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Spec Richardson
Harold Beland "Spec" Richardson (October 27, 1922 – April 12, 2016) was an American professional baseball executive. He served as the general manager of two Major League Baseball teams, the Houston Astros (1967–75) and San Francisco Giants (1976–81).
A native of Columbus, Georgia, Richardson began his baseball career in 1946 as concessions manager of the minor league Columbus Cardinals of the Class A Sally League. He advanced to business manager, and switched to the rival Jacksonville Tars (later the Braves) in 1949, staying with that franchise through 1958. He then served as general manager of the Houston Buffaloes of the Triple-A American Association from 1959–61.
When the minor-league Buffaloes were succeeded by the MLB Houston Colt .45s in 1962, Richardson joined the expansion team in its debut National League season as the Colt .45s' business manager. The team was renamed the Astros in 1965.
Richardson took over as Astro general manager after his two predecessors, Paul Richards and Tal Smith, had built one of the most talented farm systems in baseball. In its five-year history, the Houston franchise had produced star players Rusty Staub, Joe Morgan, Jimmy Wynn, Larry Dierker and Dave Giusti, with future standouts Doug Rader and Don Wilson ripening in its minor league system.
But Paul Richards was fired by Astro owner Roy Hofheinz after the 1965 season. Houston spent 1966 with Smith heading up a three-man baseball operations management team that included Richardson and field manager Grady Hatton. Then, during the 1966–67 off-season, Hofheinz named Richardson the club's official general manager, a job he would hold for almost nine full seasons.
Richardson traded 31-year-old Mike Cuellar to the Baltimore Orioles for Curt Blefary on December 4, 1968. Cuellar appeared in three consecutive World Series with the Orioles from 1969 to 1971 including a 1970 Championship run, was a co-recipient of the American League Cy Young Award in 1969, had at least 20 wins in each of four seasons and won 143 games in eight years in Baltimore. Blefary spent only one season with the Astros before being dealt to the New York Yankees for Joe Pepitone.
Richardson then traded Staub — a 24-year-old outfielder and first baseman who displayed remarkable ability to hit for high average and decent power (leading the league in doubles in 1967) within the confines of the cavernous Astrodome — to the Montreal Expos for Jesús Alou and Donn Clendenon. Clendenon refused to report, however, and Montreal instead sent Jack Billingham, Skip Guinn, and cash. The club may have felt that Staub's ankle problems would shorten his career, but Staub instead continued his exceptional hitting in Montreal, Detroit, and New York. John Mayberry – another young first base prospect – was traded to the Kansas City Royals for mediocre bullpen help. There he became an integral part of the Royals.
However, Richardson's most memorable trade featured Morgan, the Astros' star second baseman, who was dealt (along with 4 time gold glove winner César Gerónimo, infielder Denis Menke, utility outfielder Ed Armbrister and starting pitcher Jack Billingham) to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for first baseman Lee May, second baseman Tommy Helms and utility infielder Jimmy Stewart. Morgan went on to become the offensive heart of the Big Red Machine, who would later win back to back World Series championships in both 1975 and 1976 and is widely held by many to be the greatest second baseman of the second half of the 20th century. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
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Spec Richardson
Harold Beland "Spec" Richardson (October 27, 1922 – April 12, 2016) was an American professional baseball executive. He served as the general manager of two Major League Baseball teams, the Houston Astros (1967–75) and San Francisco Giants (1976–81).
A native of Columbus, Georgia, Richardson began his baseball career in 1946 as concessions manager of the minor league Columbus Cardinals of the Class A Sally League. He advanced to business manager, and switched to the rival Jacksonville Tars (later the Braves) in 1949, staying with that franchise through 1958. He then served as general manager of the Houston Buffaloes of the Triple-A American Association from 1959–61.
When the minor-league Buffaloes were succeeded by the MLB Houston Colt .45s in 1962, Richardson joined the expansion team in its debut National League season as the Colt .45s' business manager. The team was renamed the Astros in 1965.
Richardson took over as Astro general manager after his two predecessors, Paul Richards and Tal Smith, had built one of the most talented farm systems in baseball. In its five-year history, the Houston franchise had produced star players Rusty Staub, Joe Morgan, Jimmy Wynn, Larry Dierker and Dave Giusti, with future standouts Doug Rader and Don Wilson ripening in its minor league system.
But Paul Richards was fired by Astro owner Roy Hofheinz after the 1965 season. Houston spent 1966 with Smith heading up a three-man baseball operations management team that included Richardson and field manager Grady Hatton. Then, during the 1966–67 off-season, Hofheinz named Richardson the club's official general manager, a job he would hold for almost nine full seasons.
Richardson traded 31-year-old Mike Cuellar to the Baltimore Orioles for Curt Blefary on December 4, 1968. Cuellar appeared in three consecutive World Series with the Orioles from 1969 to 1971 including a 1970 Championship run, was a co-recipient of the American League Cy Young Award in 1969, had at least 20 wins in each of four seasons and won 143 games in eight years in Baltimore. Blefary spent only one season with the Astros before being dealt to the New York Yankees for Joe Pepitone.
Richardson then traded Staub — a 24-year-old outfielder and first baseman who displayed remarkable ability to hit for high average and decent power (leading the league in doubles in 1967) within the confines of the cavernous Astrodome — to the Montreal Expos for Jesús Alou and Donn Clendenon. Clendenon refused to report, however, and Montreal instead sent Jack Billingham, Skip Guinn, and cash. The club may have felt that Staub's ankle problems would shorten his career, but Staub instead continued his exceptional hitting in Montreal, Detroit, and New York. John Mayberry – another young first base prospect – was traded to the Kansas City Royals for mediocre bullpen help. There he became an integral part of the Royals.
However, Richardson's most memorable trade featured Morgan, the Astros' star second baseman, who was dealt (along with 4 time gold glove winner César Gerónimo, infielder Denis Menke, utility outfielder Ed Armbrister and starting pitcher Jack Billingham) to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for first baseman Lee May, second baseman Tommy Helms and utility infielder Jimmy Stewart. Morgan went on to become the offensive heart of the Big Red Machine, who would later win back to back World Series championships in both 1975 and 1976 and is widely held by many to be the greatest second baseman of the second half of the 20th century. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.