Whitey Herzog, Baseball Hall of Fame manager, dies at 92

Whitey Herzog, the Baseball Hall of Famer who managed the St. Louis Cardinals to the 1982 World Series title with a style of play known as “Whiteyball,” has died, his family announced via the Cardinals on Tuesday. Herzog was 92.

“Whitey spent his last few days surrounded by his family. We have so appreciated all of the prayers and support from friends who knew he was very ill,” the Herzog family said in a statement. “Although it is hard for us to say goodbye, his peaceful passing was a blessing for him.”

Herzog guided St. Louis to three World Series appearances (1982, 1985 and 1987), winning the Fall Classic in 1982 against the Milwaukee Brewers. He won 822 games for the Redbirds from 1980-90, which is the third most victories in franchise history.

“On behalf of the entire St. Louis Cardinals organization, I would like to offer our condolences to the family and many friends of Whitey Herzog,” Bill DeWitt Jr., Cardinals chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

“Whitey and his teams played a big part in changing the direction of the Cardinals franchise in the early 1980s with an exciting style of play that would become known as ‘Whitey Ball’ throughout baseball. Whitey loved the Cardinals, their fans, and St. Louis. He will be sorely missed.”

The 1985 National League Manager of the Year finished with an overall record of 1,281-1,125 with the Cardinals, Texas Rangers, California Angels on an interim basis, and Kansas City Royals. He also earned the Major League Manager of the Year in 1982.

In Kansas City, the Royals won three consecutive American League West Division titles under his leadership.

MLB commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. shared his condolences in a statement.

“Whitey Herzog was one of the most accomplished managers of his generation and a consistent winner with both ‘I-70’ franchises. He made a significant impact on the St. Louis Cardinals as both a manager and a general manager, with the Kansas City Royals as a manager, and with the New York Mets in player development,” Manfred said. “Whitey’s Cardinals’ teams reached the World Series three times in the 1980s, winning the Championship in 1982, by leaning on an identity of speed and defense that resonated with baseball fans across the world.

Herzog was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 by the Veterans Committee.

“Whitey Herzog devoted his lifetime to the game he loved, excelling as a leader on and off the field. Whitey always brought the best out of every player he managed with a forthright style that won him respect throughout the game,” Jane Forbes Clark, Baseball Hall of Fame chairman, said in a statement. “His passion for the Hall of Fame was evident each time he returned to Cooperstown, and we will forever miss his smile and warmth. We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, Mary Lou, and his family.”

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

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