European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 9, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Baseball s Durocher Dies Palm Springs Calif. A Leo Durocher a feisty and controversial manager for nearly four decades and the Man who coined the phrase a Nice Guys finish last a died monday. He was 86. He died at 1 20 . Put at desert Hospital of natural causes Hospital spokesman Randy Bevilacqua said. Durocher played i for 17 seasons almost All As a Short Stop with the Brooklyn dodgers Cincinnati reds St. Louis cardinals and new York Yankees the team he broke into base Leo Durocher Ball with in 1925. Yet it was his fiery style As a manager that Drew a the lips his greatest attention. Durocher was fined and suspended during his managerial career which included stints with the Brooklyn dodgers new York giants Chicago cubs and Houston astros. In 1947, when Durocher was managing the dodgers commissioner Happy Chandler suspended him for a year for allegedly associating with gamblers. Durocher guided three teams into the world series a the 1941 dodgers who lost to the Yankees the 1951 giants who won the Pennant with a miraculous comeback capped by Bobby Thomson a playoff Homer but also lost to the Yankees and the 1954 giants who swept the Cleveland indians in four games. He left baseball with 2,008 victories sixth on the All time list and a winning percentage of .540. But he Wasny to Happy with All the changes he witnessed during his Long career. A i understand its a different Era a Durocher said in the 1970s. A i Learned that they do what they please nine times out of 10. Its a different Breed. Give them an Inch and they take six inches. Give them a foot and they take a the Man who talked about Nice Guys finishing last wound up in the cellar once with the 1966 Chicago cubs who went 59-103. But even when his teams were winning his verbal attacks on his players were notorious. Still he gave Willie Mays a Chance to play though a terrible slump at the Start of his career. A the told me it was too fast for him that he play up Here and asked me to Send him Back to Minneapolis Durocher said. A i put my Arm around him and told him a not As Long As i have giants on my uniform. I brought you up Here to play Center Field and that s where you re going to a despite All his accomplishments Durocher never was elected to the Hall of Fame. A that does no to worry me because i have no control Over that a he said in 1986. A i have nothing to do with who is in the Hall of Fame and who does no to go in the Hall of Fame. That a entirely up to the committee. If they done to think 1 belong there so be it. If they think i belong there that a a horse of another after Durocher a retirement his reputation As a firebrand continued to grow. A the was colourful outspoken inspirational to his players and infuriating to opposing teams a commissioner Fay Vincent said monday. A the was a magnetic figure right to the end almost 40 years to the Day after his greatest Triumph. Personally i will miss him and baseball has truly lost one of its Leo Ernest Durocher was born on july 27, 1905, in West Springfield mass. He made it to the majors in 1925 and played the stars and stripes october 9,1991 Page 28 just two games with the Yankees. That Yankee club featured Lou Gehrig and babe Ruth one of Durocher a favorite teammates. A the used to protect me 90,000 times from different players that i used to get on when Tony Lazzeri was Hurt and 1 was playing second base a Durocher said. A i had a couple of arguments with Tycobb and Bob Fothergill with Detroit but babe always saved Okoye chiefs overrun i Mutombo self destructing Buffalo Kansas City to. A buffaloes explosive offence kept going off in the Bills face. The Kansas City chiefs did what they do Best a run the football a and recovered All five Buffalo fumbles in a 33-6 pounding of the Bills monday night. A a that a our game a straight at them Pound Pound Pound a said chiefs tackle Rich Baldinger after the chiefs knocked Buffalo from the ranks of the unbeaten. A we took control of the game. We did t make the Bills on the other hand made plenty of mistakes. And they were costly. Kansas City a first touchdown a 1-Yard pass from Steve Deberg to Pete Holohan just 44 seconds into the second period completed a 77-Yard drive that began when linebacker Lonnie marts recovered Bills quarterback Jim Kelly a Fumble. It was a taste of things to come. Derrick Thomas had four sacks and forced Kelly to Fumble on three of them. Bill Maas had two More sacks and also caused Kelly to Fumble once. Kelly said it was a combination of a Strong pass Rush and Good coverage by the chiefs secondary that led to the sacks. A if a team can succeed in running the Ball As Well As they did you re in for a Long night a said Buffalo coach Marv Levy who once coached the chiefs. A they just overpowered us. I Hope we re not As bad As we Nick Lowery got Kansas City on the scoreboard first with a 41-Yard Field goal. Scott Norwood kicked 44 and 25-Yard Field goals for Buffalo and Lowery answered with a 40-Yard kick to give the chiefs a 13-6 halftime Lead. Christian Okoye gained 130 Yards on 29 carries and Harvey Williams had 103 Yards on 20 carries. It was the fifth time the chiefs have had two 100-Yard rushers in a game but the first since 1975. Kansas City out gained the Bills 397210, the most Yards the chiefs have gained since last dec. 2 at new England and the fewest they have Given up since last dec. 29 at Chicago. The 26 first Downs by the chiefs were their most since oct. 22,1989, at Dallas. Hobson replaces Morgan Boston up Joe Morgan whose Boston red sox collapsed in a september Pennant drive tuesday was fired As manager in a Surprise move and replaced by former red sox third baseman Butch Hobson. General manager Lou Gorman announced the dismissal at a news conference two Days after the club completed the season tied for second place seven games behind Toronto in the american league East. The red sox lost 11 of their last 14 games after pulling within a half game of the Blue jays. Hobson received a two year contract. With the recent spate of managerial firings Gorman said he feared losing Hobson to another team. Morgan was offered a Job As a special assistant to Gorman for major league scouting though there was no word whether he plans to take it. Morgan was known for following his hunches. His style was often criticized by red sox fans but the even tempered 60-year-old did no to care what others thought. A a in a the Guy who a managing and i know what in a doing a he said. A a there a 9 billion managers out there a he said. Hobson who spent six years with the red sox managed Bostons Pawtucket farm team this season to a division championship in the International league. He was named triple a manager of the year by baseball America. Morgan managed the red sox for 3 i seasons leading Boston to division titles in 1988 and 1990. He was upits manager of the year in 1988 when the red sox set an Al record by winning 24 straight Home games. The red sox won 12 straight and 19 of 20 after he became manager in july of that season. A Morgan magic became the rage of new England. Morgans dismissal comes one Day after the new York Yankees removed manager stump Merrill. Of the 26 major league managers that began the season 10 have been fired including four in the Al East. Morgan played 15 years in the minors and managed in the minors for 16 seasons before coming to Boston. In 1985 he joined the coaching staff of manager John Mcnamara. In 1988, Morgan replaced Mcnamara becoming the 37th red sox manager. Signs with nuggets Denver apr the Denver nuggets signed their no. 1 draft Choice Dike be Mutombo to a contract tuesday that reportedly will pay the former Georgetown player $12 million Over five years. Quot the nuggets do not release contract terms As a matter of policy. Mutombo was the fourth pick in last june a draft and is highest to come to terms. The 7-foot-2 Mutombo joined the nuggets for tuesdays practice at the . Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. General manager Bemie Bickerstaff said he was extremely pleased and relieved to have finally reached the agreement. A Dike be obviously figures prominently into our Long Range plans and we Are glad to have him in training Camp with our coaches in time to still gain a great Deal from the preseason a Bickerstaff said. Mutombo was Georgetown a Al time Leader in Field goal percentage .644 and he averaged 15.2 Points and 12.2 rebounds per game As a senior. Before Camp began coach Paul Westhead said he it Lanned to make Mutombo the ocal Point of both the nuggets defensive and offensive strategies. A i just think the future of this team is entered around Dike be Mutombo a Westhead said. T Redfox manager Joe Morgan. Fired after team collapse inside sports braves pirates matchup Leos Peers share recollections five americans win in Tokyo Messier Sparks rangers to win Page 27 a Page 25 j a Page 26 a Page 27
