With a flattop haircut, pointed opinions and a Midwestern sensibility, Whitey Herzog forged a Hall of Fame career managing Major League Baseball’s two Missouri teams by implementing a style that bears little resemblance to today’s game.
Herzog’s signature 1982 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals team followed several successful yet ultimately frustrating seasons with the Kansas City Royals and was followed by two more World Series appearances with the Cardinals. All were built on speed, defense and a deep bullpen with Herzog not caring a whit about home runs.
He also managed the Angels for four games in 1974 and was something of an absentee front office executive from 1991 until abruptly resigning a month before 1994 spring training, the club no closer to giving popular owner Gene Autry a World Series than when Herzog came aboard.