Dick Wagner (baseball)

Richard Wagner (October 19, 1927 – October 5, 2006) was a sports, entertainment, and broadcasting executive who spent twenty-five years in Major League Baseball. He was best known for running the Cincinnati Reds during the 1970s and the Houston Astros during the 1980s.

Early life and careers

Born in

Shifting career tracks in 1959, Wagner took a position as

Wagner was named general manager of the Houston Astros in September of 1985. Wagner acquired players such as Jim Deshaies and Billy Hatcher in his first winter as general manager of 1985. In 1986, various players would come through in free agency or in trades, such as Larry Andersen or Danny Darwin; both would play four years with the team, and while Andersen would later be part of a future legendary trade made by the Astros, Darwin never saw action as a postseason starter because he was being saved for a World Series bid (due to the Astros relying on a three-man trio of starters).^[5][6] His Astros won the 1986 National League West championship, clinching the division with a September 25 no-hitter by team pitching ace Mike Scott; the Astros lost in the 1986 National League Championship Series to the New York Mets in six games. Oddly, lead broadcaster Gene Elston was let go from the team after the season ended, reportedly at the request of Wagner.^[7] The 1987 Major League Baseball draft saw Wagner and the Astros pick Craig Biggio as their first round pick. Biggio would go on to play twenty seasons for the team as a future member of the Hall of Fame. Wagner resigned as general manager on October 14, 1987, following a power struggle with team manager Hal Lanier, who disagreed with Wagner over a perception of failing to trade for needs in the bullpen and in the infield. Wagner stated that a lack of understanding over what team owner John McMullen wanted from him was a key factor.^[8]

Later years

In 1988, MLB commissioner Peter Ueberroth and American League President Bobby Brown named Wagner a special assistant in the commissioner office, where he would work closely with Brown. He served as a top-level aide for several years, and he ran the New York staff for a time when Bud Selig took over as commissioner in 1993.

Wagner retired to Phoenix, Arizona with his wife Gloria. There, he served on the board of the Western Art Associates of the Phoenix Art Museum and as a vice-president of the Association of Professional Ball Players of America. Wagner was involved in a car accident in 1999 that resulted in trauma and injuries that required attention for the rest of his life.^[9] He died in Phoenix in 2006 from complications of the car accident. He was survived by his two children.^[10]

References