Dempsey appeared in 25 games for the Minnesota Twins during the 1972 season, hitting an even .200 with eight hits over 40 at-bats.
It was already his fourth taste of the Big Leagues at just 22 years of age, initially up during the 1969 season as a 19-year-old when he saw action in five games.
Of course, we know know that he would go on to play in four decades, playing 24 years between 1969 and 1992, mainly for the Baltimore Orioles, as well as short stints with the New York Yankees, Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers.
Never a full-time player, he was an important platooning or “off the bench” catcher that would be a part of two World Championship teams (1983 Orioles and 1988 Dodgers), even taking home the 1983 World Series MVP when he hit .385 for Baltimore in their win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
By the time he retired, he ended up with a career .233 average, with 1093 hits in 4692 at-bats over 1765 games, while also being a huge jokester cracking fans up along the way.
I’ll always remember his rain-delay act with over-stuffed uniform as he “slip and slid” across the tarp while with the Orioles some time during the early-80’s.
Great career.
