Dorrel ‘Whitey’ Herzog

Born: Nov. 9, 1931 in New Athens, Illinois
Manager
Six division titles: 1976-78 (Royals); 1982, 1985, 1987 (Cardinals)
Three National League Pennants: 1982, 1985, 1987 (Cardinals)
One World Series Championship: 1982 (Cardinals)
National League Manager of the Year: 1985

Whitey Herzog once said, “Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it.”

Although Herzog’s big league playing career may not have turned out the way he wanted, he made his mark on the game as a manager.

Herzog managed for 18 seasons in the big leagues, 11 of them with the St. Louis Cardinals after stops in Texas, California and Kansas City. He won six division titles, three pennants, the 1982 World Series with the Cardinals, the 1985 National League Manager of the Year Award and finished with a .532 winning percentage as a skipper.

Herzog has held almost every position in baseball, serving as a player, scout, general manager, coach, farm system director and manager. In eight seasons primarily as an outfielder, he hit .257 with 25 home runs, 172 RBI and a .979 fielding percentage with the Senators, Athletics, Orioles and Tigers from 1956 to 1963.

But it was in management where Herzog found his true calling. He began his managerial career in 1973 with the Texas Rangers, serving as the first of three managers the team would have that season. The following year he served on an interim basis with the California Angles before being replaced by Hall of Fame Manager Dick Williams.

Herzog the landed a permanent job with the Kansas City Royals midway through the 1975 season, leading KC to a 41-25 mark in his 66 games that year. A year later, Herzog skippered the Royals to 90 wins and their first American League West title.

Over the next 15 seasons – from 1976-90 – Herzog led his team to first or second place finishes nine times. The Royals won three straight American League West titles (1976-79) under Herzog, whose style of play was dubbed “Whitey Ball.” He believed successful teams featured speed, defense and a strong bullpen.

After serving as Cardinals’ manager for part of the year and general manager for the other part in 1980, Herzog held both positions from 1981-1982, acquiring and managing many of the players that would bring the Cardinals three World Series appearances in the decade and a win in 1982.

Herzog left managing during the 1990 season with a career 1,281-1,125 record – a win total which still ranks No. 32 among all managers.

Regular Season

League Championship Series

World Series