REPLACING RUSSELL; EMOTIONAL DAY GREETS HOFFMAN AFTER HE ANSWERS SOS CALL.Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer Glenn Hoffman Glenn Edward Hoffman (born July 7 1958 in Orange, California) is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball and the current third base coach for the San Diego Padres. Previously, in 1998 he took over the managerial position for the Los Angeles Dodgers final half of the season when has come home. And it never felt better. It was 18 years ago that Hoffman, an Orange County native and a rookie with the Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox are a member and currently champions of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball’s American League. From to the present, the Red Sox have played in Fenway Park. , played for the first time at what was then Anaheim Stadium. Singing the national anthem that night was Ed Hoffman, Glenn's father, an usher at the stadium who periodically put in double duty belting out the Star Spangled span·gle n. 1. A small, often circular piece of sparkling metal or plastic sewn especially on garments for decoration. 2. A small sparkling object, drop, or spot: spangles of sunlight. Banner. On Monday, Hoffman made another debut: He was managing his first major-league game for the Dodgers. This time Ed Hoffman wouldn't be here on his son's big day. He died three years ago. The elder Hoffman, however, played a role: Glenn received the phone call that he was being promoted late Sunday - Father's Day. ``It made it even more special to look at the schedule and find out we were playing in Anaheim,'' he said shortly before Monday's Dodgers-Angels game, his voice breaking just slightly. ``This is the place I grew up 10 minutes from, and my dad worked here for 20 years singing the national anthem. ``. . .To get the call on Father's Day, there's a special message there somewhere.'' For Hoffman, only 39, special is the best word to describe this day. He takes over a floundering team with half his players, it seems, on the disabled list. He knows the Fox people aren't messing around. If Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza (born September 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is an American Major League Baseball player who currently plays for the Oakland Athletics. He began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres can be traded, anybody can be let go. He better win if he expects to be around for long. Remember, Hoffman was in Calgary preparing for a game between his Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes The Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. The first Dukes team was formed in 1915 as part of the Class-D Rio Grande Association. The team finished in third place with a 32-25 record. and the Cannons scheduled for today. It was almost midnight on Sunday when he was told he would replace Bill Russell Noun 1. Bill Russell - United States basketball center (born in 1934) William Felton Russell, Russell and become only the fourth manager in Los Angeles Dodgers "Dodgers" and "Brooklyn Dodgers" redirect here. For the American football team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (football). For the Eastern Basketball Association team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (basketball). history. Was he feeling the pressure on Monday? Nah. He was soaking it all in, beaming as he fielded questions from dozens of reporters in front of the visitors' dugout. It was the proverbial dream come true. ``It's emotion after emotion, the tears, the excitement, everything all at once,'' he said. ``I've been asked to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers. . . . ``I'm just going to enjoy every moment of it.'' His exuberance belies his image among the young Dodgers who have played for him as a fiery but controlled competitor. From the beginning, whether he was managing in the minor leagues or acting as minor-league field coordinator (since 1994), he impressed the Dodgers organization with his knowledge of the game, dedication, organizational skills and competitive nature. Interim general manager Tom Lasorda, one his mentors, told Hoffman long ago that he would manage in the majors one day. He's not a vocal motivator like Lasorda, however. In the minors, he had other ways of getting the most out of his players while keeping the game in perspective. ``He's a competitor, he loves to win, he loves to play the game,'' said Todd Hollandsworth Todd Mathew Hollandsworth (born April 20, 1973 in Dayton, Ohio) is an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Previously, Hollandsworth played with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1995-2000), Colorado Rockies (2000-2002), Texas Rangers (2002), Florida Marlins (2003), Chicago Cubs , who played for Hoffman at both the Double-A and Triple-A levels. ``That's what he's all about. . . . He wants his guys to go out there and be fiery and play fundamentally correct. But at the same time, have fun. . . . ``We all understand this is a business. But he wants you to understand this is the same game we played when we were kids. You have to go out there and try to win but have fun.'' The Dodgers haven't had a lot of fun in recent months, which is in good part a product of losing. Which is why Russell is gone after compiling a 36-38 record this season and Hoffman is here. Hoffman was asked several times about the daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin challenges ahead. His answers carried the same message: positive, optimistic but also realistic - what one would expect to hear from a first-time manager, especially one not prone to bluster. ``It's not a matter of trying to win 12, 13 in a row,'' he said. ``We can't do it that way. It's not going to happen overnight. But we're going to work at it.'' As he answered that question, it was one of few times he wiped the smile off his face. Nothing was going to ruin this day for Hoffman. GLENN HOFFMAN PROFILE Age: 39 Family: Wife (Cheryl), five children Home: Anaheim Hills Managing record: 1991 - Great Falls Great Falls, city (1990 pop. 55,097), seat of Cascade co., N central Mont., second largest city in the state, at the confluence of the Missouri and Sun rivers and near the falls that give the city its name; inc. 1888. (rookie) 46-24 1992 - Vero Beach Vero Beach (vēr`o), city (1990 pop. 17,350), seat of Indian River co., E Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway); founded c.1888, inc. 1919. (Single-A) 53-82 1993 - San Antonio San Antonio (săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837. (Dougle-A) 58-76 1997 - Albuquerque (Triple-A) 62-79 1998 - Albuquerque 27-41 Other duties: Minor League Field Coordinator, since 1994 Playing career: nine seasons as an infielder (Boston, Dodgers, Angels). Fact: His younger brother Wiki is aware of the following uses of "'Younger Brother":
CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, Box PHOTO (1--Color) Only hours after getting a call in Canada about his promotion, Glenn Hoffman had taken over as Dodgers manager in Anaheim. (2) New Dodgers manager Glenn Hoffman is greeted by Angels manager Terry Collins before they battled Monday night. David Crane/Daily News (3) Hoffman BOX: GLENN HOFFMAN PROFILE (see text) |
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