Mini Bio
Jim Leyland started his career as a Minor League catcher, but after seven years there, he never moved up to the Majors. His first manager position was with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-1996), but some of his greatest triumphs came next with the Florida Marlins, leading the team to a Pennant and World Series Title during the next two years. After a year with the Rockies, Leyland completed is career spending 8 years with the Detroit Tigers, winning two Pennants there. Known to his players as “Skip,” Leyland was especially known for pulling the best out of his team by his positive attitude but firm guidance.
Leyland is one of only a handful of members in the Baseball Hall of Fame without a team logo on his Hall of Fame plaque; instead all four of the teams he managed are mentioned on his plaque. As Leyland put it, “I do not want to disrespect anybody that I managed for.”
Personal Life
Born: December 15, 1944, Toledo, Ohio
Spouse: Katie O’Connor (November 27, 1987 – present) 2 children
Joanna Grow (October 9, 1976 – November 20, 1977) divorced
Induction
Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Selected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee on 15 of 16 ballots.
Total Games: 3499
Career win/loss record: 1769/1728, winning percentage .506
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017
Achievements
- 28 years as a Major League Manager: Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-1996), Florida Marlins (1997-1998), Colorado Rockies (1999), Detroit Tigers (2006-2013)
- 3 Pennants: Florida Marlins (1997), Detroit Tigers (2011, 2013)
- 1 World Series Title – Florida Marlins, 1997
- Three-time Manager of the Year (Pittsburgh Pirates 1990 & 1992, Detroit Tigers 2006)
- Managed the 1998 NL All-Star Team and 2007, 2013 AL All-Star Teams
Quotes & Notes
- On learning of his selection for the Hall of Fame: “It’s the final stop, really, as far as your baseball career goes. And to land there in Cooperstown, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
- When Leyland didn’t get the call as early as he expected, he actually went to lay in bed, “just to rest a minute and kind of get my thoughts together.” However, he didn’t have to wait much longer. “When my son came up, the phone rang, and it was the Hall of Fame. I couldn’t believe it. And there was definitely a tear in my eye.”
- On visiting the Hall of Fame the first time after being selected: “I’ve been here before, but I never got a tour like I got today… I actually got a little choked up when I saw some of the stuff, like Al Kaline’s glove. I was very close to him.”
- “Skip (Jim) always treated everyone the same. He had that good feel, not just what was going on in the clubhouse, but a good feel in general on what was going on with his players, both on and off the field. He knew when they might need a kick in the rear end or a pat on the back. His timing was impeccable for those types of things.” Alex Avila, Catcher, Detroit Lions
- Leyland’s last time to Cooperstown was when former teammate Tony LaRussa was inducted in 2014.
- LaRussa’s St. Louis Cardinals beat Leyland’s Detroit Tigers in the World Series in 2006.
- Leyland was ejected from a game 73 times during his career.
- “Believe it or not, when I was a kid I was in the choir and I loved to sing,” Leyland said. “I had a brother play the piano, two sisters who played the piano. We hung around the piano every Sunday night and we sang, and that’s what we did. Maybe if you had a couple drinks, I didn’t sound too bad.” Jim Leyland recalling singing in a saloon during a winter meeting at the Gaylord Opryland Resort.
References
National Baseball Hall of Fame – Jim Leyland
Baseball-Reference.com – Jim Leyland
IMDB – Jim Leyland
Wikipedia – Jim Leyland
Get Jim Leyland Memorabilia today! (This page contains affiliate links; should you make a purchase SportsMuseums.com may earn a commission.)