{{Short description|Baseball executive (1924–2020)}} [[File:Salty Saltwell.webp|thumb|Saltwell]] '''Eldred<ref name="FirstName">[https://newspaperarchive.com/san-mateo-times/1957-11-05/page-18 "Saltwell Joins Cubs as GM"],'' San Mateo Times'', November 5, 1957</ref> R. "Salty" Saltwell''' (April 14, 1924 – May 3, 2020)<ref name="Birth">[https://archive.today/20130131163129/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/631152932.html?dids=631152932:631152932&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+15,+1981&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Article+2+--+No+Title&pqatl=google "Salty Saltwell, director of Wrigley Field park operations, celebrated his 57th birthday Tuesday."], ''Chicago Tribune'', April 15, 1981</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Gonzales |first1=Mark |date=May 4, 2020|title=Salty Saltwell, a longtime Cubs executive and former general manager, dies at 96 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cubs/ct-chicago-cubs-salty-saltwell-obit-20200505-ihxmlw4lefbynkyusymjdwwkbi-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> was the [[general manager (baseball)|general manager]] of the [[Chicago Cubs]] of [[Major League Baseball]] in [[1976 in baseball|1976]]. He was appointed to the position on September 30. 1975 and replaced by [[Bob Kennedy]] on November 24, 1976.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1975/10/01/archives/people-in-sports-rolfe-told-to-quit-hockey-by-doctor.html Herman, Robin. "People in Sports," ''The New York Times'', Wednesday, October 1, 1975.] Retrieved January 14, 2025.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1976/11/25/archives/kennedy-and-franks-get-top-cub-posts.html "Kennedy and Franks Get Top Cub Posts," ''United Press International'' (UPI), Wednesday, November 24, 1976.] Retrieved January 14, 2025.</ref>
Saltwell was born and raised in [[Sioux City, Iowa]], where he attended East High School and [[Morningside University|Morningside College]]. His higher education was interrupted by a three-year stint in the U.S. Army, much of it spent in the European and Pacific Theaters. After returning stateside, he eventually received his degree from Morningside in 1949, where he also spent three years as the sports publicity director, after he'd helped start the school’s sports public relations department.<ref name="RIP Baseball">{{cite web |last1=Gazdziak |first1=Sam |title=Obituary: "Salty" Saltwell (1924-2020) |url=https://ripbaseball.com/2020/05/05/obituary-salty-saltwell-1924-2020/ |website=RIP Baseball.com |date=5 May 2020 |publisher=Sam Gazdziak |access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref> From 1947-54, Saltwell also worked as an usher, trainer, play-by-play announcer, traveling secretary and business manager for the [[Sioux City Soos]] of the Class-A Western League.<ref name="Chi Sun-Times">{{cite web |title=Former Cubs executive E.R. 'Salty' Saltwell dies at age 96 |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2020/5/5/21248184/former-cubs-executive-eldred-er-salty-saltwell-dies-at-age-96 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |date=5 May 2020 |publisher=Chicago Sun Times |access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref>
Like a predecessor, [[John Holland (baseball executive)|John Holland]], Saltwell had been a general manager in the [[Minor League Baseball|minor leagues]]. He was the GM with minor league affiliates in [[Des Moines, Iowa]], and [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="The Cubs p.302">''The Cubs'', by Glenn Stout, Richard A. Johnson, Dick Johnson, p.302, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers, 2007, {{ISBN|978-0-618-59500-6}}</ref> Saltwell came to Chicago in 1958 as a business manager by owner [[Philip K. Wrigley]]. He was made a vice president in 1972. The ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' openly mocked the move and called Saltwell a hot dog vendor.<ref name="The Cubs p.302"/> Wrigley defended the decision by stating that Saltwell had the capacity to get rough, especially in contract negotiations.<ref name="The Cubs p.302"/> The team would go 75–87 in 1976 with Saltwell as GM. On November 24, 1976, he was reassigned from being the GM, as he was named secretary and director of park operations while [[manager (baseball)|field manager]] [[Jim Marshall (baseball)|Jim Marshall]] was fired.
==Transactions== Saltwell was criticized for a number of transactions. His first transaction was on October 28, 1975, when he traded [[shortstop]] [[Don Kessinger]] to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] for [[pitcher]] [[Mike Garman]].<ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kessido01.shtml Don Kessinger] at ''Baseball-Reference''</ref> Kessinger was the last player remaining from the 1969 Cubs team.<ref name="The Cubs p.302"/>
A challenge for Saltwell was that the fall of [[1975 in baseball|1975]] ushered in the era of [[free agency]]. Pitchers [[Andy Messersmith]] and [[Dave McNally]] successfully challenged a portion of the MLB [[Reserve clause]].
Saltwell also traded [[Andre Thornton]] to the [[Montreal Expos]]. In the spring of 1976, Thornton complained about the Cubs' [[spring training]] facilities, and feuded with [[José Cardenal]]. He was labelled as a troublemaker.<ref>''The Cubs'', by Glenn Stout, Richard A. Johnson, Dick Johnson, p.303, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers, 2007, {{ISBN|978-0-618-59500-6}}</ref> On May 17, Saltwell made a deal with the Expos, which was also highly criticized by fans and media alike. In the draft, Saltwell did not have any better luck. Under Saltwell, the Cubs selected pitcher [[Herman Segelke]] in the first round of the June draft.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=cubs/7079|title=The Cubs: 99 years of misery - ESPN Page 2}}</ref>
In September 1976, Saltwell was confronted by pitcher [[Steve Stone (baseball)|Steve Stone]]. Stone had informed Saltwell of his impending free agency and attempted to get a contract. Saltwell responded by telling Stone that Mr. Wrigley was in the middle of a divorce and he would have to get back to him.<ref>''Game of My Life, Chicago Cubs: Memorable Stories of Baseball'', p. 175, [[Lew Freedman]], Sports Publishing LLC, 2007, {{ISBN|978-1-59670-173-1}}</ref> Stone opted to leave the Cubs.
One of the most criticized trades was made on February 11, 1977, when the Cubs traded [[third baseman]] [[Bill Madlock]] and infielder [[Rob Sperring]] to the [[San Francisco Giants]] for outfielder [[Bobby Murcer]], third baseman [[Steve Ontiveros (infielder)|Steve Ontiveros]] and pitcher Andy Muhlstock. Madlock was a two-time defending [[batting average (baseball)|batting champion]] who had hit .354 and .339 over the previous two seasons. Saltwell wanted more power and acquired Murcer. After smashing 27 home runs in 1977 with the Cubs, Murcer hit just nine in 1978 and was traded to his original team, the [[New York Yankees]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/03/13/sayitaintso_cubs/ |title=CNNSI.com - MLB Baseball - Say It Ain't So: Chicago Cubs - Thursday March 15, 2001 07:19 PM |website=sportsillustrated.cnn.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010413163520/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/03/13/sayitaintso_cubs/ |archive-date=2001-04-13}} </ref>
==Personal== Saltwell married Betty Cairy, also a Morningside College graduate in February 1955. They had two children and were married until her death on January 10, 2019.<ref name="RIP Baseball" />
==Death== Salty Saltwell died on May 3, 2020, at the age of 96.
==Executive career== {| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Team !! Title !! Function |- align="center" bgcolor="" |1976|| Chicago Cubs|| Vice President / General Manager<br />(Hired 9/30/75; Reassigned 11/24/76)|| General Manager |- align="center" bgcolor="" |1984|| Chicago Cubs|| Special Assistant Executive V.P. and V.P., Business Operations || Special Assistant to the GM |- align="center" bgcolor="" |1985|| Chicago Cubs|| Special Assistant Executive V.P. and V.P., Business Operations|| Special Assistant to the GM |- align="center" bgcolor="" |1986|| Chicago Cubs|| Vice President || Special Assistant to the GM |- align="center" bgcolor="" |}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/execdb/showperson.php?idx=SaltwSa01&fname=Salty&lname=Saltwell |title=Baseball America - Executive Database |website=www.baseballamerica.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060309164934/http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/execdb/showperson.php?idx=SaltwSa01&fname=Salty&lname=Saltwell |archive-date=2006-03-09}} </ref>
==References== {{reflist}} {{s-start}} {{succession box |title=[[Chicago Cubs]] [[General manager (baseball)|General Manager]]| before=[[Whitey Lockman]]| after=[[Bob Kennedy]] | years=[[1976 in baseball|1976]] }} {{s-end}}
{{Chicago Cubs general managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saltwell, Salty}} [[Category:People from Chicago]] [[Category:Chicago Cubs executives]] [[Category:Major League Baseball general managers]] [[Category:1924 births]] [[Category:2020 deaths]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Chicago]]