David Lander, the actor best known for his role as Squiggy in Laverne & Shirley, passed away on Friday at the age of 73 due to complications from multiple sclerosis. When the news surfaced about his death, baseball fans offered their condolences. They reminisced about his role as the announcer in A League of Their Own, as well as his time in the Majors.
While Lander became a household name due to his work in both TV series and films, he also made an impact on the world of baseball. He served as a scout for both the Angels and the Mariners. He was also born in the Bronx but chose to root against the New York Yankees. Instead, Lander was actually an “avid fan” of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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We remember David Lander. Best known as the iconic character, Squiggy, on TV’s Laverne & Shirley, he served as a scout for the @Angels and @Mariners and was a minority owner of Triple-A Portland Beavers. Portrayed PA announcer in classic film “A League of Their Own.” #RestInPeace pic.twitter.com/wN1RGFTcI9
— Baseball Digest (@BaseballDigest) December 6, 2020
In addition to serving as a scout in the Majors, Lander also contributed to the Minors. He became a minority owner of the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate, the Portland Beavers in 1980. Lander joined the group to help pay Luis Tiant’s salary, which led to a unique interaction between the two men.
“I thought, ‘This will be fun, I’ll get to see the inner workings of baseball,” Lander told ESPN. “The first game I saw as an owner was in Spokane. I showed my pass and the kid at the gate doesn’t know any better so he waves me in and I go sit down in the dugout. The game starts and I’m still sitting there. I know the rules about non-uniformed personnel being on the field and I know I’m not supposed to be there but no one says anything and Tiant has a no-hitter going so I’m afraid to move and jinx it. And no one is saying anything to me because they don’t want to jinx it, either.
“The game goes on and I’m starting to worry that we’ll have to forfeit the game because I was in the dugout when I wasn’t supposed to,” Lander continued. “I can see the headlines, ‘Squiggy Ruins Tiant’s No-Hitter.’ But I don’t want to move because he’s got a no-hitter going. Finally, it’s the seventh inning and Tiant sits right down next to me and he says, ‘So, what do you think of my no-hitter?’”
The Beavers found success during the 1980s, winning the PCL pennant in 1983. The team went on to defeat the Albuquerque Dukes in three games to capture the league championship. The Beavers appeared in the Triple-A World Series, finishing second behind the Tidewater Tides.
