Big Cheese to retire

Live from Denver as Bewis "Big Cheese" Skywalker holds a press conference:

Good evening my Jawa brethren, assorted other beings, and the good people of Denver.  Today I have to inform you that the Denver Rabbits will begin looking for a new manager.  I have had the privilege of leading this organization for the last 33 seasons.  While I enjoyed and greatly appreciated this job, it was not an easy journey.  For many seasons we came so close to our goal, yet suffered through playoff heartbreaks.  It finally all came together in 2012.  That was not our best regular season team, in fact it was only my 16th best, however we finally put things together in the playoffs and brought the championship to this great city.

I have had the chance to manage many great players over the years, like Misfire, Sunsurf, Mahatma Russell, Stan Marsh, Joey Renseller, and Mark Crawford.  So many others have given their best for this team, and I appreciate them all.  I thank all of my players for the managerial record I have accumulated.  They did all the work.  

The past four years have not been easy, however I believe we have turned a corner in rebuilding this great franchise.  We caught a glimpse of what Michael Stewart can do, as he hit 24 homers in only half a season.  He has many great years ahead of him, and veterans like Crawford and Miguel Tejawa have some good baseball left in them as well.  As I own this team, I will be here to support them in my retirement, and cheer on our next manager from the owner's box.

As I approach my 87th year, I have to be honest with myself that I no longer have the energy to run this team the way it needs to be run.  Our fine general manager, Michael Adams, has begun a search and will put forth every effort to find the right person to lead this team into the future.

I began my baseball career nearly 70 years ago.  I was a young jawa, fresh off the ship from Tatooine, when I signed my first professional contract with the New York Knights.  Even then, I knew that one day I would like to manage a team.  I spent my playing career learning everything I could about baseball, just in case some day I would need that knowledge.  I never missed a chance to learn from those who came before me in the game.  One such person, whom I met in my first spring training, was a manager in his final season with the Philadelphia A's, Connie Mack.  Even though I was playing for the other team, I introduced myself to Mr. Mack during one series. That great old man was generous with his time, even for a teenage creature from another planet who played for another club.

He gave me pointers on my swing which helped me adjust to big league pitching, and we talked for hours about his job as manager.  Mr. Mack had every excuse to have an ego, yet I could not detect the slightest trace of one.  This great manager was the most humble person I have ever met.  Despite holding records that will never be broken, Mr. Mack did not consider himself the greatest.  I will never forget the words he said to me when I asked him what his secret was to becoming a great manager.  He said "Bewis, there has been only one manager, and his name is McGraw."

Mr. Mack managed his final season when he was 87 years old.  Today is my 87th birthday.  Mr. Mack won 3,731 games, more than anyone else.  John McGraw, who passed away when I was a jawaling, won 2,763 - good for second place.  I find myself in third place with 2,747 victories.  I could manage one more year and catch McGraw in victories and Mack longevity, however I have no desire to chase their records for the sake of chasing records.  I will not stand in the way of progress for the Denver Rabbits, who need a new manager to lead them into a new era of dominance of the Major League Central division.

Thank you Denver, for all of your support over the years.