Eddie Kasko facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eddie Kasko
Kasko in 1957
Shortstop / Third baseman / Manager
Born: (1931-06-27)June 27, 1931 Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.
Died: June 24, 2020(2020-06-24) (aged 88) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 18, 1957, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last appearance
September 10, 1966, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average	.264
Home runs	22
Runs batted in	261
Managerial record	345–295
Winning %	.539
Teams
As player St. Louis Cardinals (1957–1958) Cincinnati Reds (1959–1963) Houston Colt .45s / Astros (1964–1965) Boston Red Sox (1966) As manager Boston Red Sox (1970–1973)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star (1961, 1961²) Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame

Edward Michael Kasko (born June 27, 1931 – died June 24, 2020) was an American baseball player, coach, and manager. He was also a scout and worked in the front office for Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. Eddie Kasko was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and grew up in Linden, New Jersey. He finished high school in 1949.

Eddie Kasko: A Talented Baseball Player

Eddie Kasko was a tall player, standing 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 180 pounds. He was known for being a great defensive player. He played as a shortstop and a third baseman. Eddie started his professional baseball journey in 1949. After playing for six years in the minor leagues and serving two years in the military during the Korean War, he joined Major League Baseball.

He played for ten seasons in the MLB, from 1957 to 1966. He played for teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, and Boston Red Sox. Eddie was excellent at fielding. He led all third basemen in the National League in fielding percentage in 1960. Four years later, in 1964, he led all shortstops in the same category.

Kasko's Batting and All-Star Moment

Eddie Kasko was a right-handed batter. His career batting average was .264. This means he got a hit about 26.4% of the times he tried to hit the ball. He played in 1,077 games and had 935 hits. These hits included 146 doubles, 13 triples, and 22 home runs.

In 1961, Eddie was chosen to be a National League All-Star. He played in the second All-Star game that year, which happened on July 31 at Fenway Park. He came into the game as a shortstop and even got a hit. This hit helped his team score a tying run in the game.

Playing in the World Series

Eddie Kasko also played in the World Series in 1961 with the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds played against the New York Yankees. Eddie started all five games as the shortstop. He was the best hitter for the Reds in that series, getting seven hits. He batted .318, which is a very good average. Even though the Yankees won the series, Eddie showed he could play well under pressure.

Eddie Kasko: From Player to Manager

After his playing career ended in 1966, Eddie Kasko became a manager. He started by managing minor league teams for the Red Sox. He managed the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1967 and the Louisville Colonels from 1968 to 1969. His teams had a good record overall.

Managing the Boston Red Sox

In 1970, Eddie Kasko became the manager of the Boston Red Sox. He led the team for four seasons, until 1973. Under his leadership, the Red Sox always finished with more wins than losses. In 1972, they came very close to winning their division. They finished just half a game behind the Detroit Tigers. This small difference was partly because of a short players' strike that year. Some games were canceled and not played again.

Eddie Kasko helped many young players grow during his time as manager. He brought up future stars like Carlton Fisk and Dwight Evans. He also helped pitchers like Bill Lee become successful starting pitchers. He was patient with veteran pitcher Luis Tiant as he got back to his best form. Even though the Red Sox played well, they couldn't beat the strong Baltimore Orioles teams of that time. So, after the 1973 season, Eddie moved to a different role in the Red Sox organization. His final record as Red Sox manager was 345 wins and 295 losses.

Managerial Record Overview

Scouting and Hall of Fame

After managing, Eddie Kasko continued to work for the Red Sox for another twenty years. He was a scout, helping to find new talent. From 1977 to 1992, he was the director of scouting. This meant he was in charge of finding and signing new players for the team.

During his time as scouting director, the Red Sox drafted many important players. These included famous names like Roger Clemens, Ellis Burks, Mike Greenwell, and Mo Vaughn. Some players he helped draft, like Jeff Bagwell, Brady Anderson, and Curt Schilling, became big stars for other teams after being traded.

In 2010, Eddie Kasko was honored for his contributions to baseball. He was named to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. He passed away in Richmond, Virginia, on June 24, 2020, at the age of 88.