Rick Manning

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Rick Manning
Rick Manning.png
Center fielder
Born: (1954-09-02) September 2, 1954 (age 67)
Niagara Falls, New York
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 23, 1975, for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
October 4, 1987, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
Batting average.257
Home runs56
Runs batted in458
Teams
  • Cleveland Indians (1975–1983)
  • Milwaukee Brewers (1983–1987)
Career highlights and awards
  • Gold Glove Award (1976)

Richard Eugene Manning (born September 2, 1954) is a former center fielder and current broadcaster in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played for the Cleveland Indians (1975-1983) and Milwaukee Brewers (1983–1987), and has been a color commentator for Cleveland Indians telecasts since 1990.

Major league career[]

Manning, who was the second overall selection in the 1972 MLB draft,[1] made his major league debut with the Indians during the 1975 season. In 1976, he was recognized for his defensive play by winning the American League Gold Glove Award.[2]

Manning had a romantic involvement with teammate Dennis Eckersley's wife, Denise; they eventually married, and then divorced. This may have led to the Indians' front office's decision to trade one of the players; there were other "official" and "unofficial" reasons given.[3] Eckersley, a future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, was traded with Fred Kendall on March 30, 1978, to the Boston Red Sox for Rick Wise, Mike Paxton, Bo Díaz and Ted Cox.

After playing five more seasons with the Indians, Manning was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers during the 1983 season.[4] As a member of the Brewers, he hit a 10th-inning single on August 26, 1987 as the Brewers defeated the Indians 1-0.[2] Brewers fans actually booed Manning for driving in the winning run because Paul Molitor was on deck and looking to extend his 39-game hit streak. Manning's walk-off single deprived Molitor of one last chance to reach 40 games as he went 0-for-4 in the contest.

Career highlights[]

On May 15, 1981, Manning caught Ernie Whitt's fly ball, the final out of Len Barker's perfect game, in one of the most memorable images in Cleveland sports history; the Indians defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0.[5][6]

Broadcasting career[]

Since 1990, he has served as a color commentator for Indians telecasts. Manning has the longest tenure of any television announcer in team history.

Manning can be seen doing Tribe games on Bally Sports Great Lakes (alongside Matt Underwood). He resides in Chesterland, Ohio during the season, and Scottsdale, Arizona in the offseason.[7] He also occasionally provides color commentary on regional broadcasts for Major League Baseball on FOX, mainly when FOX shows an Indians game.[8]

Awards[]

  • 1976 American League Gold Glove Award (Center Field)[9]
  • 1980 BBWAA (Baseball Writers' Association of America) Good Guy Award[10]
  • 2014 Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Excellence in Broadcasting Award[11]
  • Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame (class of 2017)[12]
  • 2018 Lower Great Lakes Emmy Award winner as part of the Indians broadcast team[13]

See also[]

  • List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders

References[]

  1. ^ "Rick Manning Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ^ a b "Cleveland Indians at Milwaukee Brewers Box Score, August 26, 1987 - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "A Closer Who Needed A Save".
  4. ^ "Gorman Thomas dealt to Tribe". news.google.com.
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ [2][dead link]
  7. ^ "Broadcasters". Cleveland Indians.
  8. ^ "2012 MLB on FOX Schedule". www.bflo360.com.
  9. ^ "MLB American League Gold Glove Award Winners - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. ^ [3][dead link]
  11. ^ "Manning wins award". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  12. ^ "Rick Manning, Gordon Gund head Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame 2017 inductees (photos)". Cleveland.com. 15 September 2017.
  13. ^ "2018 Emmy winners - Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards" (PDF).

External links[]

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