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 Immediately’s Bob Nightengale (on X): “Whitey spent his previous couple of days surrounded by his household. Now we have so appreciated the entire prayers and help from buddies who knew he was very unwell. Though it’s onerous for us to say goodbye, his peaceable passing was a blessing for him.”
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred launched the next assertion:
“Whitey Herzog was one of the crucial achieved managers of his technology and a constant winner with each ‘I-70’ franchises. He made a big impression on the St. Louis Cardinals as each a supervisor and a basic 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 3 times within the Eighties, profitable the Championship in 1982, by leaning on an id of pace 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 greatest 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 couple 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 following two campaigns, Washington bought his contractual rights to the then-Kansas Metropolis A’s. He spent elements 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 strong 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 elements of eight seasons, he hit .257/.354/.365 with 25 residence runs and 172 runs batted in.
Whereas that might’ve been a strong 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 nicely, as Texas stumbled to a 47-91 report and Herzog was fired earlier than the top of the season when the Rangers seized the chance to rent Billy Martin.
Herzog spent the following yr on the Angels’ teaching workers, a stint that included a four-game run as interim supervisor. It wasn’t till 1975 when he acquired his first prolonged managerial alternative. The Royals tabbed Herzog that July to take over from Jack McKeon. He led the workforce to a 41-25 report down the stretch, though that wasn’t sufficient to beat a middling 50-46 begin to snag a playoff berth.
Whereas the ’75 workforce fell a couple of video games shy of the postseason, the Royals discovered loads of success over the following few years. Herzog guided the workforce 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 wonderful 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 workforce round pace, protection and speak to 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 Basic. 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 following 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 12 months. A six-game overcome the Dodgers within the NLCS set the stage for a matchup together with his outdated workforce. The Playing cards dropped a basic 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 wherein Kansas Metropolis got here again for a 2-1 win. The Royals gained the seventh sport 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 by way of 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 elements of 18 seasons within the majors. He gained 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 couple of years later. MLBTR joins numerous others across the sport in sending condolences to Herzog’s household, buddies, family members and the various gamers whose careers he impacted over the many years.
Picture courtesy of USA Immediately Sports activities.