Baltimore Orioles TV Announcer Mike Flanagan Commits Suicide

(Story compiled with information from two Baltimore Sun Articles)

Former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Mike Flanagan, a Cy Young Award winner who became a television announcer and top executive with the club, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

Flanagan had been upset about financial issues, police said Thursday.

However, WBAL-TV is standing behind its Wednesday-night report by sportscaster Gerry Sandusky linking Flanagan’s suicide to him being "despondent" over being perceived as having failed the team and fans during his time in the O's front office.

"Multiple sources tonight confirm," Sandusky told viewers, "that Mike Flanagan -- former Orioles player, executive and broadcaster -- took his life despondent over what he considered a false perception from a community he loved of his role in the team's prolonged failure."

Flanagan, who was in his second year as a color analyst for the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, spent more than 30 years with the Orioles as a player, coach, front office executive and broadcaster.

Selected by the Orioles in the 1973 amateur draft, Flanagan went on to pitch 18 major league seasons, including parts of 15 with the Orioles. He was a key member of the 1983 world champions, going 12-4 with a 3.30 ERA in the regular season and winning Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Chicago White Sox.

The Orioles will wear black circular patches on the right sleeves of their uniforms for the rest of the season to honor Flanagan. The patches will have the word "FLANNY" written in white letters.