Latest news with #LeoDurocher
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Munster' numbers: Check out the history Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona just made
CHICAGO – Of all the gin joints in all the ballparks in the world, Terry Francona walked into Leo Durocher's. And then walked right past him. Well, one of Durocher's (four) ballparks, anyway. Francona, the Cincinnati Reds manager who earned his 2,000th career managerial win in the final game before the All-Star break, reached 2,010 when the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs in the first two games of this week's series at Wrigley Field – passing former Cubs manager Durocher for 12th on the all-time list. Francona, who's been roaming ballparks since his dad played in the 1960s, never got a chance to meet Durocher. 'Saw him on TV,' Francona said. 'I can't remember – Leave it to Beaver?' Among Durocher's guest appearances during his Hollywood dalliances was a 1965 episode of The Munsters. 'That's it!' Francona said with the help of another elder citizen in the room. 'Me and you are probably the only two who know what that is.' Durocher, who also appeared on episodes of Mr. Ed and The Beverly Hillbillies before that, was known as a hard-driving, fiery manager, who played a big role in integrating MLB was the manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers when Jackie Robinson was signed and laying down the law with his players that anyone who had a problem with Robinson would be helped out the door. A season-long suspension for off-field issues prevented him from managing Robinson in his rookie season. Among Leo the Lip's other achievements in his career was turning down the moribund Cubs in the 1960s – before famously driving the core of a front-running 1969 club with four Hall of Famers into the ground down the stretch of an all-day-games home schedule until the Mets eliminated them. Durocher's All-Star catcher, Randy Hundley, caught a league-high 151 games in 1969, a year after catching 160. Asked what he knew about Durocher, Francona said, 'Pretty aggressive demeanor' – joking that 'our demeanors probably mirror each other pretty well.' Francona, 66, is in the first year of a three-year contract with the Reds. Next up on the all-time list for Francona is legendary Dodgers manager Walter Alston (2,040). This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Terry Francona just made history with Cincinnati Reds. Check it out
Ottawa Citizen
30-06-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Jack Todd: Canadiens' brain trust reshapes Montreal as a desirable NHL destination
Sorry, Leo Durocher. Nice guys don't always finish last. Sometimes, they lead the pack. Article content It happened this past weekend, when the Canadiens management duo of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes created the biggest splash of draft day by extracting the services of Noah Dobson from Mathieu Darche and the New York Islanders. Article content The team called HuGo doesn't go into negotiations trying to fleece the opposition. They try to arrive at a fair deal for all parties — and it worked. Article content Article content Yes, Dobson grew up a Habs fan. Yes, he loves playing at the Bell Centre. But it's a lead-pipe cinch that if Pierre Gauthier was still GM of the Canadiens, Dobson is not on his way to Montreal. (Gauthier, if you recall, responded to some criticism of the team from Michael Cammalleri by yanking him off the ice in Boston to trade him to the Calgary Flames — then telling Cammalleri he had to pay for his game jersey if he wanted it back. Such stunts get noticed around the league.) Article content Article content Fans have plenty to say about their teams. Ditto journalists. But no comment on the success of the rebuild in Montreal is as important (or as revealing) as what Dobson said after the deal was concluded. Article content 'Just the opportunity to be part of the Montreal Canadiens, it's an honour,' Dobson said. 'It's the best hockey market in the world. The fans are incredible. I love playing at the Bell Centre. Just also the group of players they have already and the talent they have on the team and what they've been building, I'm just super-excited to join that group and add to it. I'm excited what we can do down the road here in the future.' Article content Article content Sure, players usually say nice things about teams that are about to hand them US$76 million — but Dobson took less than he would have gotten elsewhere in order to play here. Not only is that important for this signing, it's a blueprint for the Canadiens going forward. Article content If a player wants sunshine, low taxes, relative anonymity and he's willing to overlook ICE thugs and handguns, Florida or Texas is the place for him. If he wants rabid fans, the greatest tradition in the game, a year-round focus on hockey and a team that is upward bound, Gorton and Hughes have done what they can to make Montreal a desirable destination.
Montreal Gazette
30-06-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Jack Todd: Canadiens' brain trust reshapes Montreal as a desirable NHL destination
Montreal Canadiens By Special to the Montreal Gazette Sorry, Leo Durocher. Nice guys don't always finish last. Sometimes, they lead the pack. It happened this past weekend, when the Canadiens management duo of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes created the biggest splash of draft day by extracting the services of Noah Dobson from Mathieu Darche and the New York Islanders. The team called HuGo doesn't go into negotiations trying to fleece the opposition. They try to arrive at a fair deal for all parties — and it worked. Yes, Dobson grew up a Habs fan. Yes, he loves playing at the Bell Centre. But it's a lead-pipe cinch that if Pierre Gauthier was still GM of the Canadiens, Dobson is not on his way to Montreal. (Gauthier, if you recall, responded to some criticism of the team from Michael Cammalleri by yanking him off the ice in Boston to trade him to the Calgary Flames — then telling Cammalleri he had to pay for his game jersey if he wanted it back. Such stunts get noticed around the league.) Fans have plenty to say about their teams. Ditto journalists. But no comment on the success of the rebuild in Montreal is as important (or as revealing) as what Dobson said after the deal was concluded. 'Just the opportunity to be part of the Montreal Canadiens, it's an honour,' Dobson said. 'It's the best hockey market in the world. The fans are incredible. I love playing at the Bell Centre. Just also the group of players they have already and the talent they have on the team and what they've been building, I'm just super-excited to join that group and add to it. I'm excited what we can do down the road here in the future.' Sure, players usually say nice things about teams that are about to hand them US$76 million — but Dobson took less than he would have gotten elsewhere in order to play here. Not only is that important for this signing, it's a blueprint for the Canadiens going forward. If a player wants sunshine, low taxes, relative anonymity and he's willing to overlook ICE thugs and handguns, Florida or Texas is the place for him. If he wants rabid fans, the greatest tradition in the game, a year-round focus on hockey and a team that is upward bound, Gorton and Hughes have done what they can to make Montreal a desirable destination. Sometimes, nice guys finish first. Let's hit that Rolodex: Social media is always a delight during the draft/free agency stretch in the summer, when fans go berserk debating the merits of various players the Habs absolutely must acquire. With Dobson shoring up one spot in the lineup (and then some) that left the much-discussed 2C position to fill. Most of you are probably too young to remember the stately Rolodex. It contained a card file with the numbers of all your contacts and you turned a knob on the side to flip through it when you were looking for someone's phone number or trying to look busy when the boss walked by. That rectangle you carry in your pocket put an end to the Rolodex along with so much else — but if fans had a Rolodex listing every forward in the NHL, they would have worked their way through a good part of it during the weekend. One by one, names were bandied and dropped. Sam Bennett, of course, stayed with the Panthers. Claude Giroux (mercifully) did the same in Ottawa. Vincent Trocheck is still out there, but he's small, right-handed and pricey. Even Evgeny Kuznetsov made the list. Talented centreman, or was, but he's 33 and he spent this past season in Russia with SKA St. Petersburg after a couple of seasons of declining production with the Capitals. Kuznetsov does have some things going for him. He wants back into the league, he's a lefty shot — and he is thoroughly acquainted with a young winger named Ivan Demidov. More in keeping with the Canadiens' template, the club also moved to acquire young Russian forward Alexander Zharovsky by moving up in the draft to snatch a player they would have drafted higher had they held on to the 16th and 17th picks. Zharovsky, too, has history with Demidov and he's young enough to fit the mold. Heroes: Noah Dobson, Marie-Philip Poulin, Jonathan David, Dave Parker, Lando Norris, Kirsty Coventry, Martin Lapointe, Nick Bobrov, Jeff Gorton &&&& last but not least, Kent Hughes — man of the hour. Zeros: The awkward, cringy NHL draft show, Victor Montagliani, Jeff Bezos, Wander Franco, Justin Tucker, Malik Beasley, Wayne Gretzky, Bud Selig Jr., Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& last but not least, Jeffrey Loria. Now and forever.
Vancouver Sun
30-06-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Jack Todd: Canadiens' brain trust reshapes Montreal as a desirable NHL destination
Sorry, Leo Durocher. Nice guys don't always finish last. Sometimes, they lead the pack. It happened this past weekend, when the Canadiens management duo of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes created the biggest splash of draft day by extracting the services of Noah Dobson from Mathieu Darche and the New York Islanders. The team called HuGo doesn't go into negotiations trying to fleece the opposition. They try to arrive at a fair deal for all parties — and it worked. Yes, Dobson grew up a Habs fan. Yes, he loves playing at the Bell Centre. But it's a lead-pipe cinch that if Pierre Gauthier was still GM of the Canadiens, Dobson is not on his way to Montreal. (Gauthier, if you recall, responded to some criticism of the team from Michael Cammalleri by yanking him off the ice in Boston to trade him to the Calgary Flames — then telling Cammalleri he had to pay for his game jersey if he wanted it back. Such stunts get noticed around the league.) Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Fans have plenty to say about their teams. Ditto journalists. But no comment on the success of the rebuild in Montreal is as important (or as revealing) as what Dobson said after the deal was concluded. 'Just the opportunity to be part of the Montreal Canadiens, it's an honour,' Dobson said. 'It's the best hockey market in the world. The fans are incredible. I love playing at the Bell Centre. Just also the group of players they have already and the talent they have on the team and what they've been building, I'm just super-excited to join that group and add to it. I'm excited what we can do down the road here in the future.' Sure, players usually say nice things about teams that are about to hand them US$76 million — but Dobson took less than he would have gotten elsewhere in order to play here. Not only is that important for this signing, it's a blueprint for the Canadiens going forward. If a player wants sunshine, low taxes, relative anonymity and he's willing to overlook ICE thugs and handguns, Florida or Texas is the place for him. If he wants rabid fans, the greatest tradition in the game, a year-round focus on hockey and a team that is upward bound, Gorton and Hughes have done what they can to make Montreal a desirable destination. Sometimes, nice guys finish first. Let's hit that Rolodex: Social media is always a delight during the draft/free agency stretch in the summer, when fans go berserk debating the merits of various players the Habs absolutely must acquire. With Dobson shoring up one spot in the lineup (and then some) that left the much-discussed 2C position to fill. Most of you are probably too young to remember the stately Rolodex. It contained a card file with the numbers of all your contacts and you turned a knob on the side to flip through it when you were looking for someone's phone number or trying to look busy when the boss walked by. That rectangle you carry in your pocket put an end to the Rolodex along with so much else — but if fans had a Rolodex listing every forward in the NHL, they would have worked their way through a good part of it during the weekend. One by one, names were bandied and dropped. Sam Bennett, of course, stayed with the Panthers. Claude Giroux (mercifully) did the same in Ottawa. Vincent Trocheck is still out there, but he's small, right-handed and pricey. Even Evgeny Kuznetsov made the list. Talented centreman, or was, but he's 33 and he spent this past season in Russia with SKA St. Petersburg after a couple of seasons of declining production with the Capitals. Kuznetsov does have some things going for him. He wants back into the league, he's a lefty shot — and he is thoroughly acquainted with a young winger named Ivan Demidov. More in keeping with the Canadiens' template, the club also moved to acquire young Russian forward Alexander Zharovsky by moving up in the draft to snatch a player they would have drafted higher had they held on to the 16th and 17th picks. Zharovsky, too, has history with Demidov and he's young enough to fit the mold. Heroes: Noah Dobson, Marie-Philip Poulin, Jonathan David, Dave Parker, Lando Norris, Kirsty Coventry, Martin Lapointe, Nick Bobrov, Jeff Gorton &&&& last but not least, Kent Hughes — man of the hour. Zeros: The awkward, cringy NHL draft show, Victor Montagliani, Jeff Bezos, Wander Franco, Justin Tucker, Malik Beasley, Wayne Gretzky, Bud Selig Jr., Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& last but not least, Jeffrey Loria. Now and forever. @
Wall Street Journal
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Wall Street Journal
‘Skipper' Review: In Baseball, Blame the Manager
My favorite quote about baseball managers comes from Leo Durocher, who over the years managed the Dodgers, Giants, Cubs and Astros: 'If you don't win, you're going to be fired. If you do win, you've only put off the day you're going to be fired.' Getting fired is in the manager's job description. When things are going well, it's because of the players; when things aren't, it's because of you. Teams usually can't fire their star players, however much they might want to. But they can get rid of the manager. No accomplishment will save you. One day, your time will be up, even if, a few years before, you broke the Curse of the Bambino or brought a World Series trophy to Wrigley Field. There's no escaping it. Scott Miller's 'Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter and Always Will' attempts to track how the job has evolved (and how it hasn't) while profiling the men who have navigated it in today's game. The book does so thoroughly, diligently and engagingly. Yet in the end it merely makes clear the inherent powerlessness of the role. Managers—foot on the dugout step, gnawing on chaw, yelling at umpires—try to project an image of being the judge, jury and executioner of an individual baseball team. They like to talk like they are in charge. But they are not, in fact, in charge. We treat them as the boss, but they're not the boss. It's right there in the name. They're managers. If anything, they're middle managers. And they always have been. It's true, in the days when players were bound to their teams and made comparative paltry salaries, managers seemed to have more authority than they do now. Mr. Miller, a national baseball reporter, observes that managers of yore were boldfaced names, legends in their own time, men who projected strength and irascibility in equal measure. From Durocher, Connie Mack (of the A's) and Joe McCarthy (of the Yankees) to Sparky Anderson (Reds and Tigers), Earl Weaver (Orioles) and Tony La Russa (A's and Cardinals), they were tough men who talked tough and acted tough. Anderson's mantra was 'it's my way or the highway.' Strong words for a man named Sparky.
