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Longtime Major League Baseball executive Roland Hemond, widely admired and beloved for his affable style and generosity of spirit, has died at the age of 92.

Hemond, who is best known for serving as general manager of the White Sox and Orioles, began his career in professional baseball as a low-level functionary with the Eastern League's Hartford Chiefs in 1951. He then worked his way to farm and scouting roles with the Braves and then Angels before becoming GM of the White Sox partway through the 1973 season. He served in that role through the 1985 season and with Chicago was twice named Executive of the Year. 

In late 1987, Hemond became GM of the Orioles and was the team's lead decision-maker until he stepped down following the 1995 season. With Baltimore in 1989, he won his third Executive of the Year award. Later came a highly placed front-office stint with the Diamondbacks and then a return to the White Sox in an advisory role. In 2007, he returned to the Diamondbacks as a special assistant. 

"Roland Hemond was one of the most respected executives that our game has ever known," commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "He served the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles as general manager, was a staple of the Arizona Diamondbacks' front office throughout their history, and also worked for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves, the California Angels, the Commissioner's Office and USA Baseball during his exemplary career. Roland was a pivotal figure in the formation and growth of the Arizona Fall League. Most importantly, he mentored countless people in our sport and found ways to make our game stronger. Roland Hemond was a great gentleman whose contributions to our National Pastime will never be forgotten."  

This passage by Jacob Pomeranke in his SABR obit for Hemond sums up the breadth and importance of his career in baseball: 

"Hemond drafted Hank Aaron's first contract when he was the assistant farm director for the Milwaukee Braves; as general manager of the Chicago White Sox, he tabbed Tony La Russa for his first managerial job; and he was a key architect in building the expansion Los Angeles Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks from scratch, nearly 40 years apart. As a three-time recipient of MLB's Executive of the Year Award (1972, '83, and '89), Hemond established innovations in front-office strategy as the game moved into the free-agency era and beyond. He was also the creator of the successful Arizona Fall League, baseball's 'graduate school' for top prospects in the minors."

Future MLB GMs who trained under Hemond at various points in his career include Dave Dombrowski, Walt Jocketty, Doug Melvin, Dan Evans, Tim Purpura, and Ken Williams. 

"He passed peacefully in his son Jay's arms," Hemond's family said in a statement via the Diamondbacks. "The Hemond family shared many laughs with him until the end, and we appreciate the love and support of all his baseball family."

In 2003, Hemond received the Branch Rickey Award for exemplary community service among MLB figures, and in 2011 the Hall of Fame honored him with the Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award.

Hemond is survived by his wife, Margo; their five children: Susan, Tere, Robert, Jay and Ryan; and their four grandchildren: Taylor, Zane, Cameron and Natalie.