Wally Backman

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Walter 'Wally' Wayne Backman (born September 22, 1959 in Hillsboro, Oregon) is a retired baseball player. Backman spent his 14 season career with the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and Seattle Mariners. Backman is most well-known for his time with the Mets from 1980-1988, and was as a member of their 1986 World Championship team. Backman was a key part of the 1986 Mets as he batted .320 and played a very solid second base. Backman played second base and shortstop while with the Mets and switched over to third base later in his career.

[edit] Coaching

In 2006, he became the manager for the South Georgia Peanuts of the independent South Coast League.

However, according to ESPN, Backman resigned from the manager position for the South Georgia Peanuts on August 7, 2007. Three days later, he returned as manager of the Peanuts after he was able to work out differences with South Coast League officials. The Peanuts won their league with a 59-28 record.

In December 2007, Backman became manager of the Joliet Jackhammers.^[1]

[edit] Legal and financial problems

After retiring as a player, Backman was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He coached the Lancaster JetHawks, a farm club for the Mariners. On November 1, 2004, Backman was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks to be their new mananger. However, only a day later, reports surfaced that Backman had serious legal and financial problems. He had also been arrested in 1999 for DUI in Washington as documented on HBO Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. A year later, he was arrested in connection with an altercation in his home in Prineville, Oregon. In addition, Backman declared bankruptcy to avoid paying over 20 creditors, including the IRS.[1] The Diamondbacks initially stood by him, but fired him on November 5. [2].

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube