Whitey Herzog, Hall of Fame manager who led St. Louis Cardinals to 3 pennants, dies at 92 (2024)

NEW YORK (AP) — Whitey Herzog, the gruff and ingenious Hall of Fame manager who guided the St. Louis Cardinals to three pennants and a World Series title in the 1980s and perfected an intricate, nail-biting strategy known as “Whiteyball,” has died. He was 92.

Cardinals spokesman Brian Bartow said Tuesday the team had been informed of Herzog’s death by his family. Herzog, who had been at Busch Stadium on April 4 for the Cardinals’ home opener, died on Monday, according to Bartow.

“Whitey Herzog devoted his lifetime to the game he loved, excelling as a leader on and off the field,” Jane Forbes Clark, chair of the Hall of Fame’s board of directors, said in a statement. “Whitey always brought the best out of every player he managed with a forthright style that won him respect throughout the game.”

A crew-cut, pot-bellied tobacco chewer who had no patience for the “buddy-buddy” school of management, Herzog joined the Cardinals in 1980 and helped end the team’s decade-plus pennant drought by adapting it to the artificial surface and distant fences of Busch Memorial Stadium. A typical Cardinals victory under Herzog was a low-scoring, 1-run game, sealed in the final innings by a “bullpen by committee,” relievers who might be replaced after a single pitch, or temporarily shifted to the outfield, then brought back to the mound.

The Cardinals had power hitters in George Hendrick and Jack Clark, but they mostly relied on the speed and resourcefulness of switch-hitters Vince Coleman and Willie McGee, the acrobatic fielding of shortstop and future Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and the effective pitching of starters such as John Tudor and Danny Cox and relievers Todd Worrell, Ken Dayley and Jeff Lahti. For the ’82 champions, Herzog didn’t bother rotating relievers, but simply brought in future Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter to finish the job.

“They (the media) seemed to think there was something wrong with the way we played baseball, with speed and defense and line-drive hitters,” Herzog wrote in his memoir “White Rat: A Life in Baseball,” published in 1987. “They called it ‘Whiteyball’ and said it couldn’t last.”

Under Herzog, the Cards won pennants in 1982, 1985 and 1987, and the World Series in 1982, when they edged the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games. Herzog managed the Kansas City Royals 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.

When asked about the secrets of managing, he would reply a sense of humor and a good bullpen.

Herzog is survived by his wife of 71 years, Mary Lou Herzog; their three children, Debra, David and Jim, and their spouses; nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Dorrel Norman Elvert Herzog was born in New Athens, Illinois, a blue-collar community that would shape him long after he left. He excelled in baseball and basketball and was open to skipping the occasional class to take in a Cardinals game. Signed up by the Yankees, he was a center fielder who discovered that he had competition from a prospect born just weeks before him, Mickey Mantle.

Herzog never played for the Yankees, but he did get to know manager Casey Stengel, another master shuffler of players who became a key influence. The light-haired Herzog was named “The White Rat” because of his resemblance to Yankees pitcher Bob “The White Rat” Kuzava.

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.

“Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it,” he liked to say.

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 the Royals the following season, his time with Kansas City peaking in 1977 when the team finished 102-60.

Many players spoke warmly of Herzog, but he didn’t hesitate to rid his teams of those he no longer wanted, dumping such Cardinals stars as outfielder Lonnie Smith and starting pitcher Joaquin Andujar. One trade worked out brilliantly: Before the 1982 season, he exchanged .300 hitting shortstop Garry Templeton, whom Herzog had chastised for not hustling, for the Padres’ light-hitting Ozzie Smith, now widely regarded as the best defensive shortstop in history. Another deal was less far successful: Gold Glove first baseman Keith Hernandez, with whom Herzog had feuded, to the Mets in the middle of 1983 for pitchers Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey. Hernandez led New York to the World Series title in 1986, while Allen and Ownbey were soon forgotten.

Herzog was just as tough on himself, resigning in the middle of 1990 because he was “embarrassed” by the team’s 33-47 record. He served as a consultant and general manager for the Angels in the early ’90s and briefly considered managing the Red Sox before the 1997 season.

If the ’82 championship was the highlight of his career, his greatest blow was the ’85 series. The Cardinals were up 3 games to 2 against his former team, the Royals, and in Game 6 led 1-0 going into the bottom of the ninth, with Worrell brought in to finish the job.

Jorge Orta led off and grounded a 0-2 pitch between the mound and first base. In one of the most famous blown calls in baseball history, he was ruled safe by umpire Don Denkinger, even though replays showed first baseman Jack Clark’s toss to Worrell was in time. The Cardinals never recovered. Kansas City rallied for two runs to tie the series and crushed the Cards 11-0 in Game 7.

“No, I’m not bitter at Denkinger,” Herzog told the AP years later. “He’s a good guy, he knows he made a mistake, and he’s a human being. It happened at an inopportune time but I do think they ought to have instant replay in the playoffs and World Series.”

As if testing Herzog’s humor, the Hall inducted him alongside an umpire, Doug Harvey.

“I don’t know why he should get in,” Herzog joked at the time. “Doug kicked me out of more games than any other umpire.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Whitey Herzog, Hall of Fame manager who led St. Louis Cardinals to 3 pennants, dies at 92 (2024)

FAQs

Who did Whitey Herzog manage? ›

Whitey Herzog, the Hall of Fame manager who led the St. Louis Cardinals to three pennants and a World Series championship in the 1980s, died on Monday in St. Louis. He was 92 and had been the second-oldest Hall of Famer after Willie Mays.

Why is Whitey Herzog in the Hall of Fame? ›

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.

When did Whitey Herzog leave the Cardinals? ›

Whitey's Cardinals teams reached the World Series ... by leaning on an identity of speed and defense that resonated with baseball fans across the world.” In July 1990, Herzog abruptly resigned after a win against the Padres. He would not return to a dugout as manager.

Who was the manager of the Cardinals in 1982? ›

Whitey Herzog, the Hall of Fame manager who guided the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series title, has died. He was 92. “Whitey spent his last few days surrounded by his family," the Herzog family said in a statement released by the Cardinals.

How old was Whitey Herzok when he died? ›

ST. LOUIS — The family of Whitey Herzog shared more of their memories of the legendary St. Louis Cardinals manager on Sunday. He died last week at the age of 92.

When did Whitey Herzog manage the royals? ›

As the manager of the Royals (1975–79) and Cardinals (1980, '81–90) — and for a short but impactful period, the latter club's general manager as well — he assembled and led teams built around pitching, speed, and defense to six division titles, three pennants, and a world championship using an aggressive and exciting ...

When was Whitey Herzog inducted into the Hall of Fame? ›

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010. “Whitey Herzog devoted his lifetime to the game he loved, excelling as a leader on and off the field,” said Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of the Board of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Is Whitey Herzog a Hall of Famer? ›

He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010. Survivors include his wife of 71 years, the former Mary Lou Sinn; three children; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Mr. Herzog was known as one of baseball's great storytellers.

Did Whitey Herzog win a World Series? ›

Herzog enjoyed his most successful run as a manager with the Cardinals, winning three National League pennants, including a World Series title in 1982. In addition to serving as the manager, he was also the general manager for the 1980 and '81 seasons.

Who was the midget player for the Cardinals? ›

Gaedel, a little person standing at 3-foot-7, would become the shortest player to appear in a Major League Baseball game, as he led off the game as a pinch hitter. While his arrival would spark controversy, the crowd's reaction to Gaedel's appearance in the game was undeniable.

Who is the oldest Cardinals player? ›

Matt Prater was the oldest for the Cardinals in 2023. He was 39 years old.
NAMEAGESEASON
Matt Prater392023
Kelvin Beachum342023
Aaron Brewer332023
Zach Ertz332023
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Who was the first black St. Louis Cardinals? ›

Thomas Edison Alston (January 31, 1926 – December 30, 1993) was a Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1954 to 1957.

Who was the first baseman for the Cardinals in 1982? ›

First baseman Keith Hernandez and shortstop Ozzie Smith won Gold Gloves this year.

Who was the third baseman for the Cardinals in 1982? ›

The star of the team was Ozzie Smith, who captained an air-tight infield of third baseman Ken Oberkfell, second baseman Tom Herr and first baseman Keith Hernandez.

Who is the Cardinals sack leader of all time? ›

Chandler Jones has the most career sacks for the Cardinals, with 71.5 sacks.

Why is Dizzy Dean in the Hall of Fame? ›

Jay Hanna (“Dizzy”) Dean was a Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, who played for the legendary St. Louis Cardinals “Gashouse Gang” that won the 1934 World Series. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in a season. After an injury-shortened career, Dean became a popular baseball announcer.

Why is Barry Larkin in the Hall of Fame? ›

He won his three Gold Glove awards at shortstop en route to a career fielding percentage of . 975 and won nine Silver Slugger awards. He played every one of his 19 big league seasons with the Reds. Larkin was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2012.

Who is the Hall of Famer dizzy? ›

Born Jay Hanna Dean on Jan. 16, 1910 in Lucas, Ark., Dean attended public school only through second grade. His colorful personality and eccentric behavior earned him the nickname “Dizzy”. “Nobody ever taught him baseball and he never had to learn,” said sportswriter Red Smith.

Is Trevor Hoffman a HOF? ›

He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. Hoffman currently serves as senior advisor for baseball operations for the Padres. Bellflower, California, U.S.

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