Joe Buzas
From SABR Encyclopedia
| Joe Buzas | |
| Joseph John Buzas | |
| Bat/Throw: | R/R |
|---|---|
| Height: | 6' 1" |
| Weight: | 180 |
| Born: | 1919-10-2 at Alpha, NJ (US) |
| Died: | 2003-3-19 at Salt Lake City, UT (US) |
| More info | |
| Statistics: | Retrosheet |
|---|---|
| SABR Searches: | Pictures of Joe Buzas | width:90% height:65% scrolling:auto | Pictures}} · Bibliography |
March 21, 2003|By ROBERTO GONZALEZ; Courant Staff Writer
Joe Buzas had a reputation for being cantankerous and intimidating.
But the longtime minor league baseball owner will also be remembered as a smart businessman who was loyal to the city of New Britain.
Buzas, owner of the Eastern League's Rock Cats until 2000, died Wednesday night in Salt Lake City. He was 84.
Those who knew him best said he always had a deep appreciation of baseball. He most recently was owner and president of the Salt Lake Stingers, the Triple A affiliate of the World Series champion Anaheim Angels.
Buzas owned close to 60 minor league franchises over the years but always had a special affection for the one he bought in 1956, when it was in Allentown, Pa.
Forty-four years later, he sold that franchise -- the New Britain Rock Cats -- for $6.5 million.
"It was a pleasure and honor to work for him," said former New Britain general manager Gerry Berthiaume. "He was certainly like a father to me. He gave me a break in the sport. We had a lot of fun together."
Berthiaume began working for Buzas with the Bristol Red Sox in 1982, one year before the team moved to New Britain. Baseball was Buzas' life. He was the Opening Day shortstop for the Yankees in 1945 and played in 30 games until his career was ended by a shoulder injury.
He was a manager in Puerto Rico for 10 years, then entered the business of owning and running minor league teams.
"That was his hobby," Berthiaume said. "He made a lot of money from it. He wouldn't spend it to market his clubs, but for the people who worked for him, he was a generous person. He would tell me, 'Don't ever let anybody know I did this.'"
Buzas quickly developed a knack for making a profit out of failing franchises. He bought a floundering Reading franchise in 1977 for $1 and 10 years later sold it for $1,000,001.
"Joe was a tough but fair businessman," said Julian McCracken, who worked for Buzas in Reading. "He ran a tight ship, but you learned a lot about the game. Not only how to run a business, but he would teach you the game of baseball inside and out."
Buzas squabbled with city officials in New Britain over a variety of issues but did not move the team to Springfield when he had the chance in 1994.
Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette wanted Buzas to bring his Double A team to Springfield, and the city was promising him a big season ticket base.
"He knew New Britain would probably never get another team," Berthiaume said. "His heart was always here, though businesswise it might have been better to move."
In January 1994, Buzas underwent surgery for prostate cancer. He lived in Salt Lake City and grew tired of traveling back and forth to New Britain.
After turning back several suitors, he finally decided in late 1998 to sell the franchise to a local group of investors led by Farmington attorney Coleman B. Levy and Manhattan lawyer Bill Dowling.
The sale took well over a year to complete.
"Joe was one of the toughest negotiators I ever met," said Dowling, who was vice president and general counsel for the Yankees from 1986-88. "Unless you did things his way, things would not get done. The toughtest negotiator was [George] Steinbrenner, but Joe in his own way was very stubborn and difficult to deal with, but he also had a soft spot."
Buzas is survived by his wife, Helen "Penny" Buzas, son Jason, daughter Hilary Drammis-Buzas and two grandchildren. His daughter is vice president of the Stingers. [1]
