Houston Astros Manager Dusty Baker is an Excellent Example of Longevity and Perseverance
Dusty Baker managed the Houston Astros to the 2022 World Series championship this year and added to his likely Hall of Fame resume. Some of his notable accomplishments include:
π He is the oldest manager to win a World Series at the age of 73 (He is the oldest manager or head coach in MLB, NBA, NFL, or NHL history to win a championship)
π He is the only manager in baseball history to lead 5 different teams to the postseason
π He has led teams to pennants in both the American and National Leagues
π He won 2,093 games, more than all but eight other managers
π He is just the third Black manager to win a World Series and has the most wins among any Black manager
Baker has been around the sport of baseball for over 50 years. He learned from Negro League legend, Satchel Paige, as a rookie in 1968. He was a teammate of Hank Aaron when Aaron broke the all-time home run record in 1974, since broken by Barry Bonds. He was a coach when Bonds set the single-season home run record in 2001.
There is also irony in that he beat the team that he interviewed for their vacant manager position in 2019, which gave the Astros the opportunity to hire him.
Baker is about as relatable and well-liked as one can be, claiming Michelle Obama and Snoop Dogg as friends and once smoking a joint with Jimmy Hendrix π¨.
Congrats to Dusty Baker for a well-deserved World Series championship. He is the leader and professional we should all aspire to emulate.
Attribution: The cover photo is taken from All Pro Reels