Larry Bowa, Charlie Manuel, And More Pay Homage To Ex-Phillies Manager Dallas Green, Dead At 82

An impromptu tribute to Dallas Green broke out on the field at the Philadelphia Phillies’ spring training home in Clearwater, Florida on Thursday morning.

Phillies Hold Impromptu Tribute for Late Ex-Manager Dallas Green, Dead at 82

The former MLB pitcher, manager and executive— who led the Phillies to the 1980 World Series after just one season in charge— died Wednesday at age 82.

Larry Bowa, who played for Green on that championship-winning team, was in attendance.

Also present was Charlie Manuel, the only other manager besides Green to lead the Phillies to a national title (in 2008).

Bowa cried, as did several fans in the stands at Spectrum Field, as the Phillies honored Green with a moment of silence.

Green’s old jersey, No. 46, hung in the dugout during the team’s game against the Minnesota Twins.

“It was tough last night,” Bowa said. “I just couldn’t believe it. This guy meant the world to us. We don’t win a World Series without Dallas. It doesn’t matter if we’ve got 10 Pete Roses, we don’t win a World Series without Dallas.

“He taught me a lot about being mentally tough and giving everything you have, every pitch, nine innings. Never quit. He was a guy that told our team, ‘Look in the mirror. You’re not as good as you think you are.’ He said, ‘Anybody can win divisions, go win a World Series. Put a ring on somebody’s finger.'”

Green, who was also a manager for the New York Mets and Yankees, went 20-22 as a major league pitcher in the 1960s, playing with the Phillies, Mets and Washington Senators. He began working in the Phillies’ front office in 1967, focusing on minor-league talent development, before being named their manager in 1979.

Green then became the Chicago Cubs’ general manager in 1980, and helped revitalize the franchise in the early 80s. He earned the Executive of the Year award from several publications in 1984.

He took over as Yankees manager in 1989, but lasted less than a year after he had notorious disagreements with owner George Steinbrenner. Green then finally took charge of the Mets from 1993-96, finishing with a 54-478 record as a manager.

The Phillies had several talented players in the late 1970s, but up until that point had always fallen just one step short of the World Series.

Bowa had heavily criticized Green leading up to Philadelphia’s 1980 World Series win.

Manuel, meanwhile, got into a public feud with Green in 2006 after the latter— who was a member of the Phillies’ front office— criticized Manuel’s Phillies team for their performance that season on a radio interview. Several years later, Green told a reporter he was wrong for slamming Manuel, and he thanked Manuel for showing him there are other ways to manage a team than the way he did it.

“I showed him,” Manuel said. “When I look back, maybe he was testing me. But I understood him and I think at the end he felt he understood me.”

On the night Philadelphia won the World Series in 2008, Manuel and Green both legends in the Phillies organization, sat in Manuel’s office and reflected.

“He was very happy,” Manuel said. “Him and I had a few drinks of VO. I think I outdrank him, really. But, of course, when he won back in 1980 he would have outdrank me.

“Everything about it was good. He was just as happy as I was and I can’t tell you how happy I was.

“He was always around and he definitely pulled for the Phillies day in and day out.

“Baseball’s going to miss Dallas Green.

“I’m going to miss him.”

PHILADELPHIA – MAY 08: Former Philadelphia Phillies baseball manager Dallas Green (L) signs autographs inside the baseball junction booth during Amtrak National Train Day Celebration 2010 – Philadelphia at 30th Street Station on May 8, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Amtrak)