Fred Claire - A Dodger Legend

Fred Claire, Andy Dolich, and Pat Gallagher, with nearly 150 years of combined experience in the sports industry, share insights on their career paths, the dynamics of working in a sports front office, and the future of the industry. Fred Claire, former GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers, reflects on his journey from a small-town sports enthusiast to a pivotal role in the Dodgers' success, emphasizing teamwork, dedication, and the importance of giving back. He also discusses his battle with cancer and his efforts to support cancer research through fundraising. The podcast aims to guide and inspire the next generation of sports professionals.

• Fred Clare's early love for sports began in Jamestown, Ohio, with a population of 1500.
• Basketball and baseball were significant influences during his formative years.
• His parents took him to his first major league games at Crosley Field, solidifying his passion for sports.
• Clare realized early that his career would be in sports, although not as an athlete due to limited athletic ability.
• Journalism became his connection to the sports world, starting from high school yearbook publications to a career in sports journalism.

"Growing up in a small town in Ohio, Jamestown, Ohio, population 1500, I simply fell in love with sports."

• Clare's love for sports began in a small-town setting, emphasizing the universal appeal of sports regardless of location.

"I was determined very early on to find a career path of how I could stay involved in sports."

• Clare's early determination to work in sports highlights the importance of passion and clear career goals.

"It really became writing that I saw that could have me connected."

• Writing and journalism served as Clare's entry points into the sports industry.

• Clare attended San Jose State after two years of junior college, majoring in journalism.
• He entered the newspaper field post-graduation and joined the Dodgers in publicity in 1969.
• His career path within the Dodgers organization evolved from publicity to general manager.

"I went to San Jose State after two years of junior college as a journalist and majority, graduated, entered the newspaper field, and then ultimately, in 1969, had the opportunity to join the Dodgers in publicity."

• Education and initial career steps in journalism were pivotal in Clare's transition to a significant role in sports management.

• Clare emphasizes the importance of giving back, especially after his departure from the Dodgers in 1998.
• He entered the academic world to help young people, starting with teaching at USC's Annenberg School.
• Clare also contributed to programs at Long Beach State, Fordham University, and Caltech.
• His efforts have resulted in over 200 students from these programs working professionally in the sports industry.

"One of the things that I wanted to do was I wanted to give back in the form, even at that time, or at that time of helping young people."

• Clare's commitment to giving back is a core value, particularly in mentoring and education.

"We started the class sports business and the media at the Annenberg school at USC. So that class has now been in existence going on two decades."

• Clare's long-term involvement in academic programs underscores his dedication to education and mentorship.

"Two of my students at Caltech who had no idea that they are, might be a possibility to work in sports, now work for the Dodgers."

• Clare's teaching and mentorship have had a direct impact on students' careers, demonstrating the tangible benefits of giving back.

"Of the people working in sports. JACoB there were more than 200 students now, people, professionals in the business world of sports."

• The significant number of students who have transitioned into sports careers highlights the effectiveness of Clare's mentorship and educational efforts.

• The success of the Dodgers' front office and team was largely attributed to teamwork and continuity.
• The O'Malley family's ownership emphasized the importance of collective effort and long-term stability.
• The philosophy was that no single individual could dictate the team's destiny; success and failure were a shared experience.

"The real keynote to that in terms of Dodgers success in the front office as well as on the team, but in the front office was teamwork, people pulling together."

• Teamwork was fundamental to the Dodgers' success, both on and off the field.

"Continuity happens only through ownership or the very upper level of management. Because if you have the right people and you give them the responsibility and you give them the experience, and you let them work themselves through the good times and the bad times, then you can achieve long term success."

• Long-term success is achievable through stable and consistent management, which allows individuals to grow and gain experience.

• The O'Malley philosophy emphasized that the team wins and loses together.
• Success was not dictated by any single individual but by the collective effort of the entire team.

"There isn't any one individual who dictates our destiny. We will win as a team, and we will lose as a team."

• The team's destiny is a collective responsibility, emphasizing the importance of unity and shared goals.

• The book "Good to Great" by Jim Collins explores the common denominators that make companies great, focusing on concepts and leadership rather than just stock price.
• Two key concepts from the book are the flywheel concept and the hedgehog concept.

"Day after day after day after day, you continue as a team to do your best, and there isn't necessarily one magic moment that creates success. It's the process."

• Success is a continuous process, achieved through consistent effort and teamwork.

"We dug in day after day after day as a team, and to try to improve everything that we did, not only on the field, in the front office."

• The hedgehog concept emphasizes persistent, day-to-day effort to improve and achieve success.

• Fred's career path in the Dodgers organization began with a role in the publicity office in 1969.
• The small size of the publicity team allowed Fred to gain extensive experience in various aspects of the organization.

"In 1969, the publicity office of the Dodgers was made up of three people. Arthur Red Patterson, a secretary, Janet Calderwood, and a publicity person."

• The small team size provided an opportunity to learn and be involved in multiple areas of the organization.

"I had the chance to get deeply involved in every aspect of the organization, including and very directly into the baseball operation with Al Campanus as the general manager, Bill Schweppe as the farm director, Walter Alston as the manager."

• Fred's involvement in various departments allowed him to gain a comprehensive understanding of the organization.

• Fred transitioned from publicity to marketing and eventually became the general manager in 1987.
• His nearly 20 years of experience with the Dodgers provided him with the knowledge and skills needed for the role.

"I had gone from publicity director to vice president, public relations and promotions, then to executive vice president, I believe, in 1981 or two, where I oversaw the Dodger front office."

• Fred's career progression involved various roles, providing him with a broad range of experiences.

"In 1987, the opportunity developed to become the general manager. And the sad start, sad part of that story has been well recorded was Al Campanus resigning his position as the Dodger general manager after a widely publicized and very unfortunate appearance on the Nightline show."

• Fred became the general manager in 1987 following the resignation of Al Campanus.

"I had at that time nearly 20 years with the Dodgers. I looked at that and said, if I was going to college, I'd have five degrees of. So I think I know what this is all about because I had been very blessed to be so close to the baseball park and with Walt Austin, with all of his great coaches, with Tommy Lasorda, with all the scouts, Ben Wade and the scouting staff."

• Fred's extensive experience with the Dodgers provided him with the equivalent of multiple degrees, preparing him for the role of general manager.

• Emphasized comfort with background and competitive nature when taking on the general manager position.
• Highlighted the importance of giving one's best effort and making transitions smoother through familiarity with the organization.
• Encouraged taking ownership of one's role within the organization to foster recognition and reward.

"When I was asked to take the position of general manager, I felt comfortable with the fact that I had the background. I'm a competitive person. I knew that I was going to give the best that I had to give."

• Demonstrates confidence and preparedness for the role.
• Emphasizes the importance of a competitive spirit and commitment.

"Take ownership of the company, take ownership of the organization. Look at it as if you are in an ownership position of the company you're working for, the university that you're working for, the baseball team that you're working for, and ask yourself one basic question, what can I do to make this organization better now?"

• Encourages proactive involvement and dedication to improving the organization.
• Suggests that viewing one's role as an ownership position can lead to better outcomes and recognition.

• Discussed the misconception that the player side of sports is more glamorous than the business side.
• Emphasized the importance of every role within an organization and how each contributes to the overall success.
• Stressed the impact one person can have on the culture of an organization.

"Everyone's part of the organization, everyone's doing their part, and everyone's part of a team."

• Highlights the collective effort required for organizational success.
• Reinforces the idea that every role is crucial to the team's achievements.

• Shared personal career progression and the importance of excelling in each assigned role.
• Advised focusing on current responsibilities rather than aspiring for higher positions prematurely.
• Suggested that dissatisfaction with a role should prompt a search for a better fit elsewhere.

"Do the job that you're assigned to do and do it to the best of your ability, and if you're not happy with it, then look someplace else, because as long as you're being paid by a company, you owe your full commitment to that company and to your specific job."

• Emphasizes full commitment and excellence in one's current role.
• Advises against longing for higher positions without mastering current responsibilities.

"If you can't handle a job, which some may view as a lower level job, then I ask you, how are you going to handle a higher level job when you can't handle the job you've been assigned to?"

• Questions the ability to handle higher responsibilities if current ones are not managed well.
• Encourages mastering current roles as a foundation for future opportunities.

• Drew parallels between front office roles and on-field roles in sports.
• Highlighted the importance of being a good teammate and being prepared for opportunities.
• Suggested that dissatisfaction with one's role can lead to unproductiveness and missed opportunities.

"If your job and you start the season and your job is at a utility player and you're moaning because you think you're better than the guy playing second or the guy playing short, and you're unhappy with your position, you're not a good teammate, and you're not a productive player, and you're not ready if the opportunity comes along."

• Stresses the importance of embracing one's role and being a good teammate.
• Warns against letting dissatisfaction hinder productivity and readiness for opportunities.

• Discussed the differences in media coverage during his tenure compared to the present day.
• Noted that despite the lack of social media, his actions were well-documented by traditional media.
• Stated that public perception should be left to others to determine based on one's actions and relationships.

"What we had at one point, with five daily newspapers covering the Dodgers, as a general manager of the Dodgers, every move I made, everything I did, believe me, was well documented in print."

• Highlights the extensive media coverage even before the advent of social media.
• Indicates that actions were closely monitored and reported by traditional media outlets.

"I've always left that to others because it's the way it should be, that my relationships and the people best suited to answer that question are the people who were there covering the team."

• Suggests that public perception is best judged by those who closely observe one's actions.
• Emphasizes the importance of maintaining good relationships with the media and stakeholders.

• Emphasis on the importance of giving full effort in every task undertaken.
• The speaker took pride in consistently giving their best while working for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• The speaker's dedication was not influenced by external perceptions but by personal responsibility.

"There was never a day that I worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers where I didn't give everything I had to give."

• The speaker highlights their unwavering commitment and effort during their tenure with the Dodgers.

• The speaker's life was significantly impacted by a cancer diagnosis two years ago.
• Initial symptoms were minor, leading to a biopsy and a Mohs procedure.
• Despite initial treatment, the cancer spread from the lip to the jawbone, requiring extensive surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
• The speaker's experience with cancer motivated them to give back to the City of Hope through fundraising efforts.

"My life changed, as many lives changed two years ago, almost two years ago to this date, a little more than two years now, when I was hit by cancer."

• The speaker describes the onset of their cancer journey and its profound impact on their life.

"The Mohs procedure hadn't captured the cancer. It had moved from my lip up to my jawbone and headed north."

• The speaker explains the progression of their cancer despite initial treatment.

• The speaker initiated a golf tournament to raise funds for the City of Hope.
• The first tournament in 2017 raised over $200,000, and the second in 2018 raised over $230,000.
• Honoring individuals like Rod Carew and Tommy Lasorda at these events.
• Funds directed towards head, neck, and thyroid cancer research, inspired by the loss of a friend to thyroid cancer.

"I wanted to give back to the City of Hope, because when I walked in the City Hope in Duarte, California, I saw the incredible team that was there."

• The speaker's motivation to support the City of Hope stems from their personal experience and admiration for the institution.

"Our first tournament in 2017 raised over 200,000. Our second tournament completed less than a month ago, we raised over 230,000."

• The speaker details the fundraising success of the golf tournaments they organized.

• The speaker finds immense satisfaction in the impact of their fundraising efforts.
• The recognition and tangible results of their contributions to cancer research are deeply rewarding.
• The speaker values these achievements more than past professional successes.

"The doctor, one of the lead doctors in cancer and head and neck cancer at the City Hope, has invited us to be at the City Hope so that they can show directly what the impact of our fundraising has done."

• The speaker is invited to witness the direct impact of their fundraising efforts on cancer research.

"That's a far greater reward than as wonderful as 30 years ago 1988 was."

• The speaker expresses that their philanthropic achievements are more rewarding than their past professional milestones.

• The speaker's journey serves as an inspiration to many, demonstrating resilience and dedication.
• Encouragement for others to pursue careers in sports and make meaningful contributions.
• Highlighting the importance of mentorship and support in the sports industry.

"Fred, you've been a true inspiration to many people. Obviously, everything comes full circle there, and it's amazing to see, you know, the full transition and kind of what you've been able to do throughout your career."

• Acknowledgment of the speaker's inspirational journey and its impact on others.

"We want to help as many people as we can to show that there are opportunities and that there is a way to get involved and to make a contribution in the business world of sports."

• The speaker emphasizes the goal of helping others find opportunities and make contributions in the sports industry.