Rick Manning

Rick Manning
Richard Eugene Manning (born September 2, 1954) is an American former center fielder and current broadcaster in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played for the Cleveland Indians (1975–1983) and Milwaukee Brewers (1983–1987), and has been a color commentator for Cleveland Guardians telecasts since 1990.
Major league career
Manning, who was the second overall selection in the 1972 MLB draft, made his major league debut with the Indians during the 1975 season. In 1976, he was recognized for his defensive play by winning the American League Gold Glove Award.
Manning had a romantic involvement with teammate Dennis Eckersley's wife, Denise; they eventually married, and then divorced. This may have led to the Indians' front office's decision to trade one of the players; there were other "official" and "unofficial" reasons given. Eckersley, a future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, was traded with Fred Kendall on March 30, 1978, to the Boston Red Sox for Rick Wise, Mike Paxton, Bo Díaz and Ted Cox.
After playing five more seasons with the Indians, Manning was traded along with Rick Waits to the Milwaukee Brewers for Gorman Thomas, Jamie Easterly and Ernie Camacho on June 6, 1983. As a member of the Brewers, he hit a 10th-inning single on August 26, 1987 as the Brewers defeated the Indians 1-0. Brewers fans actually booed Manning for driving in the winning run because Paul Molitor was on deck and looking to extend his 39-game hit streak. Manning's walk-off single deprived Molitor of one last chance to reach 40 games as he went 0-for-4 in the contest.
Career highlights
On May 15, 1981, Manning caught Ernie Whitt's fly ball, the final out of Len Barker's perfect game, in one of the most memorable images in Cleveland sports history; the Indians defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0.
Broadcasting career
Since 1990, he has served as a color commentator for Indians/Guardians telecasts. Manning has the longest tenure of any television announcer in team history.
Manning can be seen doing Guardians games on Bally Sports Great Lakes (alongside Matt Underwood). He resides in Chesterland, Ohio during the season, and Scottsdale, Arizona in the offseason. He also occasionally provides color commentary on regional broadcasts for Major League Baseball on FOX, mainly when FOX shows a Guardians game.
Awards
1976 American League Gold Glove Award (Center Field)
1980 BBWAA (Baseball Writers' Association of America) Good Guy Award
2014 Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Excellence in Broadcasting Award
Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame (class of 2017)
2018 Lower Great Lakes Emmy Award winner as part of the Indians broadcast team
See also
List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
References
External links
ClevelandIndians.com: Broadcasters
1954 births
Living people
Major League Baseball center fielders
Cleveland Guardians announcers
Cleveland Indians players
Major League Baseball broadcasters
Milwaukee Brewers players
Gold Glove Award winners
Baseball players from New York (state)
Sportspeople from Niagara Falls, New York
Reno Silver Sox players
Oklahoma City 89ers players
Fort Myers Sun Sox players
People from Geauga County, Ohio