▲ Fred Claire
Fred Claire, the former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager who helped Asian players advance to Major League Baseball (MLB) by signing Chan Ho Park and Hideo Nomo of Japan, has passed away.
He was 91 years old.
The Associated Press reported on October 6 (local time), citing an announcement from the Dodgers, that Claire passed away in Pasadena, California, on October 5, which was his 91st birthday.
Claire is well-known to South Korean fans as the figure who helped facilitate Chan Ho Park's entry into the United States.
As the Dodgers' general manager in 1994, he signed Park, then a sophomore at Hanyang University, with a signing bonus of $1.2 million.
That year, Park became the first South Korean player to step onto the big league stage and subsequently grew into a core starting pitcher for the Dodgers.
Having spent 17 seasons in MLB from 1994 to 2010, Park recorded 124 wins, 98 losses, and a 4.36 ERA.
His 124 wins still stand as the record for the most victories by an Asian-born pitcher in MLB.
Claire also contributed to Nomo's joining the Dodgers in 1995.
In his debut season, Nomo recorded 13 wins, 6 losses, a 2.54 ERA, and a league-leading 236 strikeouts, earning him the National League Rookie of the Year award.
His success paved the way for a full-scale influx of Japanese players into MLB.
This Dodgers tradition of signing Asian players continues to this day.
Currently, the Dodgers roster features Japanese players such as Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, alongside South Korea's Kim Hye-seong.
A former sports journalist, Claire joined the Dodgers public relations department in 1969 and was promoted to vice president of public relations and promotions in 1975.
Then, in 1987, after the previous general manager was dismissed over a racist remarks scandal, Claire took over as general manager, leading the Dodgers to their sixth World Series title overall and their first in seven years the following year.
The Dodgers claimed the championship with a 4-1 series victory, and Claire was named Executive of the Year by The Sporting News that same year.
However, Claire's standing became shaky after the franchise was sold by the O'Malley family to the Fox Entertainment Group in 1998.
When the new ownership group traded star catcher Mike Piazza without his knowledge, Claire protested and was ultimately dismissed in June of that year.
He subsequently maintained his ties to baseball by working as an MLB.com columnist, radio host, and sports-related corporate consultant.
Diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the lip in 2015, Claire later experienced cancer recurrences in his jaw and neck, undergoing surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
Having battled the disease for 11 years, he was reportedly receiving care in a hospice unit near the end.
Stan Kasten, president and CEO of the Dodgers, paid tribute on October 6, saying, "He brought the franchise countless victories, legendary players, and the 1988 World Series championship. We will forever be grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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