A little background on Wally..............
An intoxicated Wally Backman threatened his wife, broke down a door to their central Oregon home and spent a night in jail in late 2001, according to police records.
Off-the-field issues have plagued the new Diamondbacks manager in recent years, but team executives said Tuesday that they were sticking with Backman for now.
Backman also filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2003 in Portland, Ore., after years of mounting debts that he blames on his ex-wife.
He also has faced numerous tax liens by states and the federal government filed from 1992 to 2001, records show. Backman said that he has paid his tax debts.
Backman also was convicted of driving under the influence while he was a minor league manager in 2000 in Washington state, records show. He spent a day in jail.
Diamondbacks executives said they did not conduct a criminal or financial background check on Backman.
He has been offered a two-year deal with two, one-year club options. The first year of the deal will pay him $500,000. But Backman, named to the job Monday, has yet to sign a contract.
Backman's history, disclosed in various public records searches and requests, is an embarrassing setback for an organization that ousted Chief Executive Officer Jerry Colangelo in August and saw its team lose a franchise-worst 111 games this season.
The support of Backman is also a departure for a franchise that, under Colangelo, had jettisoned problem players who had domestic disputes.
"Am I happy that these incidents occurred? Of course not," said Ken Kendrick, one of the team's general partners. "Do they disqualify Wally and the job we have for him? No, I don't think so unless there is other information, factual based information, that we do not know."
He and other members of the team's front office met with Backman Tuesday afternoon. Kendrick said he came out of the meeting satisfied with Backman's answers.
"There is no question mistakes have been made, and I'm sorry," Backman said. "That is the whole truth to the matter . . . There are some things you want to forget about in your life."
Backman said he did not think the disclosure of his problems would affect his relationship with players or fans.
Kendrick said the Diamondbacks had asked former employers about Backman, who was a minor league manager for the franchise before being promoted, but did not do other background checks.
Reports from the Prineville, Ore., Police Department and Crook County Sheriff's Office detail the domestic dispute.
According to authorities, on Oct. 7, 2001, Backman and his current wife, Sandi, had been fighting all day, and he called the home several times. Sherrie Rhoden, a friend of his wife, told police that Backman had threatened to kill her and his wife.
Rhoden told police that Backman broke in a door and she grabbed a bat. The two then struggled with the Louisville Slugger, and Rhoden was hit in the face. Rhoden hit Backman and broke his left arm.
Backman was arrested on suspicion of assault, menacing, harassment and disorderly conduct, and he was taken to jail.
In December 2002, as part of a plea bargain, Backman pleaded guilty to harassment. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and to undergo anger and alcohol evaluations.
Rhoden said Tuesday night from Prineville that the day after the incident occurred she went to the district attorney's office and urged him to drop the case.
"He didn't threaten his wife," Rhoden said. "I don't remember what he said. He wanted in his home, and I locked him out and he broke the door down."
Rhoden said it was her fault the incident got out of control.
"I'm terribly embarrassed it has come back to hurt Wally. It was not his fault," she said.
Backman said Tuesday that the incident did not involve his wife and that he had asked Rhoden to leave his home because she had been drinking.
The Prineville police report said that Backman's explanation of events was "vague and lacked detail," and that he denied having made threats toward his wife or anyone else.
"He was clearly evasive about his actions in this event and was found to be untruthful about his actions," the report said.
In March 2003, Backman filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the face of mounting debt and taxes owed to the federal government, Minnesota and Oregon, according to court records.
Records also show Backman had tax liens from California and New York, but they eventually were paid.
Records from Oregon's bankruptcy court say Backman owed money to more than 20 creditors, including the Internal Revenue Service. Backman also owed money to a tire store, veterinarian, credit card companies and bill collectors.
Chapter 7 allows a debtor to free himself of most debts, although Backman said he paid off his tax debts and creditors in Prineville, where he and Sandi live in the off-season.
He blamed his financial problems on his ex-wife, Margie, whom he said managed his finances. She could not be reached Tuesday.
An intoxicated Wally Backman threatened his wife, broke down a door to their central Oregon home and spent a night in jail in late 2001, according to police records.
Off-the-field issues have plagued the new Diamondbacks manager in recent years, but team executives said Tuesday that they were sticking with Backman for now.
Backman also filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2003 in Portland, Ore., after years of mounting debts that he blames on his ex-wife.
He also has faced numerous tax liens by states and the federal government filed from 1992 to 2001, records show. Backman said that he has paid his tax debts.
Backman also was convicted of driving under the influence while he was a minor league manager in 2000 in Washington state, records show. He spent a day in jail.
Diamondbacks executives said they did not conduct a criminal or financial background check on Backman.
He has been offered a two-year deal with two, one-year club options. The first year of the deal will pay him $500,000. But Backman, named to the job Monday, has yet to sign a contract.
Backman's history, disclosed in various public records searches and requests, is an embarrassing setback for an organization that ousted Chief Executive Officer Jerry Colangelo in August and saw its team lose a franchise-worst 111 games this season.
The support of Backman is also a departure for a franchise that, under Colangelo, had jettisoned problem players who had domestic disputes.
"Am I happy that these incidents occurred? Of course not," said Ken Kendrick, one of the team's general partners. "Do they disqualify Wally and the job we have for him? No, I don't think so unless there is other information, factual based information, that we do not know."
He and other members of the team's front office met with Backman Tuesday afternoon. Kendrick said he came out of the meeting satisfied with Backman's answers.
"There is no question mistakes have been made, and I'm sorry," Backman said. "That is the whole truth to the matter . . . There are some things you want to forget about in your life."
Backman said he did not think the disclosure of his problems would affect his relationship with players or fans.
Kendrick said the Diamondbacks had asked former employers about Backman, who was a minor league manager for the franchise before being promoted, but did not do other background checks.
Reports from the Prineville, Ore., Police Department and Crook County Sheriff's Office detail the domestic dispute.
According to authorities, on Oct. 7, 2001, Backman and his current wife, Sandi, had been fighting all day, and he called the home several times. Sherrie Rhoden, a friend of his wife, told police that Backman had threatened to kill her and his wife.
Rhoden told police that Backman broke in a door and she grabbed a bat. The two then struggled with the Louisville Slugger, and Rhoden was hit in the face. Rhoden hit Backman and broke his left arm.
Backman was arrested on suspicion of assault, menacing, harassment and disorderly conduct, and he was taken to jail.
In December 2002, as part of a plea bargain, Backman pleaded guilty to harassment. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and to undergo anger and alcohol evaluations.
Rhoden said Tuesday night from Prineville that the day after the incident occurred she went to the district attorney's office and urged him to drop the case.
"He didn't threaten his wife," Rhoden said. "I don't remember what he said. He wanted in his home, and I locked him out and he broke the door down."
Rhoden said it was her fault the incident got out of control.
"I'm terribly embarrassed it has come back to hurt Wally. It was not his fault," she said.
Backman said Tuesday that the incident did not involve his wife and that he had asked Rhoden to leave his home because she had been drinking.
The Prineville police report said that Backman's explanation of events was "vague and lacked detail," and that he denied having made threats toward his wife or anyone else.
"He was clearly evasive about his actions in this event and was found to be untruthful about his actions," the report said.
In March 2003, Backman filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the face of mounting debt and taxes owed to the federal government, Minnesota and Oregon, according to court records.
Records also show Backman had tax liens from California and New York, but they eventually were paid.
Records from Oregon's bankruptcy court say Backman owed money to more than 20 creditors, including the Internal Revenue Service. Backman also owed money to a tire store, veterinarian, credit card companies and bill collectors.
Chapter 7 allows a debtor to free himself of most debts, although Backman said he paid off his tax debts and creditors in Prineville, where he and Sandi live in the off-season.
He blamed his financial problems on his ex-wife, Margie, whom he said managed his finances. She could not be reached Tuesday.
Well if that's true then he wasn't fired and he wasn't on the job for 5 days. If he hasn't signed the contract then he never accepted the offer. So they didn't fire him, they simply revoked their offer. You can always revoke an offer before accepted without consequence.Fishhead said:
Which begs the question: why didn't Wally's world put pen to paper? What a *******.
Backman's history, disclosed in various public records searches and requests, is an embarrassing setback for an organization that ousted Chief Executive Officer Jerry Colangelo in August and saw its team lose a franchise-worst 111 games this season.
Jerry Colangelo ousted? I missed that...anybody have any info about that? i did a Google search and didn't come up with anything.
Jerry Colangelo ousted? I missed that...anybody have any info about that? i did a Google search and didn't come up with anything.
D-Backs fire Backman, hire Melvin
[font=Times New Roman,Times,Serif]The Arizona Diamondbacks have fired newly hired manager Wally Backman and hired former Seattle Mariners manager Bob Melvin, the team announced Friday.
Melvin was the bench coach for the Diamondbacks the year the team won the World Series in 2001.
The decision not to enter into a final contract with Backman, whose hiring was announced Monday, was the result of published media reports that revealed Backman had twice been arrested and has struggled with financial problems.
The team said it had been unaware of Backman's problems until the media reports surfaced on Tuesday.
"Wally is a terrific baseball guy, nothing that we have learned has changed that," said Ken Kendrick, the Diamondbacks lead owner. "But, we have a responsibility as the stewards of this franchise to look at not only the skills of the people in leadership positions, but also at their personal lives. Sadly it is a fact that a person's personal life does affect and should in fact be part of a manager's professional decisions."
Kendrick added that it was a mistake by the team's leadership not to have conducted a personal background check into Backman before announcing his hiring.
Kendrick said in the future all newly hired "key personnel" will go through background checks first.
During the same press conference, D-Backs' General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr. announced that the team had hired Bob Melvin as its new skipper.
"Well, I'm here to brighten up the mood a little bit and to let everybody know that all of the paper ballots and the absentee ballots are in and I'm the new manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks," Melvin joked. "I know this is kind of a roundabout way, but it doesn't take away the fact that I am excited to be here in a place that I feel like I should be," Melvin added.
Melvin also announced his choice for bench coach -- former Diamondbacks infielder Jay Bell, the Opening Day shortstop when the team first took the field in 1998. Bell also played on the 2001 World Series team, scoring the winning run.
During his Diamondbacks tenure, Bell made a millionaire of fan Gylene Hoyle, when she predicted he would hit a grand slam in the sixth inning as part of a 1999 promotion with one of the club's sponsors. Bell indeed put it in the seats with the bases loaded, one of the 38 home runs he hit as the Diamondbacks won the National League West in their second season.
For more: www.azdiamondbacks.com.
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[font=Times New Roman,Times,Serif]The Arizona Diamondbacks have fired newly hired manager Wally Backman and hired former Seattle Mariners manager Bob Melvin, the team announced Friday.
Melvin was the bench coach for the Diamondbacks the year the team won the World Series in 2001.
The decision not to enter into a final contract with Backman, whose hiring was announced Monday, was the result of published media reports that revealed Backman had twice been arrested and has struggled with financial problems.
The team said it had been unaware of Backman's problems until the media reports surfaced on Tuesday.
"Wally is a terrific baseball guy, nothing that we have learned has changed that," said Ken Kendrick, the Diamondbacks lead owner. "But, we have a responsibility as the stewards of this franchise to look at not only the skills of the people in leadership positions, but also at their personal lives. Sadly it is a fact that a person's personal life does affect and should in fact be part of a manager's professional decisions."
Kendrick added that it was a mistake by the team's leadership not to have conducted a personal background check into Backman before announcing his hiring.
Kendrick said in the future all newly hired "key personnel" will go through background checks first.
During the same press conference, D-Backs' General Manager Joe Garagiola Jr. announced that the team had hired Bob Melvin as its new skipper.
"Well, I'm here to brighten up the mood a little bit and to let everybody know that all of the paper ballots and the absentee ballots are in and I'm the new manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks," Melvin joked. "I know this is kind of a roundabout way, but it doesn't take away the fact that I am excited to be here in a place that I feel like I should be," Melvin added.
Melvin also announced his choice for bench coach -- former Diamondbacks infielder Jay Bell, the Opening Day shortstop when the team first took the field in 1998. Bell also played on the 2001 World Series team, scoring the winning run.
During his Diamondbacks tenure, Bell made a millionaire of fan Gylene Hoyle, when she predicted he would hit a grand slam in the sixth inning as part of a 1999 promotion with one of the club's sponsors. Bell indeed put it in the seats with the bases loaded, one of the 38 home runs he hit as the Diamondbacks won the National League West in their second season.
For more: www.azdiamondbacks.com.
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