Corridor of Fame supervisor Whitey Herzog has handed away at 92. The Cardinals introduced the information on Tuesday morning. Herzog’s household offered a short assertion, as relayed by USA Right now’s Bob Nightengale (on X): “Whitey spent his previous couple of days surrounded by his household. We have now so appreciated the entire prayers and help from buddies who knew he was very ailing. Though it’s laborious for us to say goodbye, his peaceable passing was a blessing for him.”
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred launched the next assertion:
“Whitey Herzog was probably the most completed managers of his era and a constant winner with each ‘I-70’ franchises. He made a big affect on the St. Louis Cardinals as each a supervisor and a normal supervisor, with the Kansas Metropolis Royals as a supervisor, and with the New York Mets in participant improvement. Whitey’s Cardinals’ groups reached the World Sequence thrice within the Nineteen Eighties, profitable the Championship in 1982, by leaning on an identification of velocity and protection that resonated with baseball followers internationally.
On behalf of Main League Baseball, I prolong my deepest condolences to Whitey’s household, his buddies throughout the sport, and the followers of the Cardinals and the Royals.”
Herzog is finest identified for his legendary managerial run, however his time in skilled baseball began as a participant. He signed with the Yankees out of highschool and spent a number of seasons within the New York farm system. The Yankees traded him to the Washington Senators on the eve of the 1956 marketing campaign. Herzog made his MLB debut in Washington, showing in additional than 100 video games as a daily outfielder and hitting .245/.302/.337 as a rookie.
After Herzog made transient appearances with the Senators in every of the subsequent two campaigns, Washington offered his contractual rights to the then-Kansas Metropolis A’s. He spent components of three seasons with the A’s, hitting at a barely above-average clip (.268/.383/.384) in 209 video games. Herzog continued to supply stable outcomes as a part-time participant for 2 years after being traded to the Orioles earlier than ending his taking part in days with a short stint in Detroit. Over components of eight seasons, he hit .257/.354/.365 with 25 house runs and 172 runs batted in.
Whereas that may’ve been a stable sufficient profession in its personal proper, Herzog’s standing as one of many sport’s all-time figures developed in his post-playing days. After a short stint as an A’s scout, he moved into teaching and participant improvement with the Mets. After the 1972 marketing campaign, he landed his first managerial gig with the Rangers. That didn’t go effectively, as Texas stumbled to a 47-91 file and Herzog was fired earlier than the top of the season when the Rangers seized the chance to rent Billy Martin.
Herzog spent the subsequent yr on the Angels’ teaching employees, a stint that included a four-game run as interim supervisor. It wasn’t till 1975 when he obtained his first prolonged managerial alternative. The Royals tabbed Herzog that July to take over from Jack McKeon. He led the crew to a 41-25 file down the stretch, though that wasn’t sufficient to beat a middling 50-46 begin to snag a playoff berth.
Whereas the ’75 crew fell a number of video games shy of the postseason, the Royals discovered loads of success over the subsequent few years. Herzog guided the crew to a few straight AL West titles from 1976-78, the primary playoff journeys in franchise historical past. Whereas they had been knocked off by the Yankees within the ALCS in all three seasons, that stretch of fantastic common season showings was a prelude to October success the next decade.
Sadly for Royals followers, that got here with their in-state rivals. After the Royals missed the playoffs in ’79, Herzog was employed by the Cardinals as each supervisor and GM. He set about rebuilding the crew round velocity, protection and phone hitting on the expense of energy. Whereas the so-called “Whiteyball” was initially met with some derision, Herzog guided the Cardinals again to the highest of the game.
St. Louis missed the postseason throughout his first two seasons on the helm earlier than a 92-win displaying to snag the NL East title in 1982. After sweeping the Braves within the NLCS, they took on the Brewers within the Fall Traditional. The Playing cards got here again from a 3-2 sequence deficit, erasing a 3-1 lead in Sport 7. St. Louis missed the postseason over the subsequent two years however rattled off 101 wins to safe one other NL East title in 1985.
Herzog was named the Senior Circuit’s Supervisor of the Yr. A six-game overcome the Dodgers within the NLCS set the stage for a matchup together with his previous crew. The Playing cards dropped a traditional seven-game set to the upstart Royals, the primary title in franchise historical past. There was no scarcity of controversy. With the Cardinals up 3-2 within the sequence and taking a 1-0 lead into the underside of the ninth in Sport 6, a missed name at first base by Don Denkinger spurred a rally by which Kansas Metropolis got here again for a 2-1 win. The Royals received the seventh recreation convincingly.
St. Louis made it again to the World Sequence as soon as extra throughout Herzog’s tenure. They knocked off the Giants within the 1987 NLCS to arrange a showdown with the Twins. That additionally went seven video games, with Minnesota getting back from a 3-2 sequence deficit to win it. Herzog managed the Playing cards for an additional three seasons however didn’t make it again to October. His managerial days ended halfway via the 1990 marketing campaign, though he later had a short stint main baseball operations for the Angels.
Together with his interim work with the Halos, Herzog managed components of 18 seasons within the majors. He received practically 1300 common season video games, three pennants and one World Sequence. The veterans committee inducted him into the Corridor of Fame in 2009. He was enshrined in St. Louis’ organizational Corridor of Fame a number of years later. MLBTR joins numerous others across the recreation in sending condolences to Herzog’s household, buddies, family members and the various gamers whose careers he impacted over the a long time.
Picture courtesy of USA Right now Sports activities.
