Red Schoendienst facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Schoendienst |
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Schoendienst in 1983
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| Second baseman / Manager | |||
| Born: February 2, 1923 Germantown, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Died: June 6, 2018 (aged 95) Town and Country, Missouri, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 17, 1945, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 7, 1963, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .289 | ||
| Hits | 2,449 | ||
| Home runs | 84 | ||
| Runs batted in | 773 | ||
| Managerial record | 1,041–955 | ||
| Winning % | .522 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As manager
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1989 | ||
| Election Method | Veterans Committee | ||
Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst (born February 2, 1923 – died June 6, 2018) was an American professional baseball player. He was a second baseman, coach, and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Red is best known for his many years with the St. Louis Cardinals.
He played for 19 years with the Cardinals, New York Giants, and Milwaukee Braves. He was chosen for 10 All-Star teams. After playing, he managed the Cardinals from 1965 to 1976. This was the second-longest time anyone managed the team. Under his leadership, St. Louis won the 1967 World Series. He was also named National League Manager of the Year in 1967 and 1968. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Red Schoendienst wore a Major League uniform for 74 years in a row. He spent 67 of his 76 years in baseball with the Cardinals.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Red Schoendienst was born in Germantown, Illinois. He was one of seven children. His father worked as a coal miner. His family lived without running water or electricity.
Red showed a great talent for baseball when he was young. He would even practice hitting left-handed to challenge himself. In 1939, at age 16, he left school to join the Civilian Conservation Corps. This was a government program that gave jobs to young people. While working, a nail injured his left eye. He worked hard to recover from this injury.
After his eye injury, it was hard for Red to hit certain pitches when batting right-handed. So, he used his left-handed skills to become a switch hitter. This meant he could bat from both sides of the plate. In 1942, he tried out for the St. Louis Cardinals. Even though he wasn't signed right away, a scout later signed him.
Minor Leagues and Military Service
Red Schoendienst started his professional baseball career in the minor leagues in 1942. He played for teams like the Albany Cardinals and Union City Greyhounds. He quickly showed how good he was. In 1943, he moved up to the Rochester Red Wings. There, he hit very well and won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. This made him a top player to watch.
In 1944, Red was drafted into the U.S. Army. However, he received a medical discharge in 1945 because of his eye injury. This allowed him to return to baseball.
Major League Playing Career (1945–1963)
The Cardinals invited Red Schoendienst to spring training in 1945. He had played shortstop in the minor leagues. But the Cardinals already had a great shortstop, so Red became their left fielder. In his first season, he led the league with 26 stolen bases.
In 1946, the Cardinals moved Red to play second base. That year, the team won the 1946 World Series. Red was known for his excellent defense at second base. He led National League second basemen in fielding for seven seasons. In 1950, he handled 320 chances in a row without making an error. In the All-Star Game that year, he hit a home run in the 14th inning to win the game for the National League. This was the first All-Star game to go into extra innings.
In 1956, Red was traded to the New York Giants. This trade was not popular with Cardinals fans. The next year, the Giants traded him to the Milwaukee Braves. Red helped the Braves win their first league championship in nine years. He hit very well, and the Braves won the 1957 World Series against the New York Yankees. The Braves won the National League again in 1958, but lost to the Yankees in the World Series rematch.
During the off-season in 1958–59, Red faced a health challenge. He had surgery, and doctors thought he might not play again. But he returned to the Braves in 1960. After that season, he rejoined the Cardinals in 1961. He played as a pinch hitter and also became a coach. He continued to be part of the Cardinals organization for the rest of his life. He played his last game in 1963.
As a player, Red Schoendienst had a batting average of .289. He had 84 home runs, 773 runs batted in, and 2,449 hits. Many people thought he was one of the best second basemen in the game.
Coaching and Managerial Career (1964–2018)
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| Red Schoendienst's number 2 was retired by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1996. |
After the Cardinals won the 1964 World Series, their manager resigned. Red Schoendienst was chosen to be the new manager. Three years later, in 1967, the Cardinals won the 1967 World Series again. This was Red's fourth World Series title overall, and his third with the Cardinals. As a manager, his record was 1,041 wins and 955 losses.
After managing, Red returned to the Cardinals as a coach and special assistant. He won his fifth World Series title in 1982 as a Cardinals coach. He worked for the Cardinals organization for his entire life. In 2017, he completed his 72nd year in a row as a Major League player, coach, or manager.
Red Schoendienst was part of five World Series-winning teams. He won as a player in 1946 and 1957. He won as a manager in 1967. And he won as a coach in 1964 and 1982.
In 1989, Red Schoendienst was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Cardinals honored him by retiring his number 2 in 1996. He was also inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum.
Personal Life
In 1947, Red Schoendienst married Mary Eileen O'Reilly. They were married for 52 years and had four children. He also had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At the time of his death, Red lived in Town and Country, Missouri.
In 2013, Red Schoendienst was honored for his service in the United States Army during World War II. He was one of 37 Baseball Hall of Fame members to receive the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award.
On November 13, 2017, Red Schoendienst became the oldest living member of the Hall of Fame. He was 94 years old. He was also the last living player from the Cardinals team that won the 1946 World Series.
Red Schoendienst passed away at age 95 on June 6, 2018.
Images for kids
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Schoendienst at the 2013 NLCS, Busch Stadium
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of St. Louis Cardinals managers
- List of Major League Baseball managers by wins
