Baseball legend Whitey Herzog dies aged 92
Whitey Herzog, the legendary former manager of the Texas Rangers, California Angels and St. Louis Cardinals, has died at the age of 92.
Cardinals spokesman Brian Bartow said on Tuesday the team had been informed of his death by Herzog’s family.
They were not yet sure whether it happened Monday night or Tuesday but Herzog had been at Busch Stadium on April 4 for the Cardinals’ home opener.
Herzog is one of the 50 winningest managers in Major League Baseball history.
Under Herzog, the Cardinals won pennants in 1982, 1985 and 1987, and the World Series in 1982, when they edged the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games.
Whitey Herzog, the legendary former manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, has died at 92
MLB’s Bowie Kuhn gives Cardinals owner August Busch and Herzog the World Series trophy
Herzog managed Kansas City to division titles in 1976-78, but they lost each time in the league championship to the New York Yankees.
Overall, Herzog was a manager for 18 seasons, compiling a record of 1,281 wins and 1,125 losses.
He was named Manager of the Year in 1985 and voted into the Hall by the Veterans Committee in 2010, his plaque noting his ‘stern, yet good-natured style,’ and his emphasis on speed, pitching and defense.
Just before he formally entered the Hall, the Cardinals retired his uniform number, 24.
Like so many successful managers, Herzog was a mediocre player, batting just .257 over eight seasons and playing several positions.
His best year was with Baltimore in 1961, when he hit .291. He also played for the Washington Senators, Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers, with whom he ended his playing career, in 1963.
Herzog gives his speech during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in July 2010
After working as a scout and coach, Herzog was hired in 1967 by the New York Mets as director of player development, with Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan among the future stars he helped bring along.
The Mets liked him well enough to designate him the successor to Gil Hodges, but when the manager died suddenly in 1972 the job went to Yogi Berra.
Herzog instead debuted with the Texas Rangers the following season, finishing just 47-91 before being replaced by Billy Martin.
He managed the Angels for a few games in 1974 and joined Kansas City the following season, his time in Missouri peaking in 1977 when the team finished 102-60.
More to follow.
