Former big league player and manager Joe Altobelli, best known for guiding the Baltimore Orioles to their last World Series title in 1983, died today of natural causes. He was 88.
A native of Detroit, Altobelli signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1951 as a first baseman. Altobelli would have cups of coffee with the Tribe in 1955 and 1957 and also played briefly with the Minnesota Twins in 1961. But otherwise Altobelli was a career minor leaguer toiling also with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers before joining the Baltimore Orioles' organization in 1963 where he was assigned to play with the Triple AAA Rochester Red Wings.
Altobelli would play with the Red Wings when the O's decided to make him a minor league manager during the 1966 season after more than 15 years of playing minor league ball. In 1971, Altobelli was named the Red Wings' manager. By this time, his family had settled in Rochester. In six seasons, the Red Wings finished in first place four times winning the International League's Governor's Cup in 1971 and 1974.
With Earl Weaver ensconced in the manager's seat in Baltimore, Altobelli would have to leave the Orioles' organization to manage in the big leagues. In 1977, the San Francisco Giants would give him that chance. After a respectable third place finish in the NL West in 1978, the Giants would dismiss Altobelli late in the 1979 season in favor of Dave Bristol.
Altobelli would not be out of work for long. The New York Yankees' organization hired him to manage the Triple-AAA Columbus Clippers during the 1980 season and would finish first. The Yankees promoted him to the big league coaching staff in 1981 and 1982.
After the 1982 season, Weaver announced his retirement. This gave Altobelli a chance to manage the Orioles. Altobelli's calm demeanor was a significant contrast to the fiery Weaver. Altobelli made the most of it guiding the team to their first World Series title since 1970 defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in five games.
Unfortunately, the Orioles' success under Altobelli would be short-lived. The O's fell to fifth place in the AL East in 1984 and during the 1985 season, Altobelli was shown the door after Weaver was convinced to come out of retirement.
Altobelli rejoined the Yankees' coaching staff in 1986 and 1987 before moving on to the Chicago Cubs staff from 1988 to 1991. He managed one last game after Don Zimmer was fired during the '91 season.
In 1992, Altobelli rejoined the Red Wings for a third time this time serving in their front office for the next six years including three seasons as the team's General Manager. In 1998, Altobelli joined the Red Wings' broadcast booth and served as a color commentator for the team's home games until retiring from baseball for good during the 2009 season.
Altobelli spent nearly 60 years in baseball and nearly half of that was spent in Rochester where he would be affectionately known as "Mr. Baseball." R.I.P.
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