Altobelli succeeded Earl Weaver as manager of the Orioles in 1983 and led the team to their sixth American League pennant and their third (and most recent) World Series championship.

On April 26, Altobelli singled to begin a 36-game hitting streak which stood as the Florida State League record for 59 years until it was surpassed in 2010.

[11] Altobelli made his big league debut in his hometown of Detroit on April 14, 1955, when he was inserted into the lineup in the eighth inning as a pinch runner for three-time All-Star Vic Wertz.

With a September callup, Altobelli played in a total of 42 games for the big league club that season, hitting .200 BA, 2 HR, 5 RBI.

Alto spent most of the 1957 season with the Cleveland Indians, playing in 83 games while filling a prime pinch hitter role and spotting Wertz at first base and Rocky Colavito in right field.

Altobelli's first major league managerial assignment began when the San Francisco Giants hired him to succeed Bill Rigney, on October 7, 1976.

[22] Although Altobelli's 1978 club finished 16 games above .500 and in third place in the National League West Division, he was dismissed in 1979, his third season, with a mark of 225–239 (.485) as Giants' manager.

[23] After another first-place IL finish in 1980, Altobelli became a Yankees coach, from 1981 to 1982, working under managers Gene Michael, Bob Lemon, and Clyde King.

[23] Altobelli signed a two-year contract as manager of the Orioles on November 12, 1982, succeeding Earl Weaver who had retired one month prior.

After the Orioles began the 1985 season in first place with an 18–9 record, an 11–17 slump resulted in Altobelli's dismissal on June 13 and Weaver's return as manager which ended the latter's 2+1⁄2-year retirement.

[23] Altobelli returned to Rochester in 1991 and took over as general manager of the Red Wings the following year, overseeing a staff that included Russ Brandon, Glenn Geffner, Joe Kehoskie, Josh Lewin, and Bob Socci.

He made his final public appearance two years later in August 2019, when Rich Dauer – who played under Altobelli in 1976 – was inducted into the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame.