Whitey Herzog facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Whitey Herzog
Herzog as manager of the Cardinals in 1987
Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1931-11-09)November 9, 1931 New Athens, Illinois, U.S.
Died: April 15, 2024(2024-04-15) (aged 92)
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
April 17, 1956, for the Washington Senators
Last appearance
September 28, 1963, for the Detroit Tigers
MLB statistics
Batting average	.257
Home runs	25
Runs batted in	172
Managerial record	1,281–1,125
Winning %	.532
Teams
As player Washington Senators (1956–1958) Kansas City Athletics (1958–1960) Baltimore Orioles (1961–1962) Detroit Tigers (1963) As manager Texas Rangers (1973) California Angels (1974) Kansas City Royals (1975–1979) St. Louis Cardinals (1980–1990)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (1969, 1982) NL Manager of the Year (1985) St. Louis Cardinals No. 24 retired Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2010
Vote	87.5%
Election Method	Veterans Committee

Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog (born November 9, 1931 – died April 15, 2024) was an American baseball player and manager. He is best known for his time as a manager in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Herzog started his MLB playing career in 1956 with the Washington Senators. After he stopped playing in 1963, he worked in many different roles in baseball. These included being a scout, manager, coach, general manager, and director of a farm system.

As a scout and farm system director, Herzog helped the New York Mets win the 1969 World Series. As a manager, he led the Kansas City Royals to the playoffs three times in a row from 1976 to 1978. In 1980, he became the manager for the St. Louis Cardinals. His team played in the World Series three times. They won in 1982 against the Milwaukee Brewers, and also played in the 1985 and 1987 World Series.

Whitey Herzog was added to the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 25, 2010. He was also inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum on August 16, 2014.

Early Life and Nickname

Whitey Herzog was born on November 9, 1931, in New Athens, Illinois. His parents were Edgar and Lietta Herzog. His father worked at a brewery, and his mother worked in a shoe factory.

Whitey went to New Athens High School. There, he played both basketball and baseball. He was even considered by college basketball teams. When he was young, he had many jobs. He delivered newspapers, sold baked goods, and worked at the brewery with his dad. His family called him "Relly," which was a shorter version of his first name, Dorrel.

He got the nickname "Whitey" when he played baseball in the minor leagues. A sportscaster gave him the name because of his light blonde hair. He looked a bit like another blonde baseball player named Bob Kuzava.

Baseball Career

As a Player

Whitey Herzog could both bat and throw with his left hand. The New York Yankees first signed him to play baseball.

During the Korean War in 1953, Herzog served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. While in the Army, he managed his camp's baseball team.

After leaving the Yankees, Herzog played for several MLB teams. He played for the Washington Senators (1956–1958), Kansas City Athletics (1958–1960), Baltimore Orioles (1961–1962), and Detroit Tigers (1963).

In his eight seasons as a player, he played 634 games. He had a batting average of .257. He hit 25 home runs and had 172 runs batted in. Herzog once joked, "Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it." This meant he had more success as a manager than as a player.

Working with Players

After he stopped playing, Herzog worked for the Athletics as a scout in 1964 and a coach in 1965.

He then spent seven years with the New York Mets. From 1967, he was the director of player development. This meant he helped train young players. Under his guidance, the Mets developed many talented players. These players helped the Mets win the 1969 World Series or were traded to other teams where they became successful. Some of these players were Gary Gentry, Wayne Garrett, Jon Matlack, and Amos Otis.

As a Manager

Texas Rangers

Whitey Herzog became a manager for the first time with the Texas Rangers. He signed a contract in November 1972. The Rangers had lost many games in 1972, and Herzog was hired to help develop their young players.

He managed his first game on April 7, 1973. His first win came on April 12, 1973, against the Kansas City Royals. Herzog was fired on September 7, 1973, when the team had a record of 47 wins and 91 losses.

California Angels

In 1974, Herzog joined the California Angels as their third-base coach. He became the team's temporary manager on June 27, 1974. He managed only four games for the Angels before a new manager was hired.

Kansas City Royals

Herzog became the manager of the Kansas City Royals on July 24, 1975. He managed the team until 1979. When he took over in 1975, the Royals were in second place. Under his leadership, the Royals won three straight American League Western division titles from 1976 to 1978.

St. Louis Cardinals

Herzog then managed the St. Louis Cardinals from 1980 to 1990. He led the team to win the 1982 World Series. They also won the National League pennant and played in the World Series again in 1985 and 1987.

His last season as a manager was in 1990 with the Cardinals. He resigned on July 6, 1990. He joked, "I came here in last place and I leave here in last place. I left them right where I started." His total record with the Cardinals was 822 wins and 728 losses.

Managerial Career Record

In his career, Whitey Herzog led his teams to win six division titles, three pennants, and one World Series. His overall record as a manager was 1,281 wins and 1,125 losses. This means his teams won 53.2% of their games.

As General Manager

Herzog also worked as a general manager for the Cardinals (1980–1982) and the California Angels (1993–1994). As a general manager, he helped make decisions about players and the team's overall strategy.

Cardinals General Manager

In 1980, Herzog became both the manager and general manager for the St. Louis Cardinals. During this time, he brought in many players who would become stars for the Cardinals. These players helped the team reach the World Series three times in the 1980s. In 1983, a poll of MLB players voted Herzog the best manager in baseball.

Angels General Manager

Herzog was the general manager for the California Angels from 1993 to 1994. During his time there, the Angels had a record of 118 wins and 159 losses. The 1994 playoffs were canceled due to a players' strike.

Whiteyball

Whitey Herzog's special way of playing baseball was called "Whiteyball." This style focused on good pitching, fast players, and strong defense. Instead of relying on home runs, his teams would try to get on base and steal bases.

His teams usually had fast players at the top of the batting order. Then, a power hitter like George Brett or Jack Clark would bat third or fourth. After them, there would be more fast players who could steal bases. This strategy worked well in stadiums with deep fences and artificial turf, like the ones the Royals and Cardinals played in.

Herzog also liked hitters who were patient and got on base often. Some of these players included Keith Hernandez, José Oquendo, and Ozzie Smith. However, in St. Louis, he also had fast players who swung at pitches more often, like Vince Coleman and Willie McGee.

Later Years

In 2009, Whitey Herzog was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans' Committee. He received almost all the votes possible. After he was inducted, the Cardinals retired his jersey number, 24. This means no other Cardinals player will wear that number again. Rick Ankiel was the last Cardinal to wear number 24 before it was retired.

Whitey Herzog's number 24 was retired by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010.

Personal Life

Whitey Herzog married his high school sweetheart, Mary Lou Sinn, in 1953. They had three children together.

He lived in St. Louis, Missouri. His younger brother, Codell, passed away in 2010. Whitey's grandson, John Urick, also played minor league baseball.

In January 2014, the Cardinals announced that Herzog would be part of the first group of people inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum.

Whitey Herzog passed away on April 15, 2024.

See also

In Spanish: Whitey Herzog para niños