Wednesday, February 16, 2022

#67 Red Schoendienst

Manager le Cardinals....Helmed a winner in 1967 and the runner up in 1968....A St Louis fixture born 25 miles east of Sportsman’s Park/Busch Stadium.....was signed during WW2 and received early discharge from military service due to injuries that could have ended his playing career....a solid star for post war Red Birds beginning 1945.... Baseball journey also took him to the Polo Grounds (NYG) and Milwaukee in the span of 19 years.....then another short stint back under the Gateway Arch to career cap and start apprenticing to become a Cardinal company man.... Took to coaching in 1963 staying in the Gateway to the West....reverted to playing status the same year allowed Red to garner a handful of last at bats.....took over the skipper job for Johnny Keane in a very unusual way....Johnny bolted for the NYY after defeating said Yankees in 1964 WS....Keane defected when it appeared that Leo Durocher was heir to be St Louis skipper (so much for job security even after taking the crown).....Leo  “the lip” hire never materialized opening the road for Red.....Schoendienst stayed 12 campaigns although his post World Series tenure was uneven....Let go after 1976.....Resurfaced in Oakland for 1977 as a coach.....was offered the top spot but declined due to Charlie Finley’s frequent intrusions....Returned to the Gateway city in 1979, to mentor hitting for skipper Ken Boyer.....Red’s employment continued despite Boyer’s pink slip.....Enter Whitey Herzog.....The Red and Whitey team jelled to into returning St Louis NL world championship status in 1982.....NL champs in 1985 and 1987....so close their relationship Whitey temporarily returned the managerial reigns to Red so that Herzog could scout talent in 1980....Succeeded Whitey in 1990 on an interim basis.....tallied up enough positives to be elected in Baseball’s HOF as a player via Veteran Committee in 1989....Lived to the age of 95. 




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