Bloom: Baseball royalty feted at 13th annual scouts dinner
From SABR member Barry Bloom at MLB.com on January 17, 2016:
Of all the accolades offered to the scouts assembled on Saturday night for the 13th annual dinner hosted by the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, some words from Joe Torre probably punctuated the profound effect the best of these men have had on the sport.
During a night of awards and testimonials at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Torre — the Hall of Fame manager of the Yankees and now Major League Baseball’s chief baseball officer — said he never would have had the job that lasted 12 consecutive playoff seasons without the endorsement of a scout.
“You know, if it wasn’t for a scout named [Gene] ‘Stick’ Michael of the New York Yankees, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity of managing the Yankees,” Torre said in accepting the Bud Selig Executive Leadership Award from the Commissioner Emeritus himself. “He was the one who sold the bill of goods to George [Steinbrenner], and George hired me and my career really turned when I managed the Yankees.”
Read the full article here: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/162145706/professional-baseball-scouts-foundation-dinner
- Related link: Learn more about baseball scouts in SABR’s e-book Can He Play? A Look at Baseball Scouts and Their Profession
Originally published: January 17, 2016. Last Updated: January 17, 2016.