Read on Twitter
RIP John McNamara, longtime MLB manager. He managed the Reds when I was the backup beat guy to Ray Buck at age 25 in 1982 for the Cincinnati @Enquirer ... Battled vet beat guys like Hal McCoy, Earl Lawson, Paul Meyer on a big beat.
McNamara handed me my first scoop on the beat.
McNamara handed me my first scoop on the beat.
Reds were in St. Louis for a weekend 4-game series in July. Amazing to think what it was like to cover baseball then. There was an Budweiser tap in the press box, and writers could drink at will. Particularly on a steamy night in downtown StL, many did. I covered that series.
McNamara, as he did before each game, had a pregame on-the-record meeting with the four Cincinnati/Dayton writers. Mac seemed peeved. News of the day: Tom Lawless was being called up from Triple-A to play second base and lead off. A Mac favorite, Ron Oester, was moving to third.
Session ended. We left. McNamara called out: "Peter, you stay." I walked back in. "Close the door," he said. Then he said to me: "Ask me if I agree with the decision to call up Lawless and bat him leadoff." Stunned, I asked him. He said no. Not his call. GM Dick Wagner's call.
He went on. Thought the manager should make these calls, not the GM. Mac knew the Friday morning @Enquirer would have his quotes, and his anger about being forced to make a move he didn't want to make. He also knew, as autocratic as Wagner was, this could have job consequences.
Wagner was not pleased. When the team got back to Cincinnati, McNamara was summoned to meet with Wagner, who aired him out, then fired him. Insubordination. Press conference called. Firing announced on Tuesday, I believe. I didn't know how to react. I called McNamara.
I forget what I said. But McNamara said: "Peter, you got me fired." I froze. Then he chuckled. He said it was coming. Don't worry, best for all involved, all that stuff. Anyway, that's the story of my first scoop (probably last) on the Reds beat. Thanks, John. RIP.
