Harry Dalton

Harry I. Dalton

• School Amherst College

• Born August 23, 1928 in West Springfield, MA USA
• Died October 23, 2005 in Carefree, AZ USA

Biographical Information

Harry Dalton was an executive and General Manager for three different Major League teams, most notably for the Baltimore Orioles. He was responsible for acquiring Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson from the Cincinnati Reds for Milt Pappas, Jack Baldschun, and Dick Simpson on December 9, 1965. Robinson would post a Triple Crown in 1966 helping to power the club towards their first World Championship. Dalton was also responsible for naming Hall of Famer Earl Weaver manager in the middle of the 1968 season. In total, the O's reached the World Series four times during his tenure, winning in 1966 and again in 1970.

Dalton joined the Orioles when they relocated from St. Louis, MO in 1954; his parents had moved to Baltimore a few years earlier and he saw this as an opportunity to work in baseball. His first job with the organization was so low-paying that he had to drive a taxi at night to make ends meet. But he rose through the ranks and was the farm director for the Orioles from 1961 to 1965 and GM from 1966 to 1971. As farm director, he succeeded Jim McLaughlin, who had been his mentor but left the team suddenly. He was then the General Manager of the California Angels (1972 to 1977) and the Milwaukee Brewers (1978 to 1991). After acquiring players Rollie Fingers, Pete Vuckovich, Ted Simmons, and Don Sutton, he led the Brewers to their only World Series appearance in 1982. Dalton retired in 1994 after working 41 years in baseball. He was inducted into the team Hall of Fames for both the Brewers and Angels.

Dalton is featured prominently in Nine Innings a book about an Orioles-Brewers game in 1982.

He was named Executive of the Year twice, in 1970 and 1982.

Dalton had was drafted into the Air Force and served during the Korean War; he had to forego an opportunity to attend the Columbia University School of Journalism as a result. Dalton died in October 2005 due to the complications of Parkinson's disease.

Preceded by Lee MacPhail

Baltimore Orioles General Manager 1966-1971

Succeeded by Frank Cashen

Preceded by Dick Walsh

California Angels General Manager 1972-1977

Succeeded by Buzzie Bavasi

Preceded by Jim Baumer

Milwaukee Brewers General Manager 1978-1991

Succeeded by Sal Bando

Further Reading

• Lee C. Kluck: Leave While the Party’s Good: The Life and Legacy of Baseball Executive Harry Dalton, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, 2024. ISBN 978-1-4962-2289-3

Related Sites

• Harry Dalton at the SABR Bio Project