Former Red Sox GM Lou Gorman passes at age 82

Red Sox Nation lost one of their very own early Friday morning. Former Red Sox General Manager, Lou Gorman past away at Massachusetts General Hospital at age 82.

Gorman was the GM of the Red Sox from 1984-93 and was the man who put together the 1986 American League Championship team that would fall to the Mets in the World Series and also hung up a total of three AL East flags up in Fenway.

Gorman was ill for over a year and according to his nephew had one goal which he made it to. “All he wanted to do was make it to Opening Day, and he made it,” Tom Dougherty said.

Gorman was always a fan of baseball and played 16 games for the Providence Grays in 1948, which was a Class B New England League. He recorded only one hit in 28 bats as a professional. After this his country called on a need for him and he spent eight years in the Navy. When he got out of the service he went back to his first love, baseball. Gorman spent time working in the minor league systems for the Giants, Orioles and Royales before becoming the assistant GM of the Kansas City Royals in 1976. He would go on to become the first GM of the Mariners in 1977 when the American League expanded. In 1980 he would serve as the vice president of player personnel for the Mets. In 1984 he joined the Red Sox as VP of baseball operations and would later become the GM. As the GM he would put together the 1986 team including players such as Dave Henderson and Spike Owen. He would be the GM until 1993 where Dan Duquette became his successor.

"Lou Gorman was a giant in our industry," said general manager Theo Epstein. "During half a century in the game, Lou impacted and helped so many people in countless ways. We'll dearly miss this good, humble man who leaves an unmistakable legacy on the Red Sox and Major League Baseball."

"Lou Gorman truly was a good man and a friend to all," Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said in a statement released by the club. "A proud son of Rhode Island, he returned to his native New England in the mid-1980s and chartered the Red Sox baseball operations department. Lou promptly led the club to the AL pennant and the 1986 World Series. But for those who had the good fortune to meet him, Lou will be remembered as much for his disposition and character as his baseball acumen. The Boston Red Sox and the rest of baseball will not be the same without Lou, but we are all better for having known him."

The Red Sox will miss Gorman as will all of Red Sox Nation who will remember the good times we had with him and the games that we have won. He touched the lives of several players and members of the baseball community as well his legacy will live on.