Bobby Valentine Manager, Chiba Lotte Marines Full name: Robert John Valentine Born: May 13, 1950 in Stamford, Connecticut Resides: Stamford, Connecticut

Family: wife, Mary (married January 8, 1977); son, Robert John “Bobby” Jr. (born: April 25, 1983). Mary is a daughter of former Brooklyn Dodgers’ pitcher Ralph Branca.

• Led the Marines to the Nippon Series championship, a record-setting 4-game sweep of the Hanshin Tigers, on Oct. 26, 2005. Marines scored 10 runs in each of the first 3 games. No team had ever scored 10 or more runs in 2 consecutive games in Nippon Series history.
• Was the club’s first appearance in the Nippon Series since their last championship, in 1974. Voted the top sports story of the year by the Daily Yomiuri.
• 2005 was only the third non-losing season the team has had in 20 years. All 3 exceptions (1995, 2004, 2005) were the only 3 years Bobby has managed the team.
• Marines led all of Japanese baseball in runs scored and fewest runs allowed.
• First foreign manager to win the Nippon Series and first manager in baseball history to lead a club to the NPB Nippon Series and the MLB World Series (2000 New York Mets lost to the Yankees).
• WON NUMEROUS AWARDS IN 2005. MOST NOTABLY …
  • First foreigner to win the prestigious “Shoriki Award,” presented annually to a person who makes great contributions to Japanese baseball. … Bobby called it one of the greatest honors of his life. … The award, which was first presented to al-time world home run king Sadaharu Oh in 1977, is named for Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper founder Matsutaro Shoriki, who also founded the Yomiuri Giants and was the driving force behind Japan's first pro baseball league.
  • Hoichi Sports newspaper’s “Golden Spirit” award in recognition of his charitable efforts, including raising money for earthquake and typhoon victims in Japan, Hurricane Katrina victims in the States and heart-transplant surgery for a young boy in Chiba Prefecture.
  • “Sportsman of the Year” by Foreign Sports Writers Association of Japan.
• “Bobby Magic,” the phrase used to describe his successful managing style, was one of the 10 “buzzwords” of the year 2005, as chosen by almanac publisher Jiyukokuminsha.
• “BOBEER” was produced domestically by Sapporo brewing company, with proceeds going to charity, at Bobby‘s insistence.
• Readers of the “Weekly SPA!” magazine, primarily businessmen in their 20s and 30s, voted Bobby as the person they would most want to have as their boss.
• Has been honored by hundreds of organizations for his charitable work and currently heads the “Mickey Lione Jr. Fund,” named in honor of one of his childhood coaches that provides scholarships to students from his hometown.
• Business entrepreneur, opened one of first “sports bars” in the United States 26 years ago and still owns two restaurants, named “Bobby Valentine’s Sports Gallery Café,” located in Connecticut and Texas.
• Champion ballroom dancer, he performed in opening ceremonies of the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City.
• His many passions include fine dining, history and literature, music, traveling, downhill skiing and bicycle riding.
• Bobby and his wife love Collie dogs and own three at their home in Connecticut. One of them is named after Tommy Lasorda, Bobby’s first minor league manager.
• Named No. 8 best athlete of the 20 th Century from Connecticut by Sports Illustrated magazine.
• Starred in baseball, football and track at Rippowam High School (class of 1968) and is only three-year All-State football player in Connecticut scholastic history. H alfback, he scored 53 touchdowns in his career and was selected to the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in December 1986.
• Dodger’s first-round selection in the June, 1968 Free Agent Draft, the fifth player in the nation to be chosen…. Was signed as an outfielder before being converted to shortstop in 1969 .
• Was offered an academic scholarship by Yale University.
• Attended University of Southern California and Arizona State University.
• In 1970, he was named Pacific Coast League Player-of-the-year as he led the league with a .340 batting average.
• Played Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1979 for the Dodgers, Padres, Mariners, Angels and Mets. Played every position except pitcher and catcher. Batted .260 in 639 career games and retired as an active player in 1979 at the age of 29.
• From 1980-81, was a minor league infield instructor for the Padres and served the Mets in the same capacity in 1982.
• November 15, 1982, named to the Mets coaching staff… Served as the team’s third base coach and also handled New York’s infield and base-running instruction. … Worked under managers George Bamberger, Frank Howard and Davey Johnson… Stayed with the Mets until he joined the Texas Rangers as their manager in 1985.
• Became Texas Rangers manager (1985-1992) at age 35 and still holds the club record for most victories.
• First managed the Chiba Lotte Marines in 1995, leading the club to second place in the Pacific League, their best finish in 20 years.
• Managed New York Mets (1996-2002) to 2000 World Series against the Yankees. Only manager to lead Mets to playoffs two consecutive years.
• Was selected as the American League’s Manager-of-the-Year in 1986 by United Press International after guiding the Rangers to an 87-75 record, an increase of 25 victories from 1985.
• Worked for the Reds organization in 1993…was an advance scout the first part of the year and on May 24 th joined manager Davey Johnson’s staff as the third base coach.
• Named the Norfolk Tides (New York Mets AAA affiliate) manager for the first time on November 22, 1993.
• Returned for his second tour of duty as the Norfolk Tides’ manager on November 15, 1995.
• Started the 1996 season as manager of the Norfolk Tides (AAA) of the International League…Replaced Dallas Green as the New York Mets’ manager on August 26, 1996 and compiled a 12-19 record… Became the 16 th manager in Met history.
• Had 97 wins in 1999, the fifth-highest victory total in club history… The team won 98 games in 1985, 100 games in 1969 and 1988 and 108 contests in 1986.
• Compiled a 449-362 record (.554 winning percentage) in his first five full seasons as the Mets manager.
• Guided the Mets to the post-season in consecutive years for the first time in club history in 1999 and 2000.
• Notched his 1,000 th managerial victory on July 12, 2001 in a 2-0 win vs. Boston … became the 48 th manager in major league history to reach the 1,000-win plateau.
• As the Mets’ skipper his record was 536-467 (.534) … he has the second-most wins by a manager in Mets’ history … Davey Johnson is first with 595 wins.
• In 2003 he was a baseball analyst on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight.
• Returned to the Chiba Lotte Marines for the 2004 season. Has agreed to be manager for 4 more years, through 2009.
• In February 1987, Bobby was the recipient of the first William A. Shea Distinguished Little League Graduate Award.
• Honored by the New York Press Photographers Association with the Good Guy Award in January 1998 … and by the New Jersey Sportswriters in February 1998.
• 1999 led the Mets to a second-place finish with 97 wins and clinched the Wild Card spot in the playoffs by beating the Reds in a 1-game playoff. Went on to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Division Series, but lost to the Braves in the NL Championship Series.
• 2000 led the Mets again to a second-place finish with 94 wins and clinched the Wild Card spot in the playoffs. Beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Division Series and St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series to become the 2000 National League Champions. Played the New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series for a thrilling Subway World Series. Lost in five games.
• Was the recipient of the Thurman Munson Award in February 2001 at the Thurman Munson dinner for his charitable work.
• September 21, 2001 - The Mets hosted the first professional sporting event in New York City since the tragic September 11th attacks. New York made a star-spangled return against the Atlanta Braves when Mike Piazza cracked a two-run home run in the eighth inning to lift the Mets to a 3-2 victory.
• Was honored by the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation with the Lifetime Achievement Award on November 7, 2001.
• Received the Joan Payson Award for humanitarian services from the New York Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America on January 27,2002…earlier that day he also received a humanitarian award from the New Jersey Baseball Writers.
• Received the Branch Rickey Award on November 15, 2002 for his humanitarian services during New York City’s September 11 recovery. This award honors individuals in baseball who contribute unselfishly to their community and are strong role models for others. He is the first non-player to be honored with the award.
• Received the Key to New York City from Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for his humanitarian work during the Sep. 11 recovery.
• Fired by the Mets on October 1, 2002.
• November 16, 2002 honored by the Cooley’s anemia Foundation as their Man-of-the-Year.
• January 7, 2003 honored by the National Diabetes Foundation.
• January 21, 2003 received the Baseball Assistance Team Bart Giamatti Award for humanitarian service.
• April 12, 2003 inducted into the Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago.
• 2003 honoree for Tuesday’s Children.
• 2003 honoree for QSAC Autism Foundation
• Recipient of the Connecticut Gold Key Award
• Serves on the Board of the following charitable organizations:
  • The Mickey Lione, Jr. Fund for Scholastic Excellence
  • The Frisbee Foundation
  • The Western CT Chapter of Multiple Sclerosis
  • Honorary Chairman for Swim Across the Sound
  • Tully Health Center, Stamford, CT