Whitey Herzog, former St. Louis Cardinals manager, died at the age of 92. During his career, he won one World Series title and three pennants.
After a long career in the MLB, Herzog passed away peacefully while surrounded by loved ones. According to his family, he was battling an illness.
“Although it is hard for us to say goodbye, his peaceful passing was a blessing for him,” Herzog’s loved ones wrote in a statement.
According to TMZ, “Herzog began his managerial career in 1973 with the Texas Rangers. But he really made his mark in the Major Leagues when he took over the Cardinals in 1980.”
Additionally, Herzog coined his own style of baseball fans called “Whiteyball,” which became a popular approach in the sport.
CBS Sports reported, “Herzog’s influence on the game extended beyond his wins and accomplishments … That is, he made it socially acceptable to assemble rosters that were fast and defensively capable rather than overindexing on slugging.”
Whitey Herzog of the St. Louis Cardinals Died at 92
Herzog retired in 1990, but he remained beloved by his industry friends and old colleagues.
The St. Louis Cardinals shared their condolences on X (formerly Twitter).
“Whitey Herzog managed the Cardinals for parts of 11 seasons from 1980-90, leading the team to three National League pennants and the 1982 World Series title,” the St. Louis Cardinals continued in a series of posts on X.
“‘Whiteyball’, as it came to be known in St. Louis, placed an emphasis on strong pitching and defense, speed on the basepaths, and contact hitting. He was inducted into the [National Baseball Hall of Fame] in 2010 and the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014.”
Additionally, Rob Manfred, commissioner of the MLB, chimed in.
“On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Whitey’s family, his friends across the game, and the fans of the Cardinals and the Royals.”
“Whitey loved the Cardinals, their fans, and St. Louis,” added Cardinals honcho Bill DeWitt Jr. “He will be sorely missed.”