It’s March 5, 1996, and Earl Weaver has been voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Baltimore Sun announced Weaver’s election on the front page, describing him as “the umpire-baiting, dirt-kicking, tomato-growing manager who led the Orioles to four American League pennants and a world championship.” 

“The Earl of Baltimore” managed the Orioles for 17 seasons (1968-82, 1985-86). Generously listed at 5-foot-7, he was ejected 91 times, including once from both games of a doubleheader. He famously was never fired, which is hard to do as a manager. In his Washington Post column, Thomas Boswell says, “As much as any one person in a generation, Weaver encapsulates the fire, the humor, the brains, the childishness, the wisdom, and the goofy fun of baseball.” (Washington Post syndicated column, The Roanoke Times, p. B3, March 7, 1996)

As Boswell mentions in his column, there’s a famous video of a profanity-laced interaction between Weaver and umpire Bill Haller in 1980. At one point, we have this exchange:

WEAVER: You watch about 5-10 fucking years from now who’s in the Hall of Fame.

HALLER: Oh, you’re going to be in the Hall of Fame?

WEAVER: You know it!

HALLER: Why? For fucking up World Series?

WEAVER: You know it! I’ve won more than I’ve lost, kid!

HALLER: Aw, no you haven’t.

WEAVER: Games! Count games, stupid!

Well, it actually took 16 years, but Earl was right, he is now among baseball’s immortals. Here’s the full video. NSFW audio, but definitely volume UP.

For more on Weaver, I recommend John W. Miller’s 2025 book, “The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented, and Reinvented Baseball.”

Ken Rosenthal’s March 6 column on Weaver notes, “For more than a decade now, the Orioles have tried to recapture the Weaver magic, even luring old No. 4 out of retirement in 1985. How fitting that in the year he’ll be inducted in Cooperstown, they’re set to revive with his rightful heir as manager.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 1D, March 6, 1996)

Davey Johnson was born in 1943 in Orlando, Fla. He spent two years playing basketball and baseball at Texas A&M before signing with the Orioles in 1962 for $25,000. After a few years in the minor leagues, he joined the Orioles for 20 games in 1965 before becoming a regular at second base from 1966 to 1972. After winning the World Series as a rookie in 1966, Johnson became an All Star in 1968 (Weaver’s first year as manager). In all, he would make the All Star game three times as an Oriole and win three Gold Gloves as the best defender at his position. He would have another All Star season with the Braves before retiring following the 1978 season.

During his playing career, Johnson continued his education, studying math at Trinity University in San Antonio and then at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Jay Jaffe’s terrific 2025 obituary of Johnson in FanGraphs includes this incredible nugget about how Johnson was an early adopter of computer analytics:

Following his playing career, it wasn’t long before Johnson found himself back in the dugout as a manager. In 1984, he was hired by the New York Mets to manage their young but talented group of stars. In his first six years with the Mets, his teams never finished worse than second and they won the World Series in 1986. In 1990, the team was aging and Johnson kept feuding with his bosses, and he was dismissed after 42 games.

After spending the next three years chilling while still under contract with the Mets, Johnson got back in the dugout again in 1993, taking over the Cincinnati Reds in the middle of the season. He had success there, too, going to the National League Championship Series in 1995. However, he never got along with Reds owner and noted bigot Marge Schott. It is widely reported that the final straw between her and Johnson was the fact that she did not approve of him living with his fiancée before marriage. Johnson and the Reds parted ways after 1995.

Three days after the Reds were eliminated in the playoffs, Johnson interviewed with Orioles owner Peter Angelos. Three days later, Phil Regan was fired as Orioles manager after one season. (Baltimore Sun, p. 1C, October 30, 1995) Regan had been hired a year earlier when the O’s interviewed but then passed over Johnson. At the time, Johnson wasn’t pleased, “I thought there were a lot of stupid people out there.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 1D, October 31, 1995)

Well, I guess the O’s learned their lesson and now here we are. Johnson has returned to the organization where his pro career began. Weaver’s protégé now has the reins of his old team. As Cal Ripken, Jr., noted “There’s a strange sort of feeling that it’s similar to my experience in the Earl days. It comes from the impression [Earl] left on all the people who played for him. Davey has his own ideas, his own ways. But there’s a similarity to both styles.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 1D, March 6, 1996)

In his introductory press conference, Johnson was confident. “I believe the talent pool is as good or better than any I’ve had.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 1D, October 31, 1995) For real? “We’re going to win next year. And we’re going to win a world championship while I’m here.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 1A, October 31, 1995) Oh, word? “I’m excited. I wish the season started tomorrow.” Don’t we all!

The number one song in America this week in 1996 is “One Sweet Day” a powerhouse team up of Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey. It has been #1 since early December 1995 and has broken the record for the longest-running #1 single in Billboard history.

Welcome to a recurring segment where I find fun things in today’s (in 1996) Baltimore Sun!

This cat is a biker.