Roland Hemond, R.I.P.

Roland Hemond, who spent more than 65 years working in MLB in various capacities up to and including lengthy tenures as the General Manager of the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles, passed away on Sunday night. No cause of death was released. He was 92.

A native of Rhode Island whose first language was French, Hemond became a passionate fan of baseball and, in particular, the Boston Red Sox. But it would be the crosstown rival Boston Braves that would give Hemond his first opportunity on the inside back in 1951. Hemond would move with the team to Milwaukee where he would witness a World Series title in 1957 while working his way in the team's scouting department. In 1961, the expansion Los Angeles Angels would hire Hemond as their scouting director.

After nearly a decade with the Angels, Hemond was named GM of the Chicago White Sox late in the 1970 season. His acquisition of slugger Dick Allen and a surprising second place finish in the AL West would earn Hemond The Sporting News Executive of the Year. Hemond remained GM through several ownership changes culminating in an AL West title in 1983. Following the 1985 season, Hemond was kicked upstairs but left the Chisox organization early in the 1986 season to work as a special assistant to MLB Commissioner Peter Ueberroth including implementing MLB's minority hiring policy.

In 1988, Hemond was named GM of the Baltimore Orioles. That was the year they would lose their first 21 games of the season en route to a 54-107 record. But in 1989, Hemond would again be named The Sporting News Executive of the Year after nearly guiding the team from a worst to first scenario in the AL East. Hemond remained the O's GM through the 1995 season where he witnessed Cal Ripken, Jr. surpass Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak.

In 1996, Hemond joined the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks as a Senior Executive Vice-President serving in that capacity through the 2000 season. Hemond rejoined the White Sox in 2001 as an executive advisor and would witness another World Series in 2005. Following the 2006 season, Hemond returned to the D'Backs where he would spend more than a decade a special assistant to the President before retiring after the 2017 season.

Hemond is credited with persuading MLB owners to expand their pension plan to non-player personnel as well as establishing the Arizona Fall League. In 2011, the Baseball Hall of Fame endowed Hemond with the Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award.  I leave you with Hemond accepting this honor. R.I.P.