Today's Baseball Birthday is former big league catcher and manager Johny Oates.
I remember watching Johnny Oates catching in the big leagues in the 1970s, mostly for the Phillies and the Dodgers.
Johnny Oates was born on January 21, 1946, in Sylva, North Carolina.
Oates played baseball at Virginia Tech and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round, pick , #10, in the 1967 Amateur MLB Draft.
Johnny Oates made his big league debut with the Orioles as a pinch hitter on September 17th, 1970, getting a single of the Washington Senators Dick Bosman in the 9th inning if a 2-0 Washington win.
Johhny Oates was a good big league catcher, playing with the Orioles, Braves, Phillies, Dodgers, and Yankees.
In 11 years, Oates collected 410 big league hits in 593 games, hitting 14 HR and 126 RBI.
Behind the plate Oates was a good fielding catcher.
In 533 games, Oates compiled a .987 fielding %, playing 3, 955 innings, with 2,416 put outs in 2,729 on chances.
Oates only committed 36 errors, and collected 277 assists in his big league career.
Johnny Oates played his final game as a big leaguer on May 24, 1981.
In 1991 Oates took over as mananger of the Orioles, and in 4 years had a 291-270 record.
Oates took over the managerial reigns of the Texas Rangers in 1995, leading the club to thier first ever playoff appearance in 1996.
Oates wad named Co-Manager of the year in 1996, sharing the award with the Yankees Joe Torre.
Oates managed the Rangers into 2001, compiling a 506-476 record.
Johnny Oates was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2001, and was given just months to live.
He passed away on December 24th, 2004.
Today we celebrate the life of Johhny Oates.
Happy Birthday Johnny!
