Johnnie B. “Dusty” Baker Jr, the current manager of the Houston Astros in Major League Baseball, was born on June 15, 1949. He spent 19 years in the major leagues as a hard-hitting outfielder, notably with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1977 and 1978, he helped the Dodgers capture the National League pennant, as well as the World Series in 1981.
He previously led the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals as their manager. In 2002, he led the Giants to the National League pennant, and he also made the playoffs with the other two teams he managed. In 2020, he was hired as the manager of the Houston Astros on a one-year contract. In his first year with the Astros, Baker became the first manager in MLB history to lead five separate teams to the playoffs.
In 2021, he led them to the AL West crown, becoming the first manager in baseball history to win a division title with five different teams. Baker is also one of only six managers in franchise history to make the playoffs ten times. Since he was diagnosed with cancer 20 years ago and had a stroke seven years ago, he has continued to wear a glove and mask.
