Joe Burke (baseball executive)

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Joseph R. Burke (1924-1992) was a front office executive in American Major League Baseball who served as general manager or club president of the Kansas City Royals during the most successful period in that franchise's history.

Burke was executive vice president and general manager of the Royals from the middle of the 1974 season through October 1981. He then served as club president until his death on May 14, 1992. During his tenure, Burke was general manager of the Royals' first American League championship team, the 1980 edition, then was president of the 1985 Royals, which won the franchise's first (and so far only) World Series title. In addition to those two pennant-winners, the Royals won American League West Division championships in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981 (second half of a split season) and1984.

Burke previously worked in the front office of the Texas Rangers and its predecessor, the second Washington Senators franchise. He had begun his baseball career in 1948 with the Louisville Colonels of the AAA American Association, where he worked under Ed Doherty, general manager of the franchise. He joined the expansion Senators in 1961 as business manager, working under Doherty, the club's first general manager. He later became the Senators' vice president and treasurer, and was retained when Bob Short purchased the club in 1968. He accompanied the Senators to Dallas-Fort Worth when the franchise relocated after the '71 season and became the Rangers' general manager in their first season in North Texas. In June 1974, he became the second general manager in Royals' history. One of his first major moves in Kansas City was the hiring of Whitey Herzog as manager during the middle of the 1975 season. Herzog, who had failed dismally as the Rangers' pilot during 1973, would turn the Royals into consistent contenders in the AL West. Burke also appointed Jim Frey and Dick Howser as managers after Herzog's exit, and each man would lead Kansas City to an American League pennant (and, in Howser's case, the 1985 World Series title as well).

Burke died of lymphatic cancer in Kansas City, Kansas, at age 68.

[edit] References

• Obituary, The Washington Post, May 14, 1992.
• Obituary, The New York Times, May 14, 1992.
• Baseball America Executive Database.

Preceded by Bob Short	Texas Rangers General Manager 1972 - 1973	Succeeded by Dan O'Brien Sr.
Preceded by Cedric Tallis	Kansas City Royals General Manager 1974 - 1981	Succeeded by John Schuerholz