DODGERS MOURN THE PASSING OF FRED CLAIRE
LOS ANGELES – Former Dodgers public relations executive and general manager Fred Claire passed away at his home on Monday night. He turned 91 on Monday.
“The Dodgers are grieving the passing of Fred Claire, a longtime key fixture of our organization,” said Stan Kasten, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers. “Fred brought many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, as well as a 1988 World Series title, and we are forever grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era. Our hearts go out to his wife Sheryl and his family.”
The Jamestown, Ohio native and his family moved to Torrance when he was 15 years old. He graduated from Torrance High School and then earned his bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University. A sportswriter throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, Claire first became involved with the Dodgers in 1969 when he was assigned to cover the Spring Training in Vero Beach, Florida for theLong Beach Press-Telegram. He joined the Dodgers’ public relations team that summer and worked his way up in the department until he became the vice president of the department in 1975.
Claire went on to become the Dodgers general manager from 1987-1998 and was instrumental in acquiring Kirk Gibson and other veteran players in the 1988 offseason, en route to the Dodgers winning the 1988 World Series against the Oakland Athletics in his second year as general manager.
”I knew some people might say, what does this guy know about baseball, he covered it from behind a typewriter?” former Dodger owner Peter O’Malley once told the Los Angeles Times. “But I knew Fred could take it. I knew he could do it. And he did it. He deserves a lot of credit for stepping in quickly, without any advance notice, and doing a great job.”
He is survived by his wife Sheryl and three children, Jeff, Jennifer and Kim. Funeral services are pending.
