That's sad. What a classy guy. Baseball needs more like him.

Met Roland in Arizona at a D-Backs-Sox game. Wonderful guy.

Great guy and solid baseball man. Always generous with the fans. Rebuilt the early 1970s Sox after the disaster in 1970. Timmy U is right. Baseball could use more people like Roland Hemond. The Sox could use someone with his baseball knowledge now.

A really all around good dude - RIP.  

I sat next to him at a spring training game against the Yankees back in the 80s. He was really nice and was telling me and my dad about failed trades etc. The Sox won and Roland said at the end it was always nice to beat George even in spring training. Every nice thing thar was said about him is probably true based on 3 hours around him. RIP.

Edited December 13, 20214 yr by Dick Allen

RIP, a really good guy. He will be missed by many.

I am quite distressed to hear this news. Roland directed the early 70s rebuild and saved the franchise. The A's dynasty kept us out of the headlines. 

One of the classiest guys ever to be associated with the White Sox besides being a very good GM. What an amazing job he did improving the 1971 White Sox by 23 games as the 1970 team lost the most games in Sox history and then almost winning the Division in 1972, if Melton hadn't hurt his back the Sox probably would have won the West. May he rest in peace.

Roland Hemond was a classy guy and a great GM.  May he rest in peace and may God comfort his family with peace that surpasses all understanding.

Hemond was the one who brought Dick Allen to Chicago. When he was GM, it was decided to make Wilbur Wood a starting pitcher and Wood had four twenty-game winning seasons in a row. I think if Hemond had more resources, he could have done even more with the Sox. But both John Allyn and Bill Veeck didn't have enough money to build a real winning tradition. He has to go down as one of the best Sox GMs.

My Athletic Director did an internship for the Sox when Hemond was GM.  Said that he sat with Hemond virtually every game for at least part of it.  Nothing bu great things to say.  RIP

I saw him at Soxfest a few years ago. I told him he should write a book about his MLB career. He never did. He told me the worse thing he saw in his career  was how Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall dumped all over Tony Larussa.

2 hours ago, WBWSF said:

I saw him at Soxfest a few years ago. I told him he should write a book about his MLB career. He never did. He told me the worse thing he saw in his career  was how Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall dumped all over Tony Larussa.

I was with Harry & Jimmy on that one.

The outpouring of support for him all over the baseball is rather amazing.  He was a cool guy that would spend time to tell baseball stories that you never thought you'd hear.  Stuff from the 70s is great to hear.

As I read all of that I then circle back to how this franchise couldn't retain the talent they produced off the field.

I read a story about how he almost traded Arthur Rhoades for Mark Langston on the final day of the season to pitch one game for Baltimore v Toronto for the division title.  Dave Dombrowski was the Montreal GM at the time.  

 

 

I've always wondered what made JR replace Hemond with Ken Harrelson  as the White Sox GM.

I have nothing but great memories about his years. 

1 hour ago, WBWSF said:

I've always wondered what made JR replace Hemond with Ken Harrelson  as the White Sox GM.

Maybe Hemond needed a change in scenery. Two years after winning the division the Sox didn't seem to be going anywhere. But the choice of Harrelson was an odd one, and I don't think this decision had much thought behind it. It was the first big change the ownership made in the front office, and it was a dumb one. Hemond ended landing on his feet. I think 1986 scarred Harrelson.

15 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

Maybe Hemond needed a change in scenery. Two years after winning the division the Sox didn't seem to be going anywhere. But the choice of Harrelson was an odd one, and I don't think this decision had much thought behind it. It was the first big change the ownership made in the front office, and it was a dumb one. Hemond ended landing on his feet. I think 1986 scarred Harrelson.

I heard it had to do with the state of the Sox farm system. They had a chance in 1985 but when someone got hurt, everyone they brought up didn't belong in the major leagues. I guess Hawk had a plan and JR bought it.

14 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

I heard it had to do with the state of the Sox farm system. They had a chance in 1985 but when someone got hurt, everyone they brought up didn't belong in the major leagues. I guess Hawk had a plan and JR bought it.

Like Bobby Bonilla. 

Larry Himes rebuilt it nicely after Hemond so there was never really any missing of Hemond in the 90's 

He was a miracle worker after the 1970 season.
May he rest in peace.

37 minutes ago, Harry Chappas said:

Like Bobby Bonilla. 

Larry Himes rebuilt it nicely after Hemond so there was never really any missing of Hemond in the 90's 

Hawk drafted Bonilla in Rule 5 after the 1985 season.  Hawk giveth and Hawk sendeth away.

56 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

I heard it had to do with the state of the Sox farm system. They had a chance in 1985 but when someone got hurt, everyone they brought up didn't belong in the major leagues. I guess Hawk had a plan and JR bought it.

As I recall, Hawk did have a plan, and it impressed JR. I just think that if the team was going to replace Hemond, the owners should have at least interviewed a few candidates and go from there. Harrelson had no FO experience and was a bull in a China shop. Hiring Harrelson reminds me of them hiring Ventura. 

This is probably the wrong thread, but here's an analysis of Hawk's term as GM.  Not that bad.
And it included Ivan Calderon, an important transitional player for the 90s teams.

http://blackbetsy.blogspot.com/2004_12_01_archive.html

 

 

1 hour ago, Harry Chappas said:

Like Bobby Bonilla. 

Larry Himes rebuilt it nicely after Hemond so there was never really any missing of Hemond in the 90's 

Larry Himes did a tremendous job with the White Sox. JR showed his appreciation by firing him. After JR fired him he went on every TV and radio station   and badmouthed Himes relentlessly.