(RepublicanView.org) – Baseball Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog has died at age 92. Mr. Herzog managed the St. Louis Cardinals for ten years, winning the World Series in 1982 with a newly devised style of play known as “Whiteyball.” A family statement said he spent his final days surrounded by loved ones in Missouri and described his “peaceful passing” as a blessing.
Born in Illinois in 1931, Herzog made his MLB debut for the Washington Senators in 1956 before moving on to the Kansas City A’s, where he stayed for three seasons. He spent 1961-1962 with the Baltimore Orioles before finishing his playing career in 1963 with the Detroit Tigers. Herzog’s first managerial assignment was a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers, where he abandoned the platoon system and won his first victory against the Kansas City Royals in 1973.
After a year with the California Angels and four years at Kansas, Herzog took charge of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980, staying for a decade and developing “Whiteyball.” The phrase, created by the media, describes a playing strategy devised by Herzog that involved base path speed, emphasis on defense and pitching, and line drive base hits.
Herzog was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans’ Committee in 2009, and the Cardinals subsequently retired his jersey number 24 in 2010. Rick Ankiel was the last Cardinals player to wear it.
Dorrel Herzog picked up the nickname “Whitey” during his early career when a commentator remarked on his light blonde hair and said he bore a striking resemblance to Yankees pitcher Bob “The White Rat” Kuzava.
Married to his high school sweetheart Mary Lou since 1953, Herzog had three children and lived in St. Louis until his death. His brother Butz played in Whitey’s first Cardinal lineup in 1980, and his grandson was a minor league first baseman and outfielder until 2010. Whitey was inducted into the new Cardinal’s Hall of Fame Museum in 2014.
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