Cito Gaston
Encyclopedia
Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston (icon; born March 17, 1944) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder
and manager
. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves. His managerial career was with the Toronto Blue Jays where he became the first African-American manager in Major League history to win a World Series title.
Cito Gaston managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1989 to 1997, and again from 2008 to 2010. During this time, he managed the Blue Jays to four Division Titles (1989, 1991, 1992 and 1993), two American League Pennants (1992 and 1993) and two World Series (1992 and 1993).
, where his father was a truck
driver. His career ambitions were either to be a truck driver like his father, or make into the Major Leagues. He adopted his nickname 'Cito' in preference to his given name 'Clarence'. Gaston later told Toronto Blue Jays
broadcasters that the name was taken from a Mexican-American wrestler he watched as a young man in Texas. Other reports state that Gaston was given this nickname from a friend named Carlos Thompson who thought that Gaston resembled a Mexican wrestler named "Cito".
As a player with the Atlanta Braves
, he was the roommate of the all-time Major League Home Run
leader, Hank Aaron. Gaston credits Aaron with teaching him "how to be a man; how to stand on my own."
Gaston has been married three times. His first marriage to Lena Green, ended in divorce with Gaston citing his baseball career as the reason. His second marriage to a Canadian woman, Denise, lasted from the early 80s to the early 2000s. Since 2003, Gaston has been married to Lynda, both residing in Oldsmar, Florida
. When in Toronto, Gaston lives in a downtown condominium
which he sublets to Toronto Maple Leafs
assistant coach Tim Hunter.
, Gaston began his decade-long playing career in with the Atlanta
Braves
, appearing in nine games. The following year he was selected by the San Diego Padres
in the expansion draft
, first playing for them in . He had his best individual season in , when he batted
.318 (the highest batting average by a Padre prior to Tony Gwynn
's arrival) with 29 home run
s, 92 runs scored and 93 RBI, and was selected to the National League
All-Star team
. The rest of Gaston's career did not live up to his All-Star season success. Gaston never hit more than 17 home runs or knocked in more than 61 runs in any season with the Padres (until ) or the Braves (from until ).
for the Toronto Blue Jays
in . Gaston remained the hitting instructor until 15 May , when he took over managerial duties from Jimy Williams
, when the team was suffering through an unexpectedly bad start. Gaston originally declined the offer to be manager when Williams was fired. He told Ebony
magazine: "When I was offered the job as manager, I didn't want it. I was happy working as the team's hitting instructor". It was only when his players encouraged him to take the job did he reconsider the offer.
Under Gaston's leadership, Toronto transformed from a sub-.500 team (12–24 under Jimy Williams) to the eventual division winners, going 89–73 (77–49 under Gaston). Toronto's success under Gaston was not short-lived, as they finished second in the division behind Boston
the following year and won the division again in , and .
a few months after Gaston became manager and the financial success translated into major free agent signings, including pitcher Jack Morris
, and outfielders Dave Winfield
and Paul Molitor
. They also retained core All-stars such as Joe Carter
, Devon White, Roberto Alomar
and John Olerud
. The Jays franchise won their first division title in 1985 and before Gaston was hired, the franchise was known for failing to live up to expectations. Gaston was able to take superstars and mold them into a team. Outfielder and World Series hero Joe Carter credits Gaston for the team's championships:
Gaston worked with players at an individual level as a hitting instructor and transferred this to the job of manager. He was known for his open communication with his players. He was a successful game strategist, effectively handling National League
rules during World Series games in Atlanta
and Philadelphia
. In the six games the Blue Jays played in those places during World Series play, the Jays went 4–2, including the title clincher in Game 6 of the 1992 World Series in Atlanta. Though the World Series victory was widely recognized as the first ever for a non-American team, what wasn't as widely known was the fact that Gaston became the first ever African-American manager to win a World Series. The Blue Jays followed their 1992 success with a repeat victory in the 1993 World Series
.
In the 1993 All-Star Game
held at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
, he was criticized for not getting Orioles pitcher
Mike Mussina
into the game. Mussina got up in the ninth inning to warm up in the bullpen
. Mussina later claimed that he was simply doing a between-start workout, but some interpreted it was an attempt to force Gaston to put him into the game. As angry fans jeered in dismay, incredulous that Gaston would not use the popular local player and believing Mussina had been sent to warm up for no reason, Gaston instead allowed Blue Jays pitcher Duane Ward
to close out the victory for the American League. Baltimore fans did not like this perceived snub, and T-shirts were sold outside of Camden Yards that season bearing the phrase, "Will Rogers never met Cito Gaston," referencing the famous line by Will Rogers
, "I never met a man yet that I didn't like."
solved its labor problems in 1994, Pat Gillick
and eventually Paul Beeston
left the organization and annual attendance began to drop considerably. Yet, the Blue Jays were still trying to compete in the American League East and in 1997 signed free agent Roger Clemens
. When the team could barely break the .500 mark all season, Gaston was fired by GM Gord Ash
. He had failed to lead the team to a winning record since 1993 and seemed uninterested in keeping his position. Gaston forced Ash's hand by telling his boss that he was taking a vacation at season's end and would not be around for the usual post season evaluation process. He was replaced by then-pitching coach Mel Queen on an interim basis for the last week of the season. Joe Carter wore Gaston's No. 43 on his jersey for the remainder of the season in part to honor him and in part to express his displeasure at his firing.
Gaston was a final candidate for the Detroit Tigers
manager's job in the 1999–2000 season and was the runner-up in the Chicago White Sox
manager position in the 2003–2004 off season. Sox GM Kenny Williams
, a former Blue Jays player, had Gaston as one of two finalists for the job but decided to hire Ozzie Guillén
. Gaston had several offers to rejoin major league teams as a hitting instructor, namely the Kansas City Royals
, but declined offers. After interviewing unsuccessfully for several other managerial jobs, Gaston said that he would only manage again if he were hired directly without an interview.
Gaston rejoined the team as a hitting coach after the season but was not retained after a disappointing campaign and the sale of the franchise to Rogers Communications
. In 2002, he was hired by the Jays for a third time, as special assistant to president and chief executive officer Paul Godfrey
.
. At the time of his hiring, Gaston had been a special assistant to the CEO for the organization. In his second tenure as manager, he succeeded in improving the team's record to the point that it finished over .500, after a poor start to the season under his predecessor John Gibbons that had mired it in last place at the time of his rehiring. When Gibbons was fired, the team's record was 35–39; after Gaston and his coaching staff took over, the team earned a record of 51–37 for the remainder of the season, which included a late ten-game winning streak, and the Blue Jays finished fourth in the American League East. On September 25, 2008, it was announced that Gaston had signed a two-year extension that would keep him with the Jays until 2010. It was announced that 2010 will be Gaston's final season as manager.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves. His managerial career was with the Toronto Blue Jays where he became the first African-American manager in Major League history to win a World Series title.
Cito Gaston managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1989 to 1997, and again from 2008 to 2010. During this time, he managed the Blue Jays to four Division Titles (1989, 1991, 1992 and 1993), two American League Pennants (1992 and 1993) and two World Series (1992 and 1993).
Personal life
Gaston grew up in San Antonio and Corpus Christi, TexasCorpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, where his father was a truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
driver. His career ambitions were either to be a truck driver like his father, or make into the Major Leagues. He adopted his nickname 'Cito' in preference to his given name 'Clarence'. Gaston later told Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
broadcasters that the name was taken from a Mexican-American wrestler he watched as a young man in Texas. Other reports state that Gaston was given this nickname from a friend named Carlos Thompson who thought that Gaston resembled a Mexican wrestler named "Cito".
As a player with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, he was the roommate of the all-time Major League Home Run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
leader, Hank Aaron. Gaston credits Aaron with teaching him "how to be a man; how to stand on my own."
Gaston has been married three times. His first marriage to Lena Green, ended in divorce with Gaston citing his baseball career as the reason. His second marriage to a Canadian woman, Denise, lasted from the early 80s to the early 2000s. Since 2003, Gaston has been married to Lynda, both residing in Oldsmar, Florida
Oldsmar, Florida
Oldsmar is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,910 at the 2000 census. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the population to be 13,401 as of 2008....
. When in Toronto, Gaston lives in a downtown condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
which he sublets to Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
assistant coach Tim Hunter.
Playing career
Primarily a center fielderCenter fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
, Gaston began his decade-long playing career in with the Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, appearing in nine games. The following year he was selected by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in the expansion draft
Expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion draft...
, first playing for them in . He had his best individual season in , when he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.318 (the highest batting average by a Padre prior to Tony Gwynn
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
's arrival) with 29 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 92 runs scored and 93 RBI, and was selected to the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
All-Star team
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. The rest of Gaston's career did not live up to his All-Star season success. Gaston never hit more than 17 home runs or knocked in more than 61 runs in any season with the Padres (until ) or the Braves (from until ).
Pre-World Series seasons
Gaston became the hitting coachCoach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in . Gaston remained the hitting instructor until 15 May , when he took over managerial duties from Jimy Williams
Jimy Williams
James Francis "Jimy" Williams is an American former manager of three Major League Baseball teams. He was born in Santa Maria, California.-Playing career:...
, when the team was suffering through an unexpectedly bad start. Gaston originally declined the offer to be manager when Williams was fired. He told Ebony
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
magazine: "When I was offered the job as manager, I didn't want it. I was happy working as the team's hitting instructor". It was only when his players encouraged him to take the job did he reconsider the offer.
Under Gaston's leadership, Toronto transformed from a sub-.500 team (12–24 under Jimy Williams) to the eventual division winners, going 89–73 (77–49 under Gaston). Toronto's success under Gaston was not short-lived, as they finished second in the division behind Boston
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
the following year and won the division again in , and .
World Series seasons
As a coach and manager, Gaston was considered a player's manager. He was a soft spoken and steady influence during years that saw a large group of talented, high salaried players grace the Blue Jays uniform. The franchise led the Major Leagues in attendance, riding high from a dedicated fan base and new stadium to play in when Gaston took the helm. The Jays opened the SkyDomeRogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
a few months after Gaston became manager and the financial success translated into major free agent signings, including pitcher Jack Morris
Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
, and outfielders Dave Winfield
Dave Winfield
David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
and Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor
Paul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins...
. They also retained core All-stars such as Joe Carter
Joe Carter
Joseph Christopher Carter is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to . Carter is most famous for hitting a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays....
, Devon White, Roberto Alomar
Roberto Alomar
Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second...
and John Olerud
John Olerud
John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
. The Jays franchise won their first division title in 1985 and before Gaston was hired, the franchise was known for failing to live up to expectations. Gaston was able to take superstars and mold them into a team. Outfielder and World Series hero Joe Carter credits Gaston for the team's championships:
Cito knows how to work with each individual, treating everyone like a human being. He knows exactly what to say, when to say it, what to do and how to go about doing it. When you have a manager like that, it makes you want to play for the guy. We'd go to war for him. What Cito has done for the Blue Jays can't be taken lightly.
Gaston worked with players at an individual level as a hitting instructor and transferred this to the job of manager. He was known for his open communication with his players. He was a successful game strategist, effectively handling National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
rules during World Series games in Atlanta
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and Philadelphia
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. In the six games the Blue Jays played in those places during World Series play, the Jays went 4–2, including the title clincher in Game 6 of the 1992 World Series in Atlanta. Though the World Series victory was widely recognized as the first ever for a non-American team, what wasn't as widely known was the fact that Gaston became the first ever African-American manager to win a World Series. The Blue Jays followed their 1992 success with a repeat victory in the 1993 World Series
1993 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe Series' first game sent two staff aces—Curt Schilling for Philadelphia and Juan Guzman for Toronto—against one another. The result was less than a pitcher's duel, however, as both teams scored early and often.The deciding plays...
.
All-Star manager
Gaston was the manager for two American League All-Star teams since he was the manager of the championship American League franchise in 1992 and 1993. He was criticized for selecting six Blue Jays to the 1993 roster, but was unapologetic, stating all six were World Champions and two were future Hall of Famers.In the 1993 All-Star Game
1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 64th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 13, 1993 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland,...
held at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a Major League Baseball ballpark located in Baltimore, Maryland. Home field of the Baltimore Orioles, it is the first of the "retro" major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s, and remains one of the most highly praised. The park was...
, he was criticized for not getting Orioles pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Mike Mussina
Mike Mussina
Michael Cole Mussina , nicknamed Moose, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played for the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees ....
into the game. Mussina got up in the ninth inning to warm up in the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
. Mussina later claimed that he was simply doing a between-start workout, but some interpreted it was an attempt to force Gaston to put him into the game. As angry fans jeered in dismay, incredulous that Gaston would not use the popular local player and believing Mussina had been sent to warm up for no reason, Gaston instead allowed Blue Jays pitcher Duane Ward
Duane Ward
Roy Duane Ward was a Major League Baseball reliever during the late 1980s and early 1990s.Ward went to school and made his early athletic mark in Farmington, New Mexico, a small oil and gas city, and one known for its amateur baseball programs...
to close out the victory for the American League. Baltimore fans did not like this perceived snub, and T-shirts were sold outside of Camden Yards that season bearing the phrase, "Will Rogers never met Cito Gaston," referencing the famous line by Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
, "I never met a man yet that I didn't like."
Post-World Series
Gaston's success, like that of the Blue Jays franchise, faded after the championship years. The World Series winning clubs had dissipated because of aging players, increased post-Series salary demands, and the failure of new ownership to raise the budget substantially. After Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
solved its labor problems in 1994, Pat Gillick
Pat Gillick
Lawrence Patrick David Gillick is a retired American professional baseball executive. He was the general manager of four Major League Baseball teams, and guided two teams to three World Series championships in his career: in 1992 and 1993 titles with the Toronto Blue Jays, and a 2008 title with...
and eventually Paul Beeston
Paul Beeston
Paul McGill Beeston, CM is the former president of Major League Baseball and current president of the Toronto Blue Jays. On October 27th, 2009 Rogers Media announced the appointment of Paul Beeston as President and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club and Rogers Centre for a three year...
left the organization and annual attendance began to drop considerably. Yet, the Blue Jays were still trying to compete in the American League East and in 1997 signed free agent Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
. When the team could barely break the .500 mark all season, Gaston was fired by GM Gord Ash
Gord Ash
Gordon Ian Ash is vice president and assistant general manager for the Milwaukee Brewers. He was the general manager for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1995 to 2001....
. He had failed to lead the team to a winning record since 1993 and seemed uninterested in keeping his position. Gaston forced Ash's hand by telling his boss that he was taking a vacation at season's end and would not be around for the usual post season evaluation process. He was replaced by then-pitching coach Mel Queen on an interim basis for the last week of the season. Joe Carter wore Gaston's No. 43 on his jersey for the remainder of the season in part to honor him and in part to express his displeasure at his firing.
Gaston was a final candidate for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
manager's job in the 1999–2000 season and was the runner-up in the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
manager position in the 2003–2004 off season. Sox GM Kenny Williams
Ken Williams (baseball executive)
Kenneth Royal Williams is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball and the current general manager of the Chicago White Sox....
, a former Blue Jays player, had Gaston as one of two finalists for the job but decided to hire Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
. Gaston had several offers to rejoin major league teams as a hitting instructor, namely the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, but declined offers. After interviewing unsuccessfully for several other managerial jobs, Gaston said that he would only manage again if he were hired directly without an interview.
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
. In 2002, he was hired by the Jays for a third time, as special assistant to president and chief executive officer Paul Godfrey
Paul Godfrey
Paul Victor Godfrey, CM, OOnt is a businessman and former Canadian politician. During his career, Godfrey was a North York alderman, Chairman of Metro Toronto, President of the Toronto Sun and head of the Toronto Blue Jays. He was instrumental in bringing the Toronto Blue Jays to Toronto and has...
.
Managerial return
On June 20, 2008, Gaston was re-hired as the manager of the Blue Jays to replace the fired John GibbonsJohn Gibbons
John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008...
. At the time of his hiring, Gaston had been a special assistant to the CEO for the organization. In his second tenure as manager, he succeeded in improving the team's record to the point that it finished over .500, after a poor start to the season under his predecessor John Gibbons that had mired it in last place at the time of his rehiring. When Gibbons was fired, the team's record was 35–39; after Gaston and his coaching staff took over, the team earned a record of 51–37 for the remainder of the season, which included a late ten-game winning streak, and the Blue Jays finished fourth in the American League East. On September 25, 2008, it was announced that Gaston had signed a two-year extension that would keep him with the Jays until 2010. It was announced that 2010 will be Gaston's final season as manager.
Managerial record
| World Series Championship | |
| League Championship | |
| Division Championship | |
| Team | |Regular Season | TOR 1989 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing first in the American League East with a record of 89 wins and 73 losses... |
1989 | 77 | 49 | .611 | 1st in AL East | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost to Oakland Athletics Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum.... in League Championship Series |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOR 1990 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing second in the American League East with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses. It was their first full season in the Skydome. The Blue Jays led the division by 1½ games over the Boston Red Sox with one... |
1990 | 86 | 76 | .531 | 2nd in AL East | - | - | - | - | |||
| TOR 1991 Toronto Blue Jays season The 1991 Toronto Blue Jays season involved the Blue Jays finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 91 wins and 71 losses. The team's paid attendance of 4,001,527 led the American League, as the Jays became the first team in MLB history ever to draw four million fans in a season... |
1991 | 72 | 57 | .558 | 1st in AL East | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost to Minnesota Twins Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the... in League Championship Series |
|||
| TOR 1992 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays played their 16th season in Major League Baseball. Toronto finished first in the American League East for the 4th time with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses, closing the season with an attendance record of 4,028,318... |
1992 | 96 | 66 | .593 | 1st in AL East | 8 | 4 | .667 | 1992 World Series 1992 World Series -Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS... Champions |
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| TOR 1993 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays season involved the Blue Jays finishing first in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 67 losses. They were shut out only once in 162 regular-season games. The Blue Jays would repeat as World Champions and become the first back-to-back champions since the New... |
1993 | 95 | 67 | .586 | 1st in AL East | 8 | 4 | .667 | 1993 World Series 1993 World Series -Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe Series' first game sent two staff aces—Curt Schilling for Philadelphia and Juan Guzman for Toronto—against one another. The result was less than a pitcher's duel, however, as both teams scored early and often.The deciding plays... Champions |
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| TOR 1994 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing 3rd in the American League East with a record of 55 wins and 60 losses. Cito Gaston was the manager for the American League squad at the All-Star Game. The Mid-Summer classic was played on July 12... |
1994 | 55 | 60 | .478 | 3rd in AL East | - | - | - | - | |||
| TOR 1995 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing 5th in the American League East with a record of 56 wins and 88 losses.-Offseason:* October 11, 1994: Dave Righetti was released by the Blue Jays.... |
1995 | 56 | 88 | .389 | 5th in AL East | - | - | - | - | |||
| TOR 1996 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays season was the 20th season in franchise history. The season involved the Blue Jays finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 74 wins and 88 losses... |
1996 | 74 | 88 | .457 | 4th in AL East | - | - | - | - | |||
| TOR 1997 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing 5th in the American League East with a record of 76 wins and 86 losses... |
1997 | 72 | 85 | .459 | 5th in AL East | - | - | - | - | |||
| TOR 2008 Toronto Blue Jays season The Toronto Blue Jays season, the team's 32nd year of existence, saw the Blue Jays finish in fourth place in the American League East with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses for a .531 winning percentage, thus making this season the third consecutive winning season for the Jays, as well as being... |
2008 | 51 | 37 | .580 | 4th in AL East | - | - | - | - | |||
| TOR 2009 Toronto Blue Jays season The 2009 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 33rd in Major League Baseball, and the 20th full season of play at the Rogers Centre. The team was managed by Cito Gaston, who took over the team midway through 2008. After eight years as General Manager, J. P. Ricciardi was fired on the... |
2009 | 75 | 87 | .463 | 4th in AL East | - | - | - | - | |||
| TOR 2010 Toronto Blue Jays season The 2010 Toronto Blue Jays season was the 34th season of Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays franchise, and the team's 21st full season of play at the Rogers Centre. The 2010 season was the first under general manager Alex Anthopoulos, who replaced J. P... |
2010 | 85 | 77 | .525 | 4th in AL East | - | - | - | - | |||
| TOR Total | 894 | 837 | 18 | 16 | ||||||||
| Total | 894 | 837 | 18 | 16 | ||||||||
Controversies
- On April, 1997, during a pre-game interview, Gaston accused specific members of Toronto's sports media (Toronto SunToronto SunThe Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
columnist Steve SimmonsSteve SimmonsSteve Simmons is a journalist with the Toronto Sun and nationally syndicated throughout Sun Media. He has previously worked as a sports columnist for the Calgary Herald, Calgary Sun, London Free Press, Globe and Mail and The Hockey News....
, Globe and Mail sports editor Dave Langford, and Fan 590 sports talk show host Bob McCownBob McCownRobert "Bob" McCown is a Canadian sports talk show personality and the host of a late afternoon/early evening radio talk show called Prime Time Sports. The program is broadcast from the Toronto-based studio of the Fan 590 and is syndicated nationally in Canada...
) of racism against him, stating "There's a couple (of sports writers) who continue to take shots at me for no reason at all. I just wonder if they would take the same shot at me if I was white." After the game against the Oakland A's on April 17, Gaston spoke briefly about his pre-game comments. "I've got one statement that I'm going to say, and I'm not going to say another word," Gaston said. "Whatever has been said, whatever has been written, if it has offended someone and it's unjustly offended them, I apologize. If it hasn't, then I don't apologize." - On October 3, 2009, an online column by Fox SportsFox Sports (USA)Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
baseball writer Ken RosenthalKen RosenthalKenneth H. Rosenthal is an American sportswriter and reporter.Rosenthal has served as lead field reporter for Major League Baseball on Fox since 2005...
reported of a mutiny in the Blue Jays' clubhouse against Gaston by his players and some members of his coaching staff. Rosenthal cited unnamed sources who claimed that the mutiny was a result of his impatience with the players after they started losing, partially reflected with players getting less playing time, his lack of communication, including his inability to properly communicate substitutions, and his negativity, especially when it came to the younger players who required more positive reinforcement. A day after the report, Blue Jays first basemanFirst basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Lyle OverbayLyle OverbayLyle Stefan Overbay is an American professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent.-Amateur career:...
was quoted as being one of the players who was surprised over his lack of playing time as well as wanting Gaston to improve his communication. "More than anything, I want to try to figure out what to expect for next year. It kind of caught me off-guard a little bit when I wasn't playing. ... (Gaston) never really said a lot. As we were winning, he was kind of sitting on the back burner, watching us play good." When asked about the report on the clubhouse mutiny, Gaston replied that he was surprised that such criticism existed. "If you've got two or three or four guys in there that have a problem, then you don't have to win anything, do you? You might have to certainly deal with those guys, but you don't have to win the clubhouse back. I don't think that you can ... rely (on a few) players to find out (if there's a problem). I think you need to talk to all of them. If it comes up to 50 percent, then, hey, maybe we've got a problem. I'd like to know what the problem is because I can't be any fairer than I've been." - On June 1, 2010 radio broadcaster Mike WilnerMike WilnerMichael Wilner is a baseball broadcaster for the Toronto Blue Jays. He hosts a postgame radio call-in show called JaysTalk on the Fan 590 and authors a blog on Fan590.com...
got into an argument during a media scrum with Gaston about his field level decision making. Wilner detailed the confrontation on his blog. The Fan 590, Wilner's employer and a station of Blue Jays owner Rogers CommunicationsRogers CommunicationsRogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
, announced the following day he would not be covering the team for several days, presumably a suspension though The Fan 590 refused to state the reason.
Awards & Honors
- In 1970, Gaston was selected to the 1970 All Star Game as an outfielder from the San Diego Padres.
- Also in 1970, Gaston received the San Diego Padres team MVP award.
- In 1989, Gaston was the "Baseball Man of the Year" in Canada.
- In 1993, Gaston was voted "Sportsman of the Year".
- Managed the American League team in the 1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game1993 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 64th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 13, 1993 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland,...
.
- Managed the American League team in the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game1994 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 65th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
.
- The University of TorontoUniversity of TorontoThe University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
granted Gaston an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in June 1994.
- In 1999, Gaston's Blue Jays uniform name and number (#43) were honoured by addition to the Rogers CentreRogers CentreRogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
's Blue Jays "Level of Excellence".
- In 2002, Gaston was elected into the Canadian Baseball Hall of FameCanadian Baseball Hall of FameThe Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is a museum located in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. The museums commemorates great players, teams, and accomplishments of baseball in Canada.-History:...
.
- Gaston was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
- In 2008, Gaston was presented a Negro League Hall of Fame Legacy Award (Jackie Robinson Award).
- Member of the "900 Club", having managed over 900 wins as a Toronto Blue Jay.
- In 2011, Gaston was inducted into the Ontario Sport Legends Hall of Fame.