Cito Gaston

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Cito Gaston's name is honoured by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Rogers Centre.
Cito Gaston's name is honoured by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Rogers Centre.

Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston (born March 17, 1944 in San Antonio, Texas) is a former outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball best known for managing the Toronto Blue Jays to their two World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. He, along with Dusty Baker, are the only African American managers to have led a team to a World Series, with Gaston being the only one to have won.

Contents

[edit] Personal life

Gaston grew up in San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas, where his father was a truck driver. His career ambitions were either to be a truck driver like his father, or make into the Major Leagues. His name 'Cito' was adopted by him as a preference to his given name 'Clarence'. Gaston later told Toronto Blue Jays broadcasters that the name was taken from a Mexican-American wrestler he watched as a young man in Texas. As a veteran player with the Atlanta Braves he was roomate with all-time Major League Home Run leader Hank Aaron. Gaston credits Aaron with teaching him "how to be a man; how to stand on my own."[1].

[edit] Playing career

Primarily a center fielder, Gaston began his decade-long playing career in 1967 with the Atlanta Braves, appearing in nine games. The following year he was selected by the San Diego Padres in the expansion draft, first playing for them in 1969. He had his best individual season in 1970 when he batted .318 with 29 home runs, 92 runs scored and 93 RBI's, and was selected to the National League All-Star team. The rest of Gaston's career did not live up to his All-Star season success. Gaston never hit more than 17 home runs or knocked in more than 61 runs in any season with the Padres (until 1974) or the Braves (from 1975 until 1978).[2].

[edit] Managing career

Gaston became the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1982, a position he held until May 1989 when he took over managerial duties from Jimy Williams when the team was suffering through an unexpected bad start. Gaston originally declined the offer to be manager when Williams was fired. He told Ebony magazine: "When I was offered the job as manager, I didn't want it. I was happy working as the team's hitting instructor,"[3]. It was only when his players encouraged him to take the job did he reconsider the offer. It wasn't a mistake, under Gaston's leadership, Toronto transformed from a sub-.500 team to the eventual division winners, going 89-73 (77-49 under Gaston). Toronto's success under Gaston was not short-lived, as they finished second in the division behind Boston the following year and won the division again in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Toronto won their first franchise World Series in 1992 and followed it up with victory in the 1993 World Series.

[edit] World Series seasons

As a coach and manager, Gaston was considered a player's manager. He was a soft spoken and steady influence during years that saw a large group of talented, high salaried players grace the Blue Jays uniform. The franchise led the Major Leagues in attendence, riding high from a dedicated fan base and new stadium to play in when Gaston took the helm. The Jays opened the SkyDome a few months after Gaston became manager and the financial success translated into major free agent signings, like pitcher Jack Morris, Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor and Rickey Henderson. Yet they also retained core All-stars like Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar and John Olerud. Therefore, Gaston is either credited, or discredited, for his success with World Series teams that acquired high priced talent, often at the trading deadline. According to many, the Jays were so talented his job was easy. However, the Jays franchise won their first division title in 1985 and before Gaston was hired, the franchise was known for failing to live up to expectations. The failure of the New York Yankees in the 2000s to win a World Series testifies to the fact that talent alone cannot win championships in baseball. Gaston was able to take superstars and mold them into a team. Joe Carter credits Gaston for the team's championships:

"Cito knows how to work with each individual, treating everyone like a human being," says World Series hero Carter. "He knows exactly what to say, when to say it, what to do and how to go about doing it. When you have a manager like that, it makes you want to play for the guy. We'd go to war for him. What Cito has done for the Blue Jays can't be taken lightly."[4].

Gaston worked with players at an individual level as a hitting instructor and transferred this to the job of field boss. He was known for his open communication with his players[5]. Nevertheless, he is the only manager to be thrown out of a Major League playoff game[6] and was a successful game strategist, effectively handling National League rules during World Series home games in Atlanta and Philadelphia.

[edit] All-Star manager

Gaston was the manager for two American League All-Star teams since he was the manager of the championship American League franchise in 1992 and 1993. He was critized for selecting six Blue Jays to the 1993 roster, but was unapolgetic stating all six were World Champions and two were future Hall of Famers. Nevertheless, he incited ire in Baltimore fans, a franchise that had failed to compete consistently in the American League East against the Jays. In 1993 All-Star Game held at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, he was criticized for not getting Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina into the game. Mussina got up in the ninth inning to warm up in the bullpen[7]. Mussina later claimed that he was simply doing a between-start workout, but some interpreted it was an attempt to force Gaston to put him into the game. Gaston instead allowed Blue Jays pitcher Duane Ward to close out the victory for the American League. Next year in Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium former Jay Jimmy Key started but the American League lost breaking a six year winning streak.[8]

[edit] Post-World Series

Gaston's success, like that of the Blue Jays franchise, faded after the championship years. After Major League Baseball solved its labor problems in 1994, Pat Gillick and eventually Paul Beeston left the organization and annual attendence dropped considerably. Yet the Blue Jays were still trying to compete in the American League East and in 1997 signed free agent Roger Clemens. When the team could barely break the .500 mark all season, Gaston was fired by GM Gord Ash. He had failed to lead the team to a winning record since 1993 and seemed uninterested in keeping his position[9]. Gaston forced Ash's hand by telling his boss that he was taking a vacation at season's end and would not be around for the usual post season evaluation process, thus ending his Jays managing career in an undignified fashion. He was replaced by then-pitching coach Mel Queen on an interim basis for the last week of the 1997 season. Gaston rejoined the team as a hitting coach after the 1999 season but was not retained after a disappointing 2001 campaign and the sale of the franchise to Rogers Communications. In 2002, he was hired by the Jays for a third time, as special assistant to president and chief executive officer Paul Godfrey[10].

Given Gaston's impressive record and World Series titles, it is somewhat surprising that he never managed again in the Major Leagues. Nevertheless, Gaston was a final candidate for the Detroit Tigers manager's job in the 1999-2000 [11] season and was the runner-up to in the Chicago White Sox manager position in the 2003-4 off season. Sox GM Kenny Williams, a former Blue Jays player, had Gaston as one of two finalists for the job but decided to hire Ozzie Guillén.[12][13]. Gaston had several offers to rejoin major league teams as a hitting instructor, namely the Kansas City Royals, but declined offers. His length of unemployment now makes it unlikely he will return to the major leagues as a manger.

[edit] Honors

Gaston was elected into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.[14]. In 1999, his Blue Jays uniform name and number (#43) were honoured by addition to the Rogers Centre's Blue Jays "Level of Excellence".[15] The University of Toronto granted Gaston an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in June of 1994[16].

[edit] Managerial Statistics

Team Year Regular Season Post Season
Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
TOR 1989 77 49 .611 1st in AL East 1 4 .200 Lost to Oakland Athletics in ALCS
TOR 1990 86 76 .531 2nd in AL East - - - -
TOR 1991 72 57 .558 1st in AL East 0 0 - Lost to Minnesota Twins in ALCS1
TOR 1992 96 66 .593 1st in AL East 8 4 .667 Won World Series
TOR 1993 95 67 .586 1st in AL East 8 4 .667 Won World Series
TOR 1994 55 60 .478 3rd in AL East - - - No Post-Season.2
TOR 1995 56 88 .389 5th in AL East - - - -
TOR 1996 74 88 .457 4th in AL East - - - -
TOR 1997 72 85 .459 5th in AL East - - - -
Total 683 636 .518 17 12 .586 Won 2 World Series
  • 1Did not manage due to surgery.
  • 2Post Season Canceled due to players strike.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Leavy, Walter. "Cito Gaston: on top of the baseball world - baseball manager", Ebony March 1994. Available online at: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n7_v49/ai_15198539
  2. ^ Cito Gaston. The Baseball Almanac (website). Available online at: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=gastoci01
  3. ^ Leavy, Walter. "Cito Gaston: on top of the baseball world - baseball manager", Ebony March 1994. Available online at: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n7_v49/ai_15198539
  4. ^ Leavy, Walter. "Cito Gaston: on top of the baseball world - baseball manager", Ebony March 1994. Available online at: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n7_v49/ai_15198539
  5. ^ Craig, Tommy. "Words of advice from Tom Craig". Personal Management Coaching (website). Available online at: http://www.pmcoaching.com/tom.htm
  6. ^ Brainy History (website). http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1991/october_13_1991_165732.html
  7. ^ 1993 All-Star Game. Baseball Almanac. (website) Available online at: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1993as.shtml
  8. ^ 1994 All-Star Game. Baseball Almanac. (website) Available online at: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1994as.shtml
  9. ^ Stanley, Diane. My Personal Shawn Green Biography (website). Available online at: http://www.shawngreen.net/biography/1997.html. NOTE: This source is offered as a source although it is a personal website yet reflects common opinion at the time.
  10. ^ CBC News (website). "Gaston back with Blue Jays" 25 February 2002. CBC News Available online at: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2002/02/23/gaston020223.html
  11. ^ Stone, Mike and Bob Wojnowski. WDFN Sports Radio, Stoney & Wojo Show November-December 1999. Detroit Free Press and Detroit News reports citing Gaston's candidacy were discussed weekly while the Tigers searched for a replacement to Lance Parrish.
  12. ^ Padilla, Doug. Chicago Sun-Times 2 November 2003. Available online at: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20031102/ai_n12528915
  13. ^ Elliot, Bob. Toronto Sun 24 October 2003. Available online at: http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/Sports/2003/10/24/234991.html
  14. ^ Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Available online at: http://www.baseballhalloffame.ca/inductees.html
  15. ^ Blue Jay Way (website). Level of Excellence Members Available online at: http://www.bluejayway.ca/jaytabase/excellence.php
  16. ^ Official Site of the Toronto Blue Jays (website). Toronto Blue Jays History. Available online at: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/history/timeline4.jsp

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Jimy Williams		 Toronto Blue Jays Manager
1989–1997		 Succeeded by
Tim Johnson
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