Joe Altobelli was a professional baseball player and manager who had a successful career in the sport. He played as a first baseman and outfielder for various minor league teams before making his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians in 1955. Altobelli played for several teams over the course of his career, including the Minnesota Twins, Washington Senators, and Baltimore Orioles.
Altobelli's most successful years as a player came during his time with the Orioles, where he played from 1963 to 1967. He was a part of the team that won the American League pennant in 1966 and went on to win the World Series that year. Altobelli played in 16 games during the postseason and had a batting average of .333.
After retiring as a player, Altobelli became a coach and manager. He served as a coach for the Orioles from 1971 to 1976 before becoming the manager of the San Francisco Giants in 1977. Altobelli managed the Giants for three seasons before being fired in 1979.
In 1983, Altobelli was hired as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles. He led the team to a World Series championship in his first season as manager, becoming the first manager in MLB history to win a World Series in his first year with a team. Altobelli managed the Orioles until 1985 and finished his managerial career with a record of 437-407.
Altobelli remained involved in baseball after his managerial career ended. He worked as a broadcaster for the Orioles and also served as a scout for the New York Yankees. Altobelli was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1998.
Overall, Joe Altobelli had a successful career in baseball as both a player and manager. He was a part of a World Series championship team as a player and won another as a manager. Altobelli's contributions to the sport have been recognized through his induction into the Orioles Hall of Fame and his continued involvement in the game after his managerial career ended.
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