View source for Johnny Oates

{{Short description|American baseball player, coach and manager (1946–2004)}}
{{For|the English Liberal Democrat politician|Jonny Oates, Baron Oates}}
{{other people|John Oates}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Johnny Oates
|image=1982 Nashville Johnny Oates.jpg
|caption=Oates with the [[Nashville Sounds]] in 1982
|position=[[Catcher]] / [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|birth_date={{Birth date|1946|1|21}}
|birth_place=[[Sylva, North Carolina]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|2004|12|24|1946|1|21}}
|death_place=[[Richmond, Virginia]], U.S.
|bats=Left
|throws=Right
|debutleague=MLB
|debutdate=September 17
|debutyear=1970
|debutteam=Baltimore Orioles
|finalleague=MLB
|finaldate=May 24
|finalyear=1981
|finalteam=New York Yankees
|statleague=MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.250
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=14
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=126
|stat4label=Managerial record
|stat4value=797–746
|stat5label=Winning %
|stat5value={{Winning percentage|797|746}}
|teams=
;As player
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1970}}, {{mlby|1972}})
* [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{mlby|1973}}–{{mlby|1975}})
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|1975}}–{{mlby|1976}})
* [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1979}})
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1980}}–{{mlby|1981}})
;As manager
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1991}}–{{mlby|1994}})
* [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] ({{mlby|1995}}–{{mlby|2001}})
;As coach
* [[Chicago Cubs]] ({{mlby|1984}}–{{mlby|1987}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1991}})
|highlights=
* [[AL Manager of the Year]] (1996)
* [[Texas Rangers (baseball)#Retired numbers|Texas Rangers No. 26]] retired
* [[Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame]]
* [[Texas Rangers Hall of Fame]]
}}
'''Johnny Lane Oates''' (January 21, 1946 – December 24, 2004) was an American professional [[baseball]] player, [[Coach (baseball)|coach]], and [[Manager (baseball)|manager]].<ref name="Johnny Oates">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oatesjo01.shtml |title=Johnny Oates |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> He played in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) as a [[catcher]] for the [[Baltimore Orioles]], [[Atlanta Braves]], [[Philadelphia Phillies]], [[Los Angeles Dodgers]], and [[New York Yankees]] from {{by|1970}} to {{by|1981}}.<ref name="Johnny Oates"/> During his playing career, Oates was a light-[[Batting (baseball)|hitting]] player who was valued for his defensive skills and played most of his career as a [[Substitution (sport)|reserve player]].<ref name="Johnny Oates New York Times Obituary">{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02E1DB1E30F936A15751C1A9629C8B63 |title=Johnny Oates New York Times Obituary |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 24, 2010 |first=Richard |last=Goldstein |date=December 25, 2004}}</ref> It was as a big league manager that Oates experienced his greatest success, when, under his leadership, the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] won three [[American League West|American League Western Division]] titles.<ref name="Johnny Oates New York Times Obituary"/>

==Baseball playing career==

Born in [[Sylva, North Carolina]], Oates graduated from [[Prince George High School]] in [[Prince George County, Virginia|Prince George]], Virginia, before going on to [[Virginia Tech]] in [[Blacksburg, Virginia|Blacksburg]].<ref name="Johnny Oates"/> He was selected by the Baltimore Orioles as their first round pick in the [[1967 Major League Baseball draft|1967 Major League Baseball Secondary Draft]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/draft/1967/Jan-Sec/1.shtml |title=1967 Major League Baseball Secondary Draft |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref>

Oates began his [[professional baseball]] career with the [[Bluefield Orioles]], then the [[Miami Marlins (1962–70)|Miami Marlins]] in 1967 at the age of 21.<ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Statistics">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=oates-001joh |title=Johnny Oates Minor League Statistics |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> After two seasons with Miami, Oates moved up to the [[Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs]] in 1969, where he hit for a .288 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] in 66 games.<ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Statistics"/> He continued his climb up the [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] ladder in 1970, playing for the Triple-A [[Rochester Red Wings]] before making his major league debut with the Baltimore Orioles at the age of 24 on September 17, [[1970 Baltimore Orioles season|1970]].<ref name="Johnny Oates"/><ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Statistics"/> Oates was not on the post-season roster for The Orioles that won the [[1970 World Series]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1970.shtml |title=1970 Baltimore Orioles |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> Oates returned to the minor leagues in 1971, playing another season with Rochester, where he posted a .277 batting average along with a respectable .364 [[on-base percentage]].<ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Statistics"/>

Oates was brought back up to the Orioles for the [[1972 Baltimore Orioles season|1972]] season, where he caught the majority of the Orioles' games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1972.shtml |title=1972 Baltimore Orioles |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> His defensive skills became apparent as he led American League catchers with a .995 [[fielding percentage]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1972-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1972 American League Fielding Leaders |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> In a transaction primarily driven by the Orioles' need for a power-hitting catcher, Oates was traded along with [[Davey Johnson]], [[Pat Dobson]] and [[Roric Harrison]] to the [[Atlanta Braves]] for [[Earl Williams (1970s catcher)|Earl Williams]] and [[Taylor Duncan]] on the last day of the [[Winter Meetings]] on December 1, 1972.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/02/archives/as-send-epstein-to-rangers-scheinblum-nelson-to-reds-orioles-obtain.html Durso, Joseph. "A's Send Epstein to Rangers; Scheinblum, Nelson to Reds," ''The New York Times'', Saturday, December 2, 1972.] Retrieved April 12, 2020</ref> Oates spent two seasons with the Braves, [[Platoon system|platooning]] alongside [[Paul Casanova]], then [[Vic Correll]], before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in May [[1975 Philadelphia Phillies season|1975]].<ref name="Johnny Oates"/>

[[File:Los Angeles Dodgers vs New York Mets - Sep 3, 1978 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Oates (right) playing catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1978]]

Oates had been designated to platoon at catcher with [[Bob Boone]] for the [[1976 Philadelphia Phillies season|1976]] season; however, in the season-opening game against the [[1976 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]], he cracked his collar bone in a collision at home plate with [[Dave Parker]] and missed almost half the season.<ref name="Home Plate Collisions Are Part Of The Game!">{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kDQDAAAAMBAJ&q=johnny+oates+baseball+digest&pg=PA68 |title=Home Plate Collisions Are Part Of The Game! |author=Mihoces, Gary |date=December 1978 |journal=Baseball Digest |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> "That play changed my career", he said afterwards.<ref name="Home Plate Collisions Are Part Of The Game!"/> He returned to help the Phillies win the [[1976 Philadelphia Phillies season|1976]] National League Eastern Division pennant.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1976.shtml |title=1976 Philadelphia Phillies |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> Oates had one plate appearance, as a pinch hitter, in the [[1976 National League Championship Series]] as the Phillies lost to the eventual world champion [[1976 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oatesjo01.shtml#batting_postseason::none |title=Johnny Oates Post-season Statistics |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> After the season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 20, 1976.<ref name="Johnny Oates Trades and Transactions">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/trades.php?p=oatesjo01 |title=Johnny Oates Trades and Transactions |work=Baseball Almanac |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref>

With the Dodgers, Oates worked as a second-string catcher behind [[Steve Yeager]] and would once again reach the post-season as the Dodgers clinched the [[1977 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1977]] National League West title.<ref name="1977 Los Angeles Dodgers">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/1977.shtml |title=1977 Los Angeles Dodgers |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> The Dodgers went on to defeat the [[1977 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] in the [[1977 National League Championship Series]] before eventually losing to the [[1977 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in the [[1977 World Series]].<ref name="1977 Los Angeles Dodgers"/> In [[1978 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1978]], Oates appeared in only 40 games as the Dodgers repeated as Western Division champions and, once again defeated the [[1978 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] in the [[1978 National League Championship Series]].<ref name="Johnny Oates"/><ref name="1978 Los Angeles Dodgers">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/1978.shtml |title=1978 Los Angeles Dodgers |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> The [[1978 World Series]] was also a repeat of the previous year, as the Dodgers once again lost to the [[1977 New York Yankees season|Yankees]] in a six-game series.<ref name="1978 Los Angeles Dodgers"/> Oates' playing time decreased further in [[1979 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1979]], as he appeared in only 26 games before being released at the end of the season.<ref name="Johnny Oates"/> He became a [[free agent]] and signed a contract to play for the New York Yankees on April 4, [[1980 New York Yankees season|1980]].<ref name="Johnny Oates Trades and Transactions"/> Oates served as a backup to [[Rick Cerone]] during the 1980 season before playing in his final game on May 24, [[1981 New York Yankees season|1981]], at the age of 35.<ref name="Johnny Oates"/>

==Managing==
Oates began managing in baseball in 1982. That year, he guided the [[New York Yankees]]' Double-A [[Nashville Sounds]] to the [[Southern League (1964–2020)|Southern League]] title.<ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Managerial Record">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=oates-001joh#standard_managing::none |title=Johnny Oates Minor League Managerial Record |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> From [[1984 Chicago Cubs season|1984]] to [[1987 Chicago Cubs season|1987]], he worked as a coach for the [[Chicago Cubs]] and was credited with developing [[Jody Davis (baseball)|Jody Davis]] into a [[Gold Glove Award]] winning catcher.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qjQDAAAAMBAJ&q=jody+davis+baseball+digest&pg=PA20 |title=Jody Davis of the Cubs: Catcher With a Mission |author=Mitchell, Fred |date=June 1987 |journal=Baseball Digest |access-date=October 18, 2010 }}</ref> He rejoined the Orioles organization at their [[Rochester Red Wings|Rochester AAA affiliate]] in 1988.<ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Managerial Record"/> The following year, he was promoted to the majors where he worked as first base coach under [[Frank Robinson]], and in [[1991 Baltimore Orioles season|1991]], after Robinson started 13–24, Oates was promoted to the manager of the Orioles.<ref>{{cite news |title=Orioles Fire Robinson; Oates Is Replacement |agency=Associated Press |work=The Southeast Missourian |page=1 |date=May 24, 1991 |access-date=November 24, 2010 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=z8QfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3191,3219487&dq=johnny+oates&hl=en}}</ref> In his first full season with the team, Oates led the Orioles to an 89–73 record and then to an 85–77 record in [[1993 Baltimore Orioles season|1993]], which helped him to win [[Sporting News Manager of the Year Award|''The Sporting News'' Manager of the Year Award]].<ref name="Johnny Oates Managerial Record">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/oatesjo01.shtml |title=Johnny Oates Managerial Record |work=Baseball-Reference |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref><ref name="Johnny Oates Awards">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/awards.php?p=oatesjo01 |title=Johnny Oates Awards |work=Baseball Almanac |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> However, following the strike-shortened [[1994 Baltimore Orioles season|1994 season]], Oates was dismissed by new owner [[Peter Angelos]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Impatient Orioles Give Johnny Oates The Heave-Ho |agency=Associated Press |work=Gettysburg Times |page=1 |date=September 27, 1994 |access-date=November 24, 2010 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ReAlAAAAIBAJ&pg=6144,3242614&dq=johnny+oates&hl=en}}</ref> He finished his Orioles managerial career with a record of 291 wins and 270 losses.<ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Managerial Record"/>

Oates was hired by the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]], who had just fired their previous manager, [[Kevin Kennedy (baseball)|Kevin Kennedy]]. Oates proceeded to lead the Rangers to their first playoff appearance in team history during the [[1996 Texas Rangers season|1996]] season.<ref name="Johnny Oates Managerial Record"/> Despite the team's poor [[Earned run average|ERA]] (the team averaged 4.65 collectively), the Rangers' batting lineup was incredibly potent, featuring [[Iván Rodríguez]], [[Will Clark]], [[Mark McLemore]], [[Dean Palmer]], [[Rusty Greer]], [[Juan González (baseball)|Juan González]], and [[Mickey Tettleton]]; the team finished 90–72. Oates won the 1996 [[American League]] [[Manager of the Year Award]] that year, sharing honors with the Yankees' [[Joe Torre]].<ref name="Johnny Oates Managerial Record"/><ref name="Johnny Oates Awards"/>

Oates continued to lead the Rangers for several more seasons, leading them to [[American League West]] titles in [[1998 Texas Rangers season|1998]] and [[1999 Texas Rangers season|1999]].<ref name="Johnny Oates Managerial Record"/> However, the Rangers would win just one playoff game in that span (winning Game 1 of the [[1996 American League Division Series]]), and the latter two ALDS appearances saw the Rangers score only one run each time, all at the hands of the [[New York Yankees]], who won the [[World Series]] in those respective years. Oates' record of 1–9 (.100) is the worst for any manager with multiple postseason appearances.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

In a blowout game on September 6, 2000, Oates had [[Scott Sheldon]] play all nine positions in a single game, making him the third player in MLB history to do so. Oates told reporters "After it got to be 10-1 … I thought it was the perfect night to do it."<ref>{{cite news |title=Ranger Plays Nine Positions in One Game |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=100624&page=1 |access-date=26 January 2024 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=September 7, 2000 |language=en}}</ref>

Following a fourth-place finish in [[2000 Texas Rangers season|2000]] and beginning the [[2001 Texas Rangers season|2001]] season with an 11–17 record, Oates resigned as manager and third base coach [[Jerry Narron]] replaced him.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oates Resigns His Post As Texas' Manager |agency=Associated Press |work=The New York Times |page=1 |date=May 5, 2001 |access-date=November 24, 2010 |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0F12FE355C0C768CDDAC0894D9404482}}</ref> Many fans, however, blamed Rangers management for the team's woes, saying that team management placed unreasonable expectations on Oates, especially after spending $252&nbsp;million on [[free agent]] [[shortstop]] [[Alex Rodriguez]]. He finished his Rangers managerial career with a record of 506 wins and 476 losses.<ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Managerial Record"/>

==Career statistics==

===Playing===
In an 11-year major league career, Oates played in 593 [[Games played|games]], accumulating 410 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]] in 1,637 [[at bats]] for a .250 career [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] along with 14 home runs, 126 [[runs batted in]] and a .309 [[on-base percentage]].<ref name="Johnny Oates"/> A good defensive player, he ended his career with a .987 [[fielding percentage]].<ref name="Johnny Oates"/>

===Managerial record===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Games!!Won!!Lost!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-
|-
![[1991 Baltimore Orioles season|BAL]]|| {{mlby|1991}}
||125||54||71||{{Winning percentage|54|71}}|| 6th in AL East || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1992 Baltimore Orioles season|BAL]]|| {{mlby|1992}}
||162||89||73||{{Winning percentage|89|73}}|| 3rd in AL East || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1993 Baltimore Orioles season|BAL]]|| {{mlby|1993}}
||162||85||77||{{Winning percentage|85|77}}|| 3rd in AL East || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1994 Baltimore Orioles season|BAL]]|| {{mlby|1994}}
||112||63||49||{{Winning percentage|63|49}}|| 2nd in AL East || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|BAL total || 561 || 291 || 270 || {{Winning percentage|291|270}} || || 0 || 0 || – ||
|-
![[1995 Texas Rangers season|TEX]]|| {{mlby|1995}}
||144||74||70||{{Winning percentage|74|70}}|| 3rd in AL West || – || – || – || –
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1996 Texas Rangers season|TEX]]|| {{mlby|1996}}
||162||90||72||{{Winning percentage|90|72}}|| '''1st in AL West''' || 1 || 3 || .250 || Lost [[1996 American League Division Series|ALDS]] ([[1996 New York Yankees season|NYY]])
|-
![[1997 Texas Rangers season|TEX]]|| {{mlby|1997}}
||162||77||85||{{Winning percentage|77|85}}|| 3rd in AL West || – || – || – || –
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1998 Texas Rangers season|TEX]]|| {{mlby|1998}}
||162||88||74||{{Winning percentage|88|74}}|| '''1st in AL West''' || 0 || 3 || .000 || Lost [[1998 American League Division Series|ALDS]] ([[1998 New York Yankees season|NYY]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1999 Texas Rangers season|TEX]]|| {{mlby|1999}}
||162||95||67||{{Winning percentage|95|67}}|| '''1st in AL West''' || 0 || 3 || .000 || Lost [[1999 American League Division Series|ALDS]] ([[1999 New York Yankees season|NYY]])
|-
![[2000 Texas Rangers season|TEX]]|| {{mlby|2000}}
||162||71||91||{{Winning percentage|71|91}}|| 4th in AL West || – || – || – || –
|-
![[2001 Texas Rangers season|TEX]]|| {{mlby|2001}}
||28||11||17||{{Winning percentage|11|17}}|| resigned || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|TEX total || 982 || 506 || 476 || {{Winning percentage|506|476}} || || 1 || 9 || .100 ||
|-
! colspan="2"|Total<ref name="Johnny Oates Minor League Managerial Record"/> || 1543 || 797 || 746 || {{Winning percentage|797|746}} || || 1 || 9 || .100 ||
|}

==Honors==
{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = JohnnyOatesRangers.png
|Name   = Johnny Oates
|Number = 26
|Team = Texas Rangers (baseball)
|Display   = Texas Rangers
|Year   = 2005
|}}

Oates was named American League Manager of the Year in 1996 when he led the Rangers to their first playoff berth in franchise history, winning the American League West Division.<ref>{{cite web |title=Texas Rangers Team History and Encyclopedia |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TEX/ |website=Baseball Reference}}</ref>  He won the Sporting News American League Manager of the Year Award that year (and also when he was managing the Orioles in 1993).

His uniform number '''26''' was retired by the Rangers on August 5, 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats10.shtml |title=Retired Numbers in the American League |work=Baseball Almanac |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> It was only the second number retired by the Rangers, following the '''34''' of [[Nolan Ryan]]. During the 2005 season, a commemorative patch was worn on all Ranger uniforms and a sign was hung on the outfield wall in his honor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20041224&content_id=925734&vkey=pr_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228144415/http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20041224&content_id=925734&vkey=pr_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 28, 2011 |title=Former Texas Rangers manager Johnny Oates passes away |work=texas.rangers.mlb.com |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref> Prior to Game 3 of the [[2010 American League Division Series]] against the [[2010 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]], his eight-year-old grandson, Johnny Oates II, threw out the [[ceremonial first pitch]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20101006&content_id=15446260&vkey=pr_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228072742/http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20101006&content_id=15446260&vkey=pr_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 28, 2011 |title=Texas Rangers announce pre-game ceremonies for games 3 and 4 of 2010 American League Championship Series |work=texas.rangers.mlb.com |access-date=November 24, 2010 }}</ref>

Oates was posthumously inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame on August 7, 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ray Miller, the late Johnny Oates voted into Orioles Hall of Fame |agency=Associated Press |work=The Baltimore Sun |page=1 |date=May 23, 2010 |access-date=November 24, 2010 |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2010/03/23/ray-miller-the-late-johnny-oates-voted-into-orioles-hall-of-fame/ |archive-date=September 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905125534/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-03-23/sports/bal-sp.oshall23mar23_1_ray-miller-orioles-hall-johnny-oates |url-status=live }}</ref> That same year, [[Buck Showalter]] had honored his friend Oates by choosing the number '26' as he took over management of the Baltimore Orioles.

Oates was inducted into the [[List of Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame inductees|Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1983. He was inducted into the [[Virginia Sports Hall of Fame]] (the state-wide organization) in 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hokiesports.com/baseball/jerseys/oates.html |title=Johnny Oates at the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame |publisher=hokiesports.com |access-date=November 24, 2010 |archive-date=December 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218022326/http://www.hokiesports.com/baseball/jerseys/oates.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vshfm.com/hall/induct_oates.html |title=Johnny Oates at the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame |publisher=vshfm.com |access-date=November 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130125217/http://vshfm.com/hall/induct_oates.html |archive-date=November 30, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Personal life==

Oates was considering returning to managing when he was diagnosed with an aggressive [[brain tumor]], [[glioblastoma multiforme]]. Doctors gave Oates only about a year to live, but he survived for over three years—enough time to attend his daughter's wedding, his grandchild's birth, and his induction into the [[Texas Rangers Hall of Fame]] at [[Rangers Ballpark in Arlington|The Ballpark in Arlington]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20030802&content_id=457799&vkey=news_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex |title=Four elected into Rangers' HOF |work=texas.rangers.mlb.com |access-date=November 24, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330023718/http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20030802&content_id=457799&vkey=news_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> During the ceremony at The Ballpark, he was given a standing ovation as Oates, weakened by the cancer and its treatment, required the help of his wife Gloria and a cane to walk.

Oates died at age 58 at [[Virginia Commonwealth University]] Medical Center in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] on Christmas Eve 2004.<ref name="Johnny Oates New York Times Obituary"/>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Portal|Baseball}}
*{{baseballstats|mlb=119881|espn=381|br=o/oatesjo01|fangraphs=1009674|brm=oates-001joh|retro=O/Poatej101}}  
*{{baseball-reference manager|oatesjo01}}
*{{SABR Baseball Biography Project|bcfef6da}}
*[http://thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_O/Oates.Johnny.Obit.html Johnny Oates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123020420/http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_O/Oates.Johnny.Obit.html |date=January 23, 2020 }} at Deadball Era
*{{find a Grave|10171405}}

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sports}}}}
{{succession box | title=[[Nashville Sounds|Nashville Sounds Manager]] | before=[[Stump Merrill]] | years=1982| after= [[Doug Holmquist]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Columbus Clippers|Columbus Clippers Manager]] | before=[[Frank Verdi]] | years=1983| after= [[Stump Merrill]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Chicago Cubs|Chicago Cubs Bullpen Coach]] | before=[[Duffy Dyer]] | years=1984–1987| after= [[Larry Cox (baseball)|Larry Cox]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Rochester Red Wings|Rochester Red Wings Manager]] | before=[[John Hart (baseball)|John Hart]] | years=1988| after= [[Greg Biagini]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Baltimore Orioles|Baltimore Orioles First Base Coach]] | before=[[Minnie Mendoza]] | years=1989–1991| after= [[Curt Motton]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Texas Rangers}}
{{AL Managers of the Year}}
{{Sporting News Manager of the Year Award}}
{{Texas Rangers retired numbers}}
{{Texas Rangers Hall of Fame}}
{{Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame}}
{{Nashville Sounds managers}}
{{Baltimore Orioles managers}}
{{Texas Rangers managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oates, Johnny}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:Atlanta Braves players]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles coaches]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles managers]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Bluefield Orioles players]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs coaches]]
[[Category:Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs players]]
[[Category:Deaths from brain cancer in Virginia]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Dodgers players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball bullpen coaches]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball catchers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball first base coaches]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball managers with retired numbers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award winners]]
[[Category:Miami Marlins (FSL) players]]
[[Category:Nashville Sounds managers]]
[[Category:New York Yankees coaches]]
[[Category:New York Yankees players]]
[[Category:People from Sylva, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies players]]
[[Category:Rochester Red Wings managers]]
[[Category:Rochester Red Wings players]]
[[Category:Texas Rangers managers]]
[[Category:Virginia Tech Hokies baseball players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Richmond, Virginia]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]