Today I wanna talk about Wally Backman. This guy is a baseball legend, especially for all you New York Mets fans out there. I mean, the dude was part of the ’86 team that won the World Series. How cool is that?
So, I got interested in this guy recently. I started digging around to see what he’s been up to lately. Turns out, he was managing the Long Island Ducks, which is like an independent baseball team. He was there for a while, racked up almost 300 wins, and even took them to the championship series a couple of times. They won it all once, back in 2019. Sounds like he was doing pretty good, right?
But then, just this past October, I found out that he and the Ducks decided to part ways. No more Wally managing the Ducks. I gotta say, I was a little bummed. It felt like the end of an era or something.
Before his time with the Ducks, this guy was a bench coach in the Mexican Baseball League. He was with a team called the Pericos de Puebla. That was back in 2017, so he’s been around the block, that’s for sure.
Now, let’s go way back. Backman’s glory days were with the Mets. He played second base for them from 1980 to 1988. Even after all these years, it seems like the Mets still remember him fondly. I saw somewhere that they still liked his skills at bat. That’s some lasting impact right there.
- Joined the New York Mets: 1980
- Part of the World Series Winning Team: 1986
- Became bench coach for Pericos de Puebla: 2017
- Started managing the Long Island Ducks: Before 2019
- Won the Atlantic League Championship with the Ducks: 2019
- Parted ways with the Long Island Ducks: October 2, 2023
From what I gathered, this whole thing with Backman leaving the Ducks, it got me thinking about his whole career. He’s a guy who’s given a lot to baseball. He’s been a player, a coach, and a manager. He’s seen it all, from the major leagues to the minor leagues, even to international leagues.
The guy’s a true baseball lifer, you know? It’s kinda sad to see him leave a team, but I’m curious to see what he does next. Will he manage another team? Will he go back to coaching? Or maybe he’ll just enjoy some well-deserved retirement. Only time will tell, I guess.
The Impact of Wally
I spent hours reading about his time with the Mets and the Ducks. I watched old game clips, and man, could that guy play! It’s easy to see why he’s so respected in the baseball world. His passion for the game, it’s just infectious.
I gotta say, after spending all this time reading about Wally Backman, I’ve become a fan. He might not be a household name for everyone, but for baseball fans, especially Mets fans, he’s someone special. He was a key part of a legendary team, and he’s continued to contribute to the sport for decades. It got me thinking, it’s not just about the big stars. Guys like Backman, they’re the heart and soul of the game. And that’s something worth celebrating, don’t you think?
