Johnny Oates facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johnny Oates
Oates with the Nashville Sounds in 1982
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1946-01-21)January 21, 1946 Sylva, North Carolina, U.S.
Died: December 24, 2004(2004-12-24) (aged 58) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Batted: Left Threw: Right
debut
September 17, 1970, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last appearance
May 24, 1981, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Batting average	.250
Home runs	14
Runs batted in	126
Managerial record	797–746
Winning %	.517
Teams
As player Baltimore Orioles (1970, 1972) Atlanta Braves (1973–1975) Philadelphia Phillies (1975–1976) Los Angeles Dodgers (1977–1979) New York Yankees (1980–1981) As manager Baltimore Orioles (1991–1994) Texas Rangers (1995–2001) As coach Chicago Cubs (1984–1987) Baltimore Orioles (1989–1991)
Career highlights and awards
AL Manager of the Year (1996) Texas Rangers No. 26 retired Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame Texas Rangers Hall of Fame

Johnny Lane Oates (born January 21, 1946 – died December 24, 2004) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for several teams from 1970 to 1981.

While playing, Johnny Oates was known for his strong defense. He spent most of his career as a reserve player. He became most famous as a big league manager. Under his leadership, the Texas Rangers won three division titles.

Johnny Oates' Baseball Playing Career

Johnny Oates was born in Sylva, North Carolina. He went to Virginia Tech before being picked by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1967 baseball draft.

Starting in the Minor Leagues

Oates began his professional baseball journey with the Bluefield Orioles in 1967. He played for a few minor league teams, showing off his skills. In 1969, he hit for a .288 batting average with the Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs.

He made his big league debut with the Baltimore Orioles on September 17, 1970. He was 24 years old. Even though the Orioles won the 1970 World Series that year, Oates was not on the team's playoff roster.

Playing for the Orioles and Braves

In 1972, Oates returned to the Orioles and played most of their games as a catcher. He was excellent at defense, leading all American League catchers with a .995 fielding percentage. This means he made very few errors.

Later in 1972, Oates was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He played two seasons with the Braves, often sharing the catching duties with other players.

Oates (right) playing catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1978

Time with the Phillies and Dodgers

In May 1975, Oates was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1976, he broke his collarbone in a collision during a game. This injury caused him to miss almost half the season. He later said, "That play changed my career."

He returned to help the Phillies win their division in 1976. After that season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 1976. With the Dodgers, Oates was a backup catcher. He helped the team reach the playoffs in 1977 and 1978. Both times, the Dodgers made it to the World Series but lost to the New York Yankees.

Finishing with the Yankees

Oates' playing time became less in 1979. He was released by the Dodgers at the end of that season. He then signed with the New York Yankees in 1980. He played his final game on May 24, 1981, when he was 35 years old.

Johnny Oates' Managing Career

After his playing days, Johnny Oates started managing baseball teams in 1982.

Early Managing and Coaching Roles

In 1982, he led the New York Yankees' Double-A team, the Nashville Sounds, to win the Southern League championship.

From 1984 to 1987, Oates worked as a coach for the Chicago Cubs. He was known for helping players improve their skills. He then joined the Baltimore Orioles organization in 1988. In 1989, he became a first base coach for the Orioles.

Managing the Baltimore Orioles

In 1991, Johnny Oates became the manager of the Baltimore Orioles. In his first full season, he led the Orioles to a strong record of 89 wins and 73 losses. In 1993, he guided them to an 85–77 record. His success earned him The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award.

After the 1994 season, Oates left the Orioles. He finished his time as Orioles manager with 291 wins and 270 losses.

Leading the Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers hired Oates as their manager in 1995. He quickly made a big impact. In 1996, he led the Rangers to their first-ever playoff appearance in team history! The team finished with 90 wins and 72 losses.

The Rangers had a very powerful batting lineup with stars like Iván Rodríguez and Juan González. For his great work, Oates won the 1996 American League Manager of the Year Award.

Oates continued to lead the Rangers to more success. They won the American League West division titles again in 1998 and 1999. However, the Rangers struggled in the playoffs during these years. They only won one playoff game in total under Oates, often losing to the powerful New York Yankees.

In a fun moment on September 6, 2000, Oates had player Scott Sheldon play all nine positions in a single game. This was a rare event in MLB history. Oates thought it was the perfect time to do it because the game was already decided.

Oates resigned as manager in 2001. He finished his time with the Rangers with 506 wins and 476 losses.

Career Statistics

Playing Summary

In his 11-year Major League Baseball career, Johnny Oates played in 593 games. He had a .250 career batting average with 14 home runs and 126 runs batted in. He was a strong defensive player, ending his career with a .987 fielding percentage.

Managerial Record

Honors and Legacy

Johnny Oates's number 26 was retired by the Texas Rangers in 2005.

Johnny Oates received many honors for his contributions to baseball.

• He was named American League Manager of the Year in 1996 for leading the Rangers to their first playoff spot. He also won The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award in 1993 with the Orioles.
• The Texas Rangers retired his uniform number 26 on August 5, 2005. This means no other Rangers player will wear that number. It was only the second number the Rangers had ever retired.
• During the 2005 season, Rangers players wore a special patch on their uniforms to honor him.
• In 2010, Oates was honored by being inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.
• He was also inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
• He was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame at The Ballpark in Arlington.

Personal Life

Johnny Oates faced a serious health challenge when he was diagnosed with a type of brain tumor. Doctors initially thought he had a short time to live. However, Oates showed great strength and lived for over three more years. This extra time allowed him to attend important family events, like his daughter's wedding and the birth of his grandchild. He also attended his induction into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.

Johnny Oates passed away on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2004, at the age of 58. He is remembered for his dedication to baseball and his fighting spirit.