ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Hall of Fame Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog has died Tuesday, the Cardinals confirmed to KMOX. He was 92.
"On behalf of the entire St. Louis Cardinals organization, I would like to offer our condolences to the family and many friends of Whitey Herzog," said Cardinals' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill DeWitt, Jr. in a statement "Whitey and his teams played a big part in changing the direction of the Cardinals franchise in the early 1980s with an exciting style of play that would become known as "Whitey Ball" throughout baseball. Whitey loved the Cardinals, their fans, and St. Louis. He will be sorely missed."
Whitey Herzog's family said in a statement he died peacefully and spent his last few days surrounded by his family.
"We have so appreciated all of the prayers and support from friends who knew he was very ill. Although it is hard for us to say goodbye, his peaceful passing was a blessing for him." said the Herzog family.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement mourning the loss of Herzog.
"Whitey Herzog was one of the most accomplished managers of his generation and a consistent winner with both ‘I-70’ franchises. He made a significant impact on the St. Louis Cardinals as both a manager and a general manager, with the Kansas City Royals as a manager, and with the New York Mets in player development." Whitey’s Cardinals’ teams reached the World Series three times in the 1980s, winning the Championship in 1982, by leaning on an identity of speed and defense that resonated with baseball fans across the world.
Herzog, who was born in New Athens, Illinois, in 1931, managed the Cardinals through nearly all of the 1980s, leading the Cardinals to three World Series appearances in the 1980s, including a championship victory in 1982 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Herzog was known to fans for the developing the style of baseball during his time with the Cardinals dubbed 'Whiteyball,' where the team would win baseball games by being aggressive on the base paths while being supported by solid pitching and defense and the lineups on those teams would typically not have a power hitter.
During the 1980s, the Cardinals stole 2,149 bases, nearly 500 base more than the second-place Montreal Expos during that time period.
Among some the players who excelled in 'Whiteyball' included Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee, and Vince Coleman.
During his career as manager for the Cardinals, Herzog had a record of 822-728. Alongside his role as manager for the Cardinals, Herzog was also the General Manager for the Cardinals from 1980-1982.
Before managing the Cardinals, Herzog had stints from 1973-1979 as manager for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City Royals. Along with that, he served a variety of roles with the New York Mets, including as director of player development. Herzog won a World Series with the Mets in 1969.
Herzog was inducted into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 as part of the Veteran's Committee, while he was inducted as part of the inaugural class of the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014.