Michael Kendall Flanagan was born December 16, 1951. He grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, 
and graduated from Manchester Memorial High School. I remember him from my class in high school--He was quiet and polite. When he spoke he was brief but articulate. He was always in motion, and participated in every possible sport, playing on the baseball, basketball and football teams.
He lettered for the UMass baseball team in 1972 and 1973, before going professional. He graduated from the UMass School of Education in 1975.
He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1973, in the 7th round of the draft. This six foot tall, left hander pitched 18 seasons in the major leagues with the Orioles (1975-1987 and 1991-1992) and the Toronto Blue Jays (1987-1990). He won the 1979 American League Cy Young Award for the Orioles.
He played his first game on September 5, 1975 and his final game on September 27, 1992.
Retired as a player, he resided in Sparks MD, and served as a television analyst for Home Team Sports, on broadcasts of the Orioles games, and twice served as the team's pitching coach (1996 and 1998) before he assumed his current duties. In December 2002, he was hired a vice president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles. In October of 2005, he became executive vice president.
Awards and recognition are not over for Mike. On August 27th of this year, he was presented the William A. "Bill" Shea Distinguished Little League Graduate Award. Mike played for South Little League in Manchester New Hampshire for five years and was a two-time all-star pitcher and first basemen even back then.
Mike Flanagan Quotes:
About the Orioles in 1989: "Our problem was, we haven't been striking out enough."
About the Orioles in 1992: "You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track."
Speaking about the funeral of Elrod "Ellie" Hendricks in December of 2005: "It's a terrible way to have a reunion of great people."
“When I was a kid . . . I wore my Little League uniform constantly, and the biggest punishment my parents ever gave me was taking my glove and uniform away.”
*Additional Reading*
-Biography, UMass web Site-
-Baseball Library: Mike Flanagan-
-Baseball Almanac: Mike Flanagan-
-Announcment of MIke Flanagan as co-GM of the Orioles-
-Bill Shea Distinguished Little League Award (plus a cute photo of Mike as a kid)-
