Earl Weaver, Baltimore's King of Cursing

 Buck Showalter has brought winning baseball back to Baltimore. He's won his first four games as manager of the Orioles who are now just 2 games behind Pittsburgh in their chase to avoid being the worst team in baseball. If he continues the turnaround and brings the O's back to baseball respectability, he'll be a legend in the city of Baltimore. 

 Four wins is a great start, but Showalter has a long way to go to feel the love that Orioles fans have for legendary manager Earl Weaver. As manager of the O's, Weaver won .583 of his games which ranks him 9th all time in Major League Baseball. He managed the Orioles to four world series, winning one over the Cincinnati Reds in 1970. He effectively managed stars like Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and a young Cal Ripken. He also got valuable contributions from lesser known players and used extensive stats to exploit matchups and situations. 

 Even with all his impressive achievements, Weaver is perhaps even better remembered for his theatrical, expletive-filled arguments with umps. Before there was Lou Piniella and Bobby Cox, there was Weaver turning his hat backwards so he could get his face closer to the ump's face without making contact. He kicked dirt on them and removed bases. He milked each ejection for every last drop of revenge on umps who made bad calls.

 Check out this clip of Weaver lashing out at ump Bill Haller for a bad first inning balk called against O's pitcher Mike Flanagan. Haller was miked for a documentary being filmed about umps. 

 In the 70s, Weaver had a Baltimore radio show called Manager's Corner. He'd give his take on baseball and answer calls and questions from fans. He recorded a short prank version of the show that would be great on satellite radio today. It could be the greatest coaching interview in the history of American sports. Check it out. 

 Thanks to the hope Bucky Showalter brought to Baltimore this week, it's a little less painful to remember the great Orioles of the past. Here's to Earl Weaver and the old school Oriole heroes, and to Bucky Showalter getting the O's into the playoffs next year.