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None*National League Championship Series MVP: Dusty Baker...
. Although the under-capitalized Mariners struggled during Gorman's four seasons in Seattle, he obtained early Mariner standout Ruppert Jones
Ruppert Jones
Ruppert Sanderson Jones is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers and California Angels...
in the 1976 Major League Baseball expansion draft (from his old Royals' organization) and drafted centerfielder Dave Henderson
Dave Henderson
David Lee Henderson , nicknamed Hendu, is an American former Major League Baseball player who played for the Seattle Mariners , Boston Red Sox , San Francisco Giants , Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals . He batted and threw right-handed...
with his first-ever No. 1 choice in the June 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
1977 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :The White Sox raised some brows when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill Gullickson, a native of nearby Orland Park, IL, and selected outfielder Harold Baines as the number one...
.
After building the Seattle organization from scratch, he returned to the East Coast as vice president, player personnel, of the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in 1980
1980 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:World Series: Philadelphia Phillies over Kansas City Royals ; Mike Schmidt, MVP*American League Championship Series: Frank White, MVP*National League Championship Series Manny Trillo, MVP...
. Working under Mets' GM Frank Cashen
Frank Cashen
John Francis Cashen is a former Major League Baseball general manager. He is widely considered to be the architect of the World Champion 1986 New York Mets and was also an executive while the Baltimore Orioles won the 1966 World Series and 1970 World Series.-Early life:Cashen was born in...
, with whom Gorman served with the Orioles, he helped lay the foundation for the Mets' 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
championship — achieved at the expense of his next team, the Red Sox.
GM of the Red Sox
In the months preceding the 19841984 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Detroit Tigers over San Diego Padres ; Alan Trammell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Kirk Gibson*National League Championship Series MVP: Steve Garvey...
season, the Red Sox were embroiled in a legal dispute involving two ownership factions seeking control of the team. Gorman was named a vice president of baseball operations in the Boston front office in January 1984; then, five months later, when the legal case was settled, he was officially appointed vice president and general manager, succeeding co-owner Haywood Sullivan
Haywood Sullivan
Haywood Cooper Sullivan was an American college and professional baseball player who was a catcher, manager, general manager and club owner in Major League Baseball...
, who moved up to chief executive officer. When Gorman took on the GM job, the Red Sox already had players like Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
, Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs
Wade Anthony Boggs is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
, Dwight Evans
Dwight Evans
Dwight Michael Evans , nicknamed "Dewey", is an American former professional baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who played with the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball....
and Bob Stanley
Bob Stanley
Robert William "Bob" Stanley is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox.Over his 13-year career, Stanley played only for the Red Sox from 1977-89...
, stars that would form the nucleus of the talented Red Sox teams of the late 1980s. However, it was Gorman's acquisitions (from the Mariners) of Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
Spike Owen
Spike Dee Owen is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Seattle Mariners , Boston Red Sox , Montreal Expos , New York Yankees and California Angels...
that helped lead the Red Sox to the 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
.
Though the team made it back to the playoffs in 1988
1988 in baseball
See also: 1988 Major League Baseball season-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics ; Orel Hershiser, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dennis Eckersley...
and 1990
1990 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
, it never got any closer to a championship than it had in 1986. Gorman made several key trades, such as picking up Nick Esasky
Nick Esasky
Nicholas Andrew Esasky , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and third baseman. During his career, which spanned just over seven-and-a-half years and was spent mostly with the Cincinnati Reds , the former first-round draft pick in 1978 hit .250 with 122 home runs and 427 runs batted...
and Rob Murphy
Rob Murphy
Robert A. "Rob" Murphy, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player who was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for eleven seasons in the 1980s and 1990s. Murphy played college baseball for the University of Florida, and was picked by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the...
from Cincinnati
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and getting all-time saves leader Lee Smith for World Series goat Calvin Schiraldi
Calvin Schiraldi
Calvin Drew Schiraldi is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best remembered as the losing pitcher of Game 6 and Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.-Amateur career:...
and pitcher Al Nipper
Al Nipper
Albert Samuel Nipper is an American professional baseball coach and a former Major League pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians...
, but he made mistakes as well. It was Gorman who traded away future All-Stars
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
Jeff Bagwell
Jeff Bagwell
Jeffrey Robert Bagwell , is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire fifteen-year Major League Baseball career as a first baseman for the Houston Astros and was a four-time All-Star...
and Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
in pennant-stretch deals. The Boston farm system, which had produced players such as Mike Greenwell
Mike Greenwell
Michael Lewis Greenwell is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire MLB career with the Boston Red Sox . He briefly played a few games for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan , before retiring. Greenwell was nicknamed "The Gator." He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, Ellis Burks
Ellis Burks
Ellis Rena Burks is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball for 18 seasons...
, Jody Reed
Jody Reed
Jody Eric Reed is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career from 1987-1997. The 5'9" second baseman played with the Boston Red Sox from 1987–1992, and in 1990 he led the American League with 45 doubles and finished 10th in the AL with 173 hits...
and Todd Benzinger
Todd Benzinger
Todd Eric Benzinger is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder who played from 1987 to 1995. Benzinger is a graduate of New Richmond High School in New Richmond, Ohio....
early in Gorman's tenure, developed everyday players such as Mo Vaughn
Mo Vaughn
Maurice Samuel 'Mo' Vaughn , nicknamed "The Hit Dog", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played from 1991 to 2003...
, John Valentin
John Valentin
John William Valentin is a former shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played most of his major league career with the Boston Red Sox, with his final season being for the New York Mets. He batted and threw right-handed...
, Aaron Sele
Aaron Sele
Aaron Helmer Sele is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is currently the minor league pitching instructor for the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Early years:...
, Tim Naehring
Tim Naehring
Timothy James Naehring is an American former professional baseball infielder with the Boston Red Sox...
, Carlos Quintana
Carlos Quintana (baseball)
Carlos Narciso Quintana Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox from 1988-1993.-Professional career:...
and Scott Hatteberg
Scott Hatteberg
Scott Allen Hatteberg is a former American Major League Baseball first baseman and catcher.- Early life :...
in the early 1990s, but the flow of talent was not enough to keep the club at the forefront of its division. The Red Sox were unable to retain free agents Bruce Hurst
Bruce Hurst
Bruce Vee Hurst is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is best remembered for his brilliant performance for the Boston Red Sox in the postseason. He was even named World Series M.V.P...
, Esasky and Mike Boddicker
Mike Boddicker
For the similarly named musician , see Michael BoddickerMichael James "Mike" Boddicker was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles , Boston Red Sox , Kansas City Royals , and Milwaukee Brewers...
(a front-line starting pitcher acquired in the Schilling trade), and when the team returned to the free agent marketplace after the season, catcher Tony Peña
Tony Peña
Antonio Francisco Peña Padilla is a former professional baseball player, manager and current coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Pirates, Cardinals, Red Sox, Indians, White Sox, and Astros. Peña was the manager of the Kansas City Royals between 2002 and 2005. He...
and pitchers Jeff Reardon
Jeff Reardon
Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...
and Danny Darwin
Danny Darwin
Daniel Wayne "Danny" Darwin , known as the "Bonham Bullet" and "Dr. Death," is a former pitcher of Major League Baseball. He amassed 171 wins and 182 losses over his career for 8 different Major League teams with a 3.84 earned run average...
approached expectations, while high profile signings Jack Clark
Jack Clark (baseball)
Jack Anthony Clark , also known as "Jack the Ripper," is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1975 through 1992, Clark played for the San Francisco Giants , St. Louis Cardinals , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox...
, Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...
and Matt Young
Matt Young
Matthew John Young is a former American Major League baseball player. Young played for a variety of teams over his career, and is best known for his unofficial no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians while a member of the Boston Red Sox....
were major disappointments.
After the 1990 AL East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
title, the Red Sox faded from contention, and in 1992
1992 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing seventh in the American League East with a record of 73 wins and 89 losses.-Opening Day Line Up:-Roster:-Notable transactions:...
, finished last in their division — the team's first cellar-dweller in 60 years. After another losing campaign in 1993
1993 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing fifth in the American League East with a record of 80 wins and 82 losses.-Offseason:...
, wholesale changes were made in the Red Sox front office. Gorman was relieved of his GM responsibilities after the season, becoming senior vice president of baseball operations. A few weeks later, John Harrington, executive director of the JRY Trust
JRY Trust
After the death of Jean Yawkey in 1992, her interest in the Boston Red Sox passed into the JRY Corporation, later renamed the JRY Trust, headed by John Harrington, who was also CEO of the team. The trust's interest was sold to John Henry and his group of investors in 2002....
, which held managing general partner control of the team, bought out minority general partner Sullivan to assume full control. Harrington then hired Montréal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
GM Dan Duquette
Dan Duquette
Daniel F. Duquette is the Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations for the Baltimore Orioles. He was the General Manager of the Montreal Expos from September through January and for the Boston Red Sox from through March...
(another native New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
er) as Gorman's permanent successor.
Gorman was a senior vice president, then executive vice president, in the team's baseball operations department through 1996. He also served as a member of the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team
Baseball Assistance Team
The Baseball Assistance Team is a 501 non-profit affiliated with Major League Baseball. The organization's stated goal is to "help members of the baseball family who have come on hard times and are in need of assistance," and is guided by the principles of teamwork, caring, and sharing...
, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping former Major League, Minor League, and Negro League players through financial and medical difficulties.
In his later years, Gorman was the Chairman of the Board of the Newport Gulls
Newport Gulls
The Newport Gulls are a wooden-bat, summer collegiate baseball team based in Newport, Rhode Island. The Newport Gulls Baseball Club is a member of both the New England Collegiate Baseball League and the NECBL's East Division. From 2001 to the present, the Gulls have played at Cardines...
of the NECBL, and was instrumental to the team.
After a period of declining health, Gorman died at Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
, Boston, at age 82 on the Opening Day of the Red Sox' season. Mayor Thomas Menino
Thomas Menino
Thomas Michael "Tom" Menino is the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, United States and the city's first Italian-American mayor...
declared April 8, 2011, the day of the home opener at Fenway Park, as Lou Gorman Day in Boston. The Red Sox also paid tribute to Gorman during the game that afternoon.
Trivia
- Gorman refused to let ambidextrous relief pitcher Greg HarrisGreg A. HarrisGreg Allen Harris is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees from 1981 to 1995. Harris pitched in 703 games in his career, starting 98...
pitch with both his natural right hand and his left hand during his tenure with the Red Sox. Harris eventually became the first pitcher to do so since Elton ChamberlainElton ChamberlainElton P. "Ice Box" Chamberlain was a professional baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of 10 seasons in Major League Baseball between 1886 and 1896...
did so in the 19th century.
Book
- One Pitch from Glory: A Decade of Running the Red Sox,foreword by Doris Kearns GoodwinDoris Kearns GoodwinDoris Kearns Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American biographer and historian, and an oft-seen political commentator. She is the author of biographies of several U.S...
. 2005, ISBN 1-5967-0067-X