Dusty Baker made history when the Houston Astros defeated the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, becoming the first Black manager in MLB history to win 2,000 career games. Baker also became the 12th manager to reach the historic milestone, CNN reports.
“It feels great whenever you reach a goal,” the manager said, CNN reports. “I didn’t really have this goal until, I don’t know, four or five years ago, when I realized I had a chance.”
In his 29 years in the MLB, Baker has managed the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals and the Astros. The 72-year-old, who won his first game on April 6, 1993, is the only manager in MLB history to lead five different teams to the postseason and to win division titles with five different clubs. Baker has reached the postseason 11 times.
He has also managed in the World Series twice, leading the 2002 Giants and the 2021 Astros to the big stage.
“I think about Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson and Frank Robinson, who helped me a lot, Bill Walsh, all the general managers and owners I’ve had, whether they fired me eventually or not,” Baker said. “It just sort of added to my perseverance and determination and faith. I’ve also got to thank my detractors for giving me the motivation to go on because there’s a lot of people that doubted me in the beginning when I first got the job with no experience, a lot of them that doubted me even though I was winning.”
A few days before he made history, Baker was asked what it would mean for him to reach 2,000 wins.
“You can’t look back because you have work to do going forward,” the manager said, according to KHOU 11. “And you can’t gloat about what you’ve done until after your career is over with. Then when your career is over with, then you assess the entire situation. But while you’re in it, you don’t have time to do that.”
Still, Baker acknowledged that the latest milestone has a special meaning.
“It means extra,” he said. “It means extra to the culture. It means extra to society. It means extra to my race, and it means extra hopefully for others to get an opportunity (so) I’m not the last.”
While Baker made history, his son Darren had his own memorable moment on the same night. Darren, who plays in the minor league, hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to lead the Wilmington Blue Rocks to a 3-2 win over the Bowling Green Hot Rods.
