Charles G. LaMar Jr. (born c. 1956) is an American

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...

scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom **Scouts BSA, secti ...

, former

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in asso ...

, and former

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

(MLB). LaMar was the first general manager of the

Tampa Bay Devil Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home ve ...

, hired approximately three years before they began play in the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league b ...

in 1998.

Biography

LaMar was born in

Twin Falls, Idaho Twin Falls is the county seat and largest city of Twin Falls County, Idaho, United States. The city had a population of 51,807 as of the 2020 census. In the Magic Valley region, Twin Falls is the largest city in a radius, and is the regiona ...

, and grew up in

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

,Chuck LaMar
at rays.mlb.com, URL accessed November 30, 2009. 11/30/09 where his father, Charles LaMar Sr., was a coach at Willow Creek Little League. The younger LaMar attended

Madison High School Madison High School may refer to: * Madison County High School (Alabama), Gurley, Alabama * Madison High School (Idaho), Rexburg, Idaho * Madison Consolidated High School, Madison, Indiana * Madison High School (Kansas), Madison, Kansas * Kentuc ...

where he was a three-sport captain. He played

Texas Christian University Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private research university in Fort Worth, Texas. It was established in 1873 by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark as the Add-Ran Male & Female College. It is affiliated with the Christian Church (Discipl ...

. After his senior year, LaMar taught and coached at St. Thomas High School in Houston. Larry Smith, former head coach at

Texas Wesleyan University Texas Wesleyan University is a private Methodist university in Fort Worth, Texas. It was founded in 1890 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The main campus is located in the Polytechnic Heights neighborhood of Fort Worth. Its mascot is ...

, tabbed LaMar to be his assistant coach when Smith took the head coaching job at

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universi ...

in the

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

. LaMar earned his master's degree in physical education from Indiana, then went on to become the head coach at the

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

Major League Baseball

In 1985, Lamar left to become a full-time

with the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

. LaMar signed the first working agreement between a Mexico and America professional baseball team. From the Reds, LaMar became the director of minor league operations with the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

, holding the position during 1989–1990. From 1990 to 1992, the Pirates won three

National League East Division The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title. The division was created when the National Lea ...

titles.Pittsburgh Pirates Team History & Encyclopedia
at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed November 30, 2009. 11/30/09 In 1991, LaMar moved to the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...

and served as director of player development and scouting (through 1993), with the team winning its division in both seasons.Atlanta Braves Team History & Encyclopedia
at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed November 30, 2009. 11/30/09 He then served as assistant general manager and director of player personnel (1994–1995), working with

John Schuerholz John Boland Schuerholz Jr. (; born October 1, 1940) is an American baseball front office executive. He was the general manager of Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves from 1990 to 2007, and then served as the Braves president for a decade from 2 ...

during one of the most successful periods in Braves' history, as the club won the

1995 World Series The 1995 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1995 season. The 91st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League (NL) champion Atlanta Braves and the Ameri ...

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

LaMar was hired to be the first general manager of the then-

on July 19, 1995, several months after the Tampa Bay franchise was awarded.Rays Timeline
at rays.mlb.com, URL accessed November 30, 2009. 11/30/09 During the eight seasons (1998–2005) when LaMar oversaw the Devil Rays franchise, the expansion team compiled a 518–777 (.400) record and only once won more than 70 games, in 2004.Tampa Bay Rays Team History & Encyclopedia
at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed November 30, 2009. 11/30/09 LaMar's tenure was characterized by moves such as trading

Bobby Abreu Bob Kelly Abreu (; ; born March 11, 1974), nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Leche", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New Y ...

and Dmitri Young while receiving

Kevin Stocker Kevin Douglas Stocker (born February 13, 1970) is an American former Major League Baseball shortstop and switch hitter. Stocker played with the Philadelphia Phillies (1993–1997), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–2000) and Anaheim Angels (2000). A ...

and Mike Kelly in return. Those trades proved to be failures, as Abreu and Young went on to have successful careers. LaMar was also responsible for signing Juan Guzmán,

Wilson Álvarez Wilson Eduardo Álvarez Fuenmayor (born March 24, 1970) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher. During a thirteen-year baseball career, he pitched for the Texas Rangers, ...

Wade Boggs Wade Anthony Boggs (born June 15, 1958) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent 18 seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Boston Red Sox. He also played for the New York Yankees (1993-1997), and the Tamp ...

, Roberto Hernández, and trading for

Fred McGriff Frederick Stanley McGriff (born October 31, 1963) is an American former first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for six teams from 1986 through 2004. He was one of the most consistently productive powers hitters of the 1990s, po ...

. LaMar was fired on October 6, 2005, by incoming owner

Stuart Sternberg Stuart L. Sternberg (born August 8, 1959) is an American Wall Street investor. He is the principal shareholder of the ownership group that owns the Tampa Bay Rays and acts as the team's Managing General Partner since November 2005. Early life ...

.Sternberg takes over Rays, fires GM LaMar
at espn.com, URL accessed November 30, 2009. 11/30/09

Later career

Lamar spent the 2007 season with the

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

as special assistant to the general manager and national crosschecker.Nationals bolster scouting department
at mlb.com, URL accessed November 30, 2009. 11/30/09 In October 2007, LaMar was appointed director of professional scouting by the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

, later promoted to assistant general manager of player development and scouting in November 2008.Now With the Phillies, an Ex-General Manager Left His Mark on the Rays
by Tyler Kepner at nytimes.com, URL accessed November 30, 2009

11/30/09 On September 6, 2011, Lamar resigned from the Phillies. On November 4, 2011, it was announced that LaMar would be joining the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

as a special assistant for amateur scouting.Blue Jays hire LaMar as special assistant
at mlb.com, URL accessed November 8, 2011. 11/08/11

Personal life

LaMar resides in

Rockport, Texas Rockport is a city in Aransas County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,766 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat. Rockport is adjacent to the town of Fulton, and many refer to the combined communities as "Rockport-Fulton"; howev ...

, and is married with a son and two daughters. He has stated that his hero is

Ted Williams Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 193 ...

. LaMar was inducted to the Texas Scout Association's hall of fame in 2017. LaMar's brother Dan was selected in the first round of the 1979 MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds; Dan Lamar went on to play in Minor League Baseball from 1979 through 1985 as a catcher and first baseman.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lamar, Chuck 1950s births Date of birth missing (living people) Living people TCU Horned Frogs baseball players College baseball coaches Major League Baseball general managers Major League Baseball farm directors Atlanta Braves executives Cincinnati Reds scouts Tampa Bay Devil Rays executives Philadelphia Phillies executives Toronto Blue Jays scouts Washington Nationals executives Washington Nationals scouts People from Rockport, Texas People from Twin Falls, Idaho