Del Rice
Encyclopedia
Delbert Rice Jr. was an American
professional
baseball
player, coach
and manager
. He played for 17 seasons as a catcher
in Major League Baseball
from to , most notably for the St. Louis Cardinals
. Although Rice was a relatively weak hitter, he sustained a lengthy career in the major leagues due to his valuable defensive abilities.
, Rice attended Portsmouth High School
where he starred in football
, basketball
and track
as well as baseball. He was contracted as an amateur free agent
by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1941
. Although Rice received his induction notice into the military in , he was turned down because of a physical disqualification. After playing in the minor leagues
for four seasons, he made his major league debut with the Cardinals on May 2, 1945
at the age of 22. Shortly after the season began, the Cardinals sold their star catcher, Walker Cooper
to the New York Giants
, leaving Rice to share catching duties with Ken O'Dea
. The veteran O'Dea, who had played with Hall of Fame catcher Gabby Hartnett
in Chicago, gave Rice tips and advice on catching. Rice posted a .261 batting average
in 83 games as the Cardinals finished in second place, three games behind the Chicago Cubs
.
Although he served as a backup catcher to Joe Garagiola in 1946
, he regularly played whenever Harry Brecheen
pitched. The Cardinals ended the season tied for first place with the Brooklyn Dodgers
and the two teams met in the 1946 National League tie-breaker series
. It was the first playoff tiebreaker
in Major League Baseball history. The Cardinals won the first two games of the best-of-three game series to capture the National League pennant. In the 1946 World Series
against the Boston Red Sox
, Rice caught all three of Brecheen's victories, as the Cardinals defeated the Red Sox in seven games. He was also the hitting standout in Game 2, with a single, a double and a walk, scoring two runs in the Cardinals' 3-0 victory.
In 1947
, Rice caught the majority of the team's games and guided the Cardinals' pitching staff to the lowest team earned run average
and the most strikeout
s in the National League, as the Cardinals finished in second place to the Dodgers
. His pitch-calling skills were made evident once again in 1949
, leading the Cardinals' pitching staff to the lowest team earned run average in the league, as the Cardinals once again finished in second place, one game behind the Dodgers
.
Rice had his best season in 1952
, posting a .259 batting average along with 11 home run
s and a career-high 65 runs batted in. He also led National League
catchers in games played, putout
s, assists
and in baserunners caught stealing
. The following season, Rice was named as a reserve player for the National League team in the 1953 All-Star Game
, although an injury kept him from participating in the game. Rice was injured during a game against the Dodgers on June 7, 1954
when Roy Campanella
stole home and spiked Rice's leg. While he was sidelined with the injury, his replacement, Bill Sarni
hit for a .300 average for the remainder of the season.
In the middle of the 1955
season, the 32 year old Rice was traded to the Milwaukee Braves, who were in need of a backup catcher for their perennial All-Star, Del Crandall
. He became pitcher
Bob Buhl
's personal catcher, as Buhl didn't like having Crandall calling his pitches. In 1956
, Rice helped Buhl to an 18-8 record as the Braves held first place with two games left in the season before the team faltered and finished the season one game behind the Dodgers
.
In the 1957
season, Buhl again won 18 games and posted a 2.74 earned run average with Rice as his catcher, as the Braves won the National League pennant. Rice became a member of his second world championship winning team when the Braves defeated the New York Yankees
in the 1957 World Series
.
The Braves won the National League pennant for a second consecutive year in 1958
, but lost a rematch with the Yankees
in the 1958 World Series
. In June 1959
, Rice suffered a broken leg in a collision at home plate with Willie Mays
. He missed more than two months of the season and was used sparingly upon his return. He played in only a handful of games before he was given a coaching position to make room on the roster for another player. The Braves then released him at the end of the season.
Rice played for the Chicago Cubs in 1960
, but was released in June when the Cubs acquired catcher Jim Hegan
. One of the 18 games Rice caught as a Cub was Don Cardwell
's no-hitter
on May 15. He was then re-signed with the Cardinals, but only appeared in one game before being selected off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles in September. After appearing in only one game for the Orioles, he was released in October.
Rice was the first player ever to sign with the Los Angeles Angels. He played in 30 games during their inaugural 1961
campaign and was released as a player at the end of the season, but was retained within the organization. He played in his final major league game on August 31, 1961 at the age of 39.
, accumulating 908 hits
in 3,826 at bats for a .237 career batting average along with 79 home runs, 441 runs batted in and an on base percentage
of .312. He ended his career with a .987 fielding percentage
. Rice was known for his strong defensive skills, leading National League catchers in fielding percentage in and , and tying for the lead in double play
s in 1949, and .
Rice also had a career in the National Basketball League
, playing four seasons for the Rochester Royals
from 1946 until 1950, when Fred Saigh
, the Cardinals owner, asked him to concentrate on baseball.
to 1966
. He spent the 1967
season as a coach for the Cleveland Indians
, but then returned to the Angels as a minor league
manager and had success at the AAA level. He was named Minor League Manager of the Year for 1971
by The Sporting News
after leading the Salt Lake City Bees to a divisional title in the Pacific Coast League
.
Rice was rewarded with a promotion to manager of the 1972
Angels, but after one season and a 75-80 (.484) fifth-place finish, he was replaced by Bobby Winkles
. He remained with the club, however, as a scout.
Rice died of cancer while attending a benefit dinner in his honor of in Garden Grove, California
, on January 26, at the age of 60.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, coach
Coach (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...
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...
. He played for 17 seasons as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in Major League Baseball
Major 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...
from to , most notably for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. Although Rice was a relatively weak hitter, he sustained a lengthy career in the major leagues due to his valuable defensive abilities.
Athletic career
A native of Portsmouth, OhioPortsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
, Rice attended Portsmouth High School
Portsmouth High School (Ohio)
Portsmouth High School is a public high school in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. PHS's mascot are the Trojans, and their school colors are red and blue....
where he starred in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
as well as baseball. He was contracted as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1941
1941 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 60th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 50th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97-56 during the season and finished 2nd in the National League.- Offseason :...
. Although Rice received his induction notice into the military in , he was turned down because of a physical disqualification. After playing in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
for four seasons, he made his major league debut with the Cardinals on May 2, 1945
1945 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 64th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 54th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-59 during the season and finished 2nd in the National League.-Offseason:...
at the age of 22. Shortly after the season began, the Cardinals sold their star catcher, Walker Cooper
Walker Cooper
William Walker Cooper was an American professional baseball player. He was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for six National League teams from 1940 to 1957...
to the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, leaving Rice to share catching duties with Ken O'Dea
Ken O'Dea
James Kenneth O'Dea was a catcher in Major League Baseball. From 1935 through 1946, O'Dea played for the Chicago Cubs , New York Giants , St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Braves . A native of Lima, New York, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
. The veteran O'Dea, who had played with Hall of Fame catcher Gabby Hartnett
Gabby Hartnett
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Until the career of Johnny Bench, Hartnett was considered the greatest catcher in the history of the National League...
in Chicago, gave Rice tips and advice on catching. Rice posted a .261 batting average
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 :...
in 83 games as the Cardinals finished in second place, three games behind the Chicago Cubs
1945 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season was a season in American baseball. The team won the National League pennant with a record of 98-56, 3 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals. The team went on to the 1945 World Series, which they lost to the Detroit Tigers in seven games...
.
Although he served as a backup catcher to Joe Garagiola in 1946
1946 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was a season in American baseball. It was the team's 65th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 55th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 96-58 during the season and finished first in the National League. In the World Series, they won in 7 games over the...
, he regularly played whenever Harry Brecheen
Harry Brecheen
Harry David Brecheen , nicknamed "The Cat," was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the St. Louis Cardinals...
pitched. The Cardinals ended the season tied for first place with the Brooklyn Dodgers
1946 Brooklyn Dodgers season
The Brooklyn Dodgers finished the season tied for first place with the St. Louis Cardinals. The two teams played in the first ever playoff series to decide the pennant, and the Cardinals took two straight to win the title....
and the two teams met in the 1946 National League tie-breaker series
1946 National League tie-breaker series
The 1946 National League tie-breaker series was a best-of-three playoff to decide the winner of Major League Baseball's National League pennant. The games occurred on October 1 and October 3, 1946, between the St. Louis Cardinals and Brooklyn Dodgers. The first game took place at Sportsman's Park...
. It was the first playoff tiebreaker
Tiebreaker
In games and sports, a tiebreaker or tiebreak is used to determine a winner from among players or teams that are tied at the end of a contest, or a set of contests.-In matches:In some situations, the tiebreaker may consist of another round of play...
in Major League Baseball history. The Cardinals won the first two games of the best-of-three game series to capture the National League pennant. In the 1946 World Series
1946 World Series
-Game 1:Sunday, October 6, 1946 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, MissouriThe Red Sox won Game 1 when Rudy York hit a home run into the left field bleachers.-Game 2:Monday, October 7, 1946 at Sportsman's Park in St...
against the Boston Red Sox
1946 Boston Red Sox season
During the 1946 Boston Red Sox season, the Red Sox won their sixth American League championship, with a record of 104 wins and 50 losses. In the World Series, the Sox lost in 7 games to the St. Louis Cardinals...
, Rice caught all three of Brecheen's victories, as the Cardinals defeated the Red Sox in seven games. He was also the hitting standout in Game 2, with a single, a double and a walk, scoring two runs in the Cardinals' 3-0 victory.
In 1947
1947 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 66th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 56th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 89-65 during the season and finished second in the National League.- Offseason :...
, Rice caught the majority of the team's games and guided the Cardinals' pitching staff to the lowest team earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and the most strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s in the National League, as the Cardinals finished in second place to the Dodgers
1947 Brooklyn Dodgers season
On April 15, Jackie Robinson was the opening day first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first black player in Major League Baseball since . Robinson went on to bat .297, score 125 runs, steal 29 bases and be named the very first Rookie of the Year...
. His pitch-calling skills were made evident once again in 1949
1949 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 68th season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 58th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 96-58 during the season and finished second in the National League.- Offseason :...
, leading the Cardinals' pitching staff to the lowest team earned run average in the league, as the Cardinals once again finished in second place, one game behind the Dodgers
1949 Brooklyn Dodgers season
The Brooklyn Dodgers held off the St. Louis Cardinals to win the National League title by one game. The Dodgers lost the World Series to the New York Yankees in five games.- Offseason :...
.
Rice had his best season in 1952
1952 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 71st season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 61st season in the National League. The Cardinals went 88-66 during the season and finished 3rd in the National League....
, posting a .259 batting average along with 11 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 and a career-high 65 runs batted in. He also led 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...
catchers in games played, putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s, assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and in baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
. The following season, Rice was named as a reserve player for the National League team in the 1953 All-Star Game
1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 20th playing of the mid-summer classic between the All-Stars teams of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 1953 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio, home of...
, although an injury kept him from participating in the game. Rice was injured during a game against the Dodgers on June 7, 1954
1954 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 73rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 63rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 72-82 during the season and finished 6th in the National League.- Offseason :...
when Roy Campanella
Roy Campanella
Roy Campanella , nicknamed "Campy", was an American baseball player, primarily at the position of catcher, in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball...
stole home and spiked Rice's leg. While he was sidelined with the injury, his replacement, Bill Sarni
Bill Sarni
William Florine Sarni was an American professional baseball player who played as a catcher in the Major Leagues. A native of Los Angeles, California, he played for the St...
hit for a .300 average for the remainder of the season.
In the middle of the 1955
1955 Milwaukee Braves season
- Offseason :* March 4, 1955: Catfish Metkovich was released by the Braves.* Prior to 1955 season: **Marshall Bridges was acquired by the Braves from the New York Giants.**Chi-Chi Olivo was signed as an amateur free agent by the Braves....
season, the 32 year old Rice was traded to the Milwaukee Braves, who were in need of a backup catcher for their perennial All-Star, Del Crandall
Del Crandall
Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves...
. He became 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...
Bob Buhl
Bob Buhl
Robert Ray Buhl was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies...
's personal catcher, as Buhl didn't like having Crandall calling his pitches. In 1956
1956 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was a season in American baseball. The Braves finished in second place in the National League, just one game behind the Brooklyn Dodgers in the league standings, and one game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds.- Season summary :...
, Rice helped Buhl to an 18-8 record as the Braves held first place with two games left in the season before the team faltered and finished the season one game behind the Dodgers
1956 Brooklyn Dodgers season
The 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers edged out the Milwaukee Braves to win the National League title. The Dodgers again faced the New York Yankees in the World Series...
.
In the 1957
1957 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was the year that the team won its first and only World Series championship while based in Milwaukee. The Braves won 95 games and lost 59 to win the National League pennant by eight games over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals....
season, Buhl again won 18 games and posted a 2.74 earned run average with Rice as his catcher, as the Braves won the National League pennant. Rice became a member of his second world championship winning team when the Braves defeated the New York Yankees
1957 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 55th season for the team in New York, and its 57th season overall. The team finished with a record of 98-56 to win their 23rd pennant, finishing eight games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. New York was managed by Casey Stengel...
in the 1957 World Series
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
.
The Braves won the National League pennant for a second consecutive year in 1958
1958 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was a season in American baseball. The Braves finished first in the National League with a 92-62 record and returned to the World Series for the second consecutive year, losing to the New York Yankees in seven games.-Offseason:...
, but lost a rematch with the Yankees
1958 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 56th season for the team in New York, and its 58th season overall. The team finished with a record of 92-62, winning their 24th pennant, finishing 10 games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. In the World Series, they defeated the Milwaukee Braves in 7 games. New...
in the 1958 World Series
1958 World Series
The 1958 World Series was a rematch of the 1957 Series, with the New York Yankees beating the defending champion Milwaukee Braves in seven games for their eighteenth title, and their seventh in ten years...
. In June 1959
1959 Milwaukee Braves season
The 1959 Milwaukee Braves season was the seventh season for the franchise in Milwaukee and its 84th season overall. The Braves ended the National League regular season in a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With both clubs finishing with records of 86-68, a special best-of-three...
, Rice suffered a broken leg in a collision at home plate with Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
. He missed more than two months of the season and was used sparingly upon his return. He played in only a handful of games before he was given a coaching position to make room on the roster for another player. The Braves then released him at the end of the season.
Rice played for the Chicago Cubs in 1960
1960 Chicago Cubs season
The 1960 Chicago Cubs season involved the Cubs' seventh place finish in the National League with a record of 60-94, 35 games behind the NL and World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.- Offseason :* October 8, 1959: Randy Jackson was released by the Cubs....
, but was released in June when the Cubs acquired catcher Jim Hegan
Jim Hegan
James Edward Hegan was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played for seventeen seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to and from to , most notably for the Cleveland Indians. After his playing career was over, he became a coach and scout in a baseball...
. One of the 18 games Rice caught as a Cub was Don Cardwell
Don Cardwell
Donald Eugene Cardwell was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for five National League teams from 1957 to 1970...
's no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
on May 15. He was then re-signed with the Cardinals, but only appeared in one game before being selected off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles in September. After appearing in only one game for the Orioles, he was released in October.
Rice was the first player ever to sign with the Los Angeles Angels. He played in 30 games during their inaugural 1961
1961 Los Angeles Angels season
The Los Angeles Angels season ended with the Angels finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 70-91. It was the Angels' first season in franchise history, and their only season at Wrigley Field...
campaign and was released as a player at the end of the season, but was retained within the organization. He played in his final major league game on August 31, 1961 at the age of 39.
Career statistics
In a seventeen-year major league career, Rice played in 1,309 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 908 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 3,826 at bats for a .237 career batting average along with 79 home runs, 441 runs batted in and an on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
of .312. He ended his career with a .987 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. Rice was known for his strong defensive skills, leading National League catchers in fielding percentage in and , and tying for the lead in double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s in 1949, and .
Rice also had a career in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
, playing four seasons for the Rochester Royals
Rochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
from 1946 until 1950, when Fred Saigh
Fred Saigh
Frederick Michael Saigh Jr. was the part-owner, then sole owner, of the St. Louis Cardinals of American Major League Baseball from 1948 through 1953.- Pre-Cardinals years :...
, the Cardinals owner, asked him to concentrate on baseball.
Coaching and managing career
Rice was a longtime member of the Angels' organization. After retiring as a player, he was retained as their first base coach from 19621962 Los Angeles Angels season
The Los Angeles Angels season involved the Angels finishing 3rd in the American League with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses.- Offseason :* October 19, 1961: Del Rice was released by the Angels....
to 1966
1966 California Angels season
The California Angels season, the team's first in Anaheim, involved the Angels finishing 6th in the American League with a record of 80 wins and 82 losses, 18 games behind the AL and World Series Champion Baltimore Orioles.- Offseason :...
. He spent the 1967
1967 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished eighth in the American League with a record of 75-87, 17 games behind the Boston Red Sox.- Offseason :...
season as a coach for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, but then returned to the Angels as a minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
manager and had success at the AAA level. He was named Minor League Manager of the Year for 1971
1971 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:National League: Pittsburgh PiratesAmerican League: Baltimore Orioles1971 World Series: Pittsburgh def. Baltimore , 4 games to 3.Inter-league playoff: Pittsburgh declined challenge by Tokyo Yomiuri Giants....
by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
after leading the Salt Lake City Bees to a divisional title in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
.
Rice was rewarded with a promotion to manager of the 1972
1972 California Angels season
The California Angels season involved the Angels finishing 5th in the American League West with a record of 75 wins and 80 losses.-Offseason:* October 27, 1971: Tony González was released by the Angels....
Angels, but after one season and a 75-80 (.484) fifth-place finish, he was replaced by Bobby Winkles
Bobby Winkles
Bobby Brooks Winkles is a former baseball coach at Arizona State University. Bobby Winkles coached from 1959–1971 and was the first varsity baseball coach at Arizona State University. Winkles laid the foundation for the legacy that has become Sun Devil baseball. His overall record while head coach...
. He remained with the club, however, as a scout.
Rice died of cancer while attending a benefit dinner in his honor of in Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California. The population was 170,883 at the 2010 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city running east-west. The city is known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H...
, on January 26, at the age of 60.