Home · Sports · Oct 6 archive
Dodgers' Fred Claire Dies at 91, Remembered for World Series Win
Confirmed
In Short: Former Dodgers general manager Fred Claire, who led the team to a World Series victory in 1988, died on his 91st birthday.
Former Dodgers general manager Fred Claire died on his 91st birthday, the team announced Tuesday. Claire, who oversaw the 1988 World Series-winning team, passed away in Pasadena.
Claire's career with the Dodgers spanned three decades, starting as a sportswriter and editor before moving into public relations and eventually becoming general manager.
Team president and CEO Stan Kasten paid tribute to Claire, saying, "Fred brought many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, as well as the 1988 World Series title, and we are forever grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era."
Claire's tenure included significant contributions to the team's branding, including the creation of the Dodger Blue branding and the Think Blue campaign.
In 1978, under Claire's leadership, the Dodgers became the first MLB team to draw over 3 million fans, setting a new record.
Claire's career was marked by several significant moments, including his involvement in the controversial firing of Al Campanis, a Dodgers executive, over racist remarks in 1987.
Claire's health had been a concern since 2015 when he was diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer on his lip.
Claire's legacy extends beyond his managerial achievements to his impact on the team's branding and fan engagement.
The Dodgers expressed condolences to Claire's family, including his wife Sheryl and children Jeff, Jennifer, and Kim.
Claire's contributions to the Dodgers organization were recognized not only for his managerial success but also for his role in fostering a positive and inclusive team environment.
What's confirmed
- Claire died Monday, on his 91st birthday, in Pasadena, the team announced Tuesday.
- "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."
- We send our deepest condolences to his wife Sheryl and children Jeff, Jennifer and Kim. https://t.co/ekLlPkvM6n 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.
- "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.
- "I couldn't believe what I was reading," he wrote in his 2004 memoir.
- "Those who knew Al expressed shock. There had never been a hint of bigotry in anything he had ever said or done," Claire wrote.
- O'Malley informed Claire he was considering bringing in a more experienced person for the job.
- "Fred was a talented team player and everyone in the organization enjoyed working with him," O'Malley said in a statement.
- -- Fred Claire, who parlayed early jobs as a sportswriter 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.
- In January 2015, at age 80, Claire was diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer on his lip.
- During his tenure, Claire was instrumental in creating the Dodger Blue branding and Think Blue campaign.
- "Why are Black people not good swimmers? Because they don't have buoyancy."
What's still developing
- He also hired announcer Ross Porter, who worked for the team from 1977 until being let go in 2004.
- The streamer revealed that Neagley Season 1 is the fourth-most-viewed original series debut in Prime Video history, with 52% of viewership coming outside of the United States.
- Netflix has announced three Sega video game adaptations: a live-action comedy Crazy Taxi movie, a new Sonic animated series, and an adaptation of RGG Studio's yet to be released Stranger Than Heaven.
- Shuji Utsumi, President and COO of Sega, added: "We've watched Netflix take on stories across every kind of format and treat each one with real craft, and seeing that same dedication applied to Sonic, Crazy Taxi, and Stranger Than Heaven is something we at Sega are incredibly proud to be a part of. The fandoms of these games deserve storytelling that honors what makes each title special, and we know Netflix shares that commitment. This is just the start of what these titles can become."
- Toru Nakahara, Head Producer at Sega, told fans to expect “something cute yet cool” for Sonic, something “hilariously crazy” for Crazy Taxi, and a “badass action drama” for Stranger Than Heaven.
- At BlizzCon 2026 over the weekend, Blizzard announced a Diablo animated series for Netflix, with talks ongoing for adaptations of Overwatch and Warcraft.
- “Great games already have what every adaptation is chasing — characters people love, worlds they know by heart, and fandoms that show up,” commented Brandon Riegg, VP of Nonfiction and Transmedia at Netflix.
- It’s got a live-action Assassin's Creed series, live-action Gears of War film, animated series adaptations based on Minecraft, Magic: The Gathering, and Clash of Clans, and Overcooked competition series; second seasons of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Splinter Cell: Deathwatch; and the third and final season of Devil May Cry.
- The two-time defending World Series champions cut their magic number to three for a fifth straight NL West title and 13th in 14 seasons.
- The Dodgers became the third team assured of a playoff spot after Milwaukee and Tampa Bay.
- Ella Beatty, Rebecca Hall and Charlie Hunnam discuss the lesbian relationship, abusive family dynamics and “monstrous” women at the center of Netflix’s new series.
- Just days before her team begins its first-round playoff series, Wilson led her teammates out to the court for their pregame entrance against the Phoenix Mercury.