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Perhaps best remembered today as one of the winningest managers in big league history, Dusty Baker also enjoyed a fine 19-year playing career.

Drafted out of high school by the Braves in 1967, Baker made his big league debut the following year. In his first season as a regular in 1972, Dusty hit .321 with a .383 on-base percentage and a .504 slugging mark. For his efforts, he received support in MVP balloting.

Baker enjoyed 8 seasons with Atlanta before being sent to the Dodgers in a six-player deal in November of 1975. In his eight seasons seasons wearing Dodger blue, Baker flourished. The fan-favorite helped his club reach the postseason four times.

In 1977 he was part of baseball’s first 30-homer hitting quartet with Ron Cey, Reggie Smith, and Steve Garvey. His Dodger team won 98 games to earn a berth in the National League Championship Series.

Baker was magnificent in his first postseason series. In LA’s four-game NLCS victory over the Phillies, he recorded five hits, including a double and two home runs to account for 12 total bases. His 8 runs batted in and 1.295 OPS helped earn him the NLCS MVP. The Dodgers fell short of baseball’s ultimate prize in a 6-game World Series loss to the Yankees.

The Dodgers returned to the Fall Classic in ’78 but dropped to New York, again in six.

Two years later Baker had his finest year in Los Angeles. He slammed 29 homers and drove in 97 runs to go along with a .503 slugging percentage and a career-best 291 total bases.

A Silver Slugger recipient in both ’80 and ’81, Baker finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting each year.

Dusty earned the first of two consecutive All Star berths in 1981 when he hit .320 with a 132 OPS+. His performance helped the Dodgers reach the World Series against the Yankees, their foes from ’77 and ’78.

This time it was the Dodgers who prevailed in six, the final triumph coming in a 9-2 thrashing of New York at Yankee Stadium.

The 1982 season was another fine campaign for the outfielder. He hit an even .300 and reached 130 in OPS+ for the 6th and final time.

Baker signed with the Giants as a free agent in 1984 and played three more seasons, two in San Francisco and one in Oakland in 1986. He finished his 19-year playing career with 1,981 hits, 242 homers, and 1,013 RBI.

Shown here is a Topps baseball card of Dusty Baker from the 1981 World Series championship season. A National League choice for the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in ’81, Baker added his signature across it.

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Bob Gibson was one of the fiercest competitors in baseball history. His intensity on the mound struck fear into the hearts of opposing hitters. Dusty Baker always remembered Hank Aaron’s advice about Gibson, warning players not to provoke him.

Baker and Aaron were teammates for 8 seasons with the Atlanta Braves from 1968 through 1975.

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After 8 years and 628 games in Atlanta, Dusty Baker was traded to the Dodgers. The November, 1975 swap included six players with Baker and Jimmy Wynn as the centerpieces.

The trade worked out well for Los Angeles. Baker played in 1,117 contests for the Dodgers over the next 8 seasons. He slammed 20+ homers in four of the seasons, made two All Star teams, earned two Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove. He was also an integral part of the 1981 World Series championship roster.

The government postcard above was signed by Wynn a week before the 1969 season opener. To see more about Wynn, click here.

 

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Dusty Baker’s former manager Roger Craig hired him as first base coach for the 1988 Giants. After one season in that capacity, Baker served as hitting coach from 1989 through 1992.

After the ’92 season he managed the Giants minor leaguers in the Arizona Fall League. In December a group led by Peter Macgowan bought the club. Among the first moves were the firing of the 62-year old Craig, the signing of Barry Bonds, and the naming of Baker as manager.

Baker guided the team to 103 wins and was voted NL Manager of the Year. Three-time manager of the year Baker guided the Giants to first or second place in eight of his ten seasons at the helm. After an ’02 Fall Classic loss to the Angels, Baker moved on to Chicago where he helmed the Cubs for four seasons.

His managerial resume also includes 6 years in Cincinnati, two years in Washington, and finally this successful stay in Houston.

His 2021 Astros won American League pennant, making Baker the 9th man to earn the flag in each league. The list includes Al Dark, Joe Maddon, Jim Leyland, and Hall of Famers Sparky Anderson, Yogi Berra, Tony La Russa, Joe McCarthy and Dick Williams.

He has more wins than all but 8 managers, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame. In 2022 Baker finally earned what many people believe completes his Cooperstown resumé – the elusive World Series championship.

In the collection is this lineup card signed by Dusty Baker as manager of the Reds on August 3, 2011. Baker’s Reds lost 5-4 to his future employers the Houston Astros.

Defending NL MVP Joey Votto had three hits – two of them doubles – and a run scored. By season’s end he would lead the league in two-base hits for the only time of his career.

It was also the first of five seasons that Votto led the NL in walks and the second of seven times that he paced the circuit in on-base percentage. An All Star for the second time in 2011, Votto also received the only Gold Glove Award of his career.

On the Houston side, Jose Altuve played in just his 14th big league game . The second baseman went 2-for-3 to record the 16th and 17th hits of his career and his third career multi-hit contest. His first-inning at bat featured the first sacrifice bunt of his career.

Baker’s signature is found at the bottom.