at the dumpy facilities in Fort Lauderdale barely able to walk. He limped through three weeks of spring training and the worst signing in the history of the Orioles – agreed to and signed off on by one man, owner Peter Angelos – was mercifully coming to a conclusion that everyone sought.
Belle collected all $65 million of his money, including the $39 million he was still owed. Angelos was forced to pay almost $12 million – the rest was covered by the insurance brilliance of Ames.
Ames essentially got a job for life – he’s still with the Orioles in 2017 in a leading Senior Vice President role – and Mike Hargrove got rid of Albert Belle from his clubhouse in 2001 and beyond.
The press release on March 10, 2000, said, “Belle is totally disabled and unable to perform
