Curt Motton

Curt Motton's timing when it came to hitting some of the American League's top pitchers was under his control. When he played, and how much, was not. Motton, who died Thursday at age 69 after a yearlong battle with stomach cancer, had the good fortune of playing with the Orioles when they were the league's most dominant team. It was also his misfortune, considering that Motton could never break into an outfield that featured Paul Blair, Frank Robinson and Don Buford. Orioles manager "Earl Weaver loved guys like Curt Motton because he knew what he was going to get," Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer recalled Friday.

The intense stare is captured, the look of a slugger tracking a ball hit well into the night. The bat is dangling from the bronzed Frank Robinson's left hand. “I'm looking at the ball going out in the outfield, but I am ready to drop that bat and get my damn butt down the bases,” the flesh-and-bones Robinson quipped Saturday evening. “I don't want to stay up there [at the plate] too long.” Robinson, the Hall of Fame outfielder who led the Orioles to their first world championship in 1966 and a string of three more World Series appearances in the next five years, on Saturday became the first player to have his likeness replicated in a life-size bronze statue in the Garden of the Greats picnic area behind center field at Camden Yards.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. - Whenever my allegiance to the Orioles is called into question -- a common occurrence these days here in the Midwest -- I'm obliged to tell the tale of Curt Motton's glove and the heroic act of kindness behind it.Jackie Golden has made a career of tending to children's needs as head of special education for Baltimore City schools. Twenty years ago, the former Mrs. Curt Motton attended to mine.In the summer of '71, Frank Robinson was stalking his 500th home run, and I was among the hordes stalking Frank.

News item: Former major league outfielder Curt Motton, a member of the great Orioles teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s, died Thursday after a yearlong bout with stomach cancer. He was 69. My take: The testimonials from his former teammates speak for themselves. Curt was a nice player, but -- more importantly -- he was one of the nicest people ever to wear an Orioles uniform. Godspeed. News item: During his season-ending news conference Tuesday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh would not rule out the possibility that the team would bring back kicker Matt Stover next season.

As surprises go, the announcement that Orioles manager Frank Robinson will return with his entire coaching staff ranked right up there with death and taxes.There was never any doubt that Robinson would postpone his move to the front office for at least one more year, and two weeks ago he said of his coaches, "If I'm back, they're back."So at least this much is known about 1991: Johnny Oates (first base), Cal Ripken Sr. (third), Tom McCraw (hitting), Al Jackson (pitching), Elrod Hendricks (bullpen)

BASEBALL American League * Orioles -- Signed John Oates (manager) to a two-year contract. Announced that Al Jackson (pitching coach) will not be retained and Curt Motton (first base coach) will be offered another position in the organization.* Boston Red Sox -- Reinstated Danny Darwin, Jeff Gray and Darryl Irvine (pitchers) from the 15-day disabled list and Mike Miller (pitcher) and Tim Naehring (shortstop) from the 60-day disabled list. Waived Miller and Dave Owen (pitcher) for the purpose of an outright assignment to Pawtucket of the International League.

Curt Motton's timing when it came to hitting some of the American League's top pitchers was under his control. When he played, and how much, was not. Motton, who died Thursday at age 69 after a year-long battle with stomach cancer, had the good fortune of playing with the Orioles when they were the league's most dominant team. It was also his misfortune, considering that Motton could never break into an outfield that featured Paul Blair, Frank Robinson and Don Buford. "[Orioles manager]

The intense stare is captured, the look of a slugger tracking a ball hit well into the night. The bat is dangling from the bronzed Frank Robinson's left hand. “I'm looking at the ball going out in the outfield, but I am ready to drop that bat and get my damn butt down the bases,” the flesh-and-bones Robinson quipped Saturday evening. “I don't want to stay up there [at the plate] too long.” Robinson, the Hall of Fame outfielder who led the Orioles to their first world championship in 1966 and a string of three more World Series appearances in the next five years, on Saturday became the first player to have his likeness replicated in a life-size bronze statue in the Garden of the Greats picnic area behind center field at Camden Yards.

John Oates doesn't know if he'll be back next year as Baltimore Orioles manager, but he does know that there will be some changes in the club's spring training regimen if he can help it."There will be a lot more time spent on base-running," Oates said. "I've told Cal [Ripken] Sr. that this club could spend one whole week on base-running in spring training. One hour, one day a week doesn't get it."Oates was not being critical of Ripken, who handled the base-running instruction this spring, but he said that there was not enough time to do more than a cursory run-through of various base-running situations.

It was only one game, and the box score indicated it was insignificant, but Randy Milligan's outfield education advanced to another level on Opening Day.And tonight, when the Orioles meet the Chicago White Sox at Memorial Stadium (7:35, HTS), will be yet another learning experience. You can call spring training a crash course, but moving from first base to the outfield requires more than breaking in a new glove. Two days ago Milligan played the outfield in a big-league park for the first time.

Curt Motton's timing when it came to hitting some of the American League's top pitchers was under his control. When he played, and how much, was not. Motton, who died Thursday at age 69 after a yearlong battle with stomach cancer, had the good fortune of playing with the Orioles when they were the league's most dominant team. It was also his misfortune, considering that Motton could never break into an outfield that featured Paul Blair, Frank Robinson and Don Buford. Orioles manager "Earl Weaver loved guys like Curt Motton because he knew what he was going to get," Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer recalled Friday.

Curt Motton's timing when it came to hitting some of the American League's top pitchers was under his control. When he played, and how much, was not. Motton, who died Thursday at age 69 after a year-long battle with stomach cancer, had the good fortune of playing with the Orioles when they were the league's most dominant team. It was also his misfortune, considering that Motton could never break into an outfield that featured Paul Blair, Frank Robinson and Don Buford. "[Orioles manager]

BASEBALL American League * Orioles -- Signed John Oates (manager) to a two-year contract. Announced that Al Jackson (pitching coach) will not be retained and Curt Motton (first base coach) will be offered another position in the organization.* Boston Red Sox -- Reinstated Danny Darwin, Jeff Gray and Darryl Irvine (pitchers) from the 15-day disabled list and Mike Miller (pitcher) and Tim Naehring (shortstop) from the 60-day disabled list. Waived Miller and Dave Owen (pitcher) for the purpose of an outright assignment to Pawtucket of the International League.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. - Whenever my allegiance to the Orioles is called into question -- a common occurrence these days here in the Midwest -- I'm obliged to tell the tale of Curt Motton's glove and the heroic act of kindness behind it.Jackie Golden has made a career of tending to children's needs as head of special education for Baltimore City schools. Twenty years ago, the former Mrs. Curt Motton attended to mine.In the summer of '71, Frank Robinson was stalking his 500th home run, and I was among the hordes stalking Frank.

John Oates doesn't know if he'll be back next year as Baltimore Orioles manager, but he does know that there will be some changes in the club's spring training regimen if he can help it."There will be a lot more time spent on base-running," Oates said. "I've told Cal [Ripken] Sr. that this club could spend one whole week on base-running in spring training. One hour, one day a week doesn't get it."Oates was not being critical of Ripken, who handled the base-running instruction this spring, but he said that there was not enough time to do more than a cursory run-through of various base-running situations.

For all their talk of stability, the Orioles are rather adept at identifying scapegoats. The "reassigning" of Frank Robinson was only the start. Pitching coach Al Jackson and hitting coach Tom McCraw now appear in serious trouble as well.Jackson, 55, and McCraw, 50, are the most prominent holdovers from Robinson's staff, and from every indication they won't be invited back next season.What's more, the two coaches seem to recognize this is probably their last year with the club. "I tell Mac every day, just go out, do your job, keep teaching," Jackson says.

For all their talk of stability, the Orioles are rather adept at identifying scapegoats. The "reassigning" of Frank Robinson was only the start. Pitching coach Al Jackson and hitting coach Tom McCraw now appear in serious trouble as well.Jackson, 55, and McCraw, 50, are the most prominent holdovers from Robinson's staff, and from every indication they won't be invited back next season.What's more, the two coaches seem to recognize this is probably their last year with the club. "I tell Mac every day, just go out, do your job, keep teaching," Jackson says.

He's back.Using just two words, the Baltimore Orioles stated the obvious last night: Frank Robinson will return as the team's manager for the 1991 baseball season. The team's coaching staff also will be kept intact."The job isn't done," Robinson said, repeating one of his pet phrases to describe the team's rebuilding effort.Robinson, who works on a rollover contract that must be renewed each year, will enter his 16th season with the Orioles and his third as the team's manager."When you have the respect of the people you're working with, it makes your job that much easier," Robinson said.

It didn't come as a shock.It never does.When a team struggles to a 13-24 record the manager is either already gone or afraid to answer the phone.Still, when Frank Robinson was "reassigned" to the front office and replaced by Johnny Oates yesterday, there was at least an element of surprise. The Orioles had just completed an informal workout at Memorial Stadium, when trainer Richie Bancells informed Robinson that general manager Roland Hemond wanted to see him.An off day. The team returning home from yet another losing road trip.

It was only one game, and the box score indicated it was insignificant, but Randy Milligan's outfield education advanced to another level on Opening Day.And tonight, when the Orioles meet the Chicago White Sox at Memorial Stadium (7:35, HTS), will be yet another learning experience. You can call spring training a crash course, but moving from first base to the outfield requires more than breaking in a new glove. Two days ago Milligan played the outfield in a big-league park for the first time.