Grady Little

Grady Little played minor league baseball in the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees organizations during the 1960’s and 70’s. When he hung up his cleats in 1973 he traded them in for farmer’s boots, raising cotton for four years before lacing up his managing shoes in 1980. From 1980 to 1995 Little managed in the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves farm systems before joining the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians as an assistant coach at the major league level from 1996 to 2001. In 2002 he got his first shot as a big league manager with the Boston Red Sox, and eventually served as the minor league catching instructor for the Chicago Cubs in 2004 and 2005. Little finished up his managing career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, heading to sunny California in 2005 and leading the Dodgers to the postseason in 2006 before resigning in 2007. His career accolades include being inducted into the Kinston, North Carolina Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. Since his retirement he’s began a speaking career and also remained a trusted voice in the baseball world.