Fred Claire, former Dodgers GM who oversaw 1988 World Series champion team, dies at 91

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Fred Claire, who parlayed early jobs as a sports writer and editor into a 30-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in public relations and as a World Series-winning general manager, has died. He was 91.

Claire died Monday, on his 91st birthday, in Pasadena, the team announced Tuesday. Claire had entered hospice care recently.

In January 2015, at age 80, Claire was diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer on his lip. He had the cells removed, but the cancer later returned in his jaw and again in his neck. He had surgery to remove a nerve on the left side of his face along with several lymph nodes. He underwent radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy as part of his 11-year journey with cancer.

He would jog regularly during his years on the road as the Dodgers general manager and said he was diligent about wearing sun screen except on his lips.

“Fred brought many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, as well as the 1988 World Series title,” team president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement, “and we are forever grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era.”

Claire was covering the Dodgers during spring training in Florida for the Long Beach Press-Telegram in 1969 when one of the team’s public relations assistants was fired.

He expressed interest in the job and was hired that July. He was promoted to vice president of public relations and promotions in 1975.

During his tenure, Claire was instrumental in creating the Dodger Blue branding and Think Blue campaign. The club drew 3.3 million fans in 1978, the first MLB team to exceed 3 million . He also hired announcer Ross Porter, who worked for the team from 1977 until being let go in 2004.

In 1976, Chicago Cubs outfielder Rick Monday ran over and saved an American flag from being burned on the Dodger Stadium field by two spectators. Claire directed the message board operator to type the words: “Rick Monday......You Made a Great Play” on the board.

In April 1987, a public relations firestorm occurred over comments 70-year-old general manager Al Campanis made on ABC’s “Nightline.”

Campanis, who was white, was asked by host Ted Koppel about the lack of Black people in significant positions of authority in baseball.

“I truly believe they may not have some of the necessities to be, let’s say, a field manager, or perhaps, a general manager,” Campanis said. “Why are Black people not good swimmers? Because they don’t have buoyancy.”

Campanis had agreed to the interview without telling anyone in the Dodgers organization. Claire awoke the next day to a story about Campanis’ comments in the newspaper.

“I couldn’t believe what I was reading,” he wrote in his 2004 memoir.

Campanis had been Jackie Robinson’s roommate when the two were in the minor leagues in 1946, and he tutored Robinson in transitioning from shortstop to second base. Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

“Those who knew Al expressed shock. There had never been a hint of bigotry in anything he had ever said or done,” Claire wrote. “In my view, what Al had attempted to do that night was to defend his beloved game of baseball in an area where there was no defense.”

Campanis was fired after two decades as GM. Team owner Peter O’Malley handed control of one of the most storied teams in baseball to Claire. He accepted on the condition that he would have total and complete responsibility for baseball operations.

Claire wasn’t intimidated, either, having been involved in discussions regarding free agents, arbitration and team payroll since becoming a team vice president in 1975.

In Claire’s first full season as GM, the Dodgers finished with a 73-89 record in 1987. O’Malley informed Claire he was considering bringing in a more experienced person for the job. He called the New York Mets and asked for permission to speak to Joe McIlvaine, but was denied. O’Malley decided to stick with Claire.

“Fred was a talented team player and everyone in the organization enjoyed working with him,” O’Malley said in a statement.

He is survived by wife Sheryl and children Jeff, Jennifer and Kim.

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