Dodgers World Series architect Fred Claire dies on 91st birthday

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ franchise and fan base woke to sad news on Tuesday.

Former General Manager Fred Claire died on Monday, on what was his 91st birthday.

Fred Claire looks on during a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros, May 29, 1991. Getty Images

Claire served in numerous roles in the Dodgers’ front office for nearly 30 years, including serving as the team’s general manager from 1987 to 1998.

Claire is best-known for being the man who put the Dodgers’ 1988 World Series roster together.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, left, and former general manager Fred Claire are honored before a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 25, 2021. Getty Images

He acquired outfielders Kirk Gibson and Mike Davis, shortstop Alfredo Griffin, plus several impact pitchers like Jay Howell and Jesse Orosco after Los Angeles’ 1987 campaign to set them up for their first World Series win in seven seasons the next year.

The most notable of those acquisitions was Gibson, whose legendary walk-off home run in Game 1 of that World Series is still one of the most iconic moments not just for the Dodgers’ franchise, but in all of baseball history.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson celebrates his game-winning two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics as he rounds the bases during the first game of the World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Oct. 15, 1988. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Dodgers have a great opportunity to honor Claire’s memory on Tuesday, as they face the Atlanta Braves in a pivotal Game 3 of their best-of-five NLDS series this evening.

If the series comes back to Dodger Stadium for a winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday, fans can likely expect the Dodgers to pay tribute to Claire in some way.

The Los Angeles Dodgers listen to the national anthem before Game 1 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Wally Skalij for the CA Post

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *