Former Angels Manager, Executive Passes Away

Maren Angus-Coombs | Apr 18, 2024

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Baseball Hall of Famer Dorrel Norman Elvert Herzog, also known by his nickname Whitey, died on Tuesday. He was 92.

A cause of death was illness.

“Whitey spent his last few days surrounded by his family," the Herzog family said in a statement released by the Cardinals. "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."

The former manager of the Texas Rangers, the California Angels, the Kansas City Royals, and the St. Louis Cardinals is in the Major League Baseball record books as one of the top 50 winningest managers. He won three pennants and the 1982 World Series with St. Louis and also led the Royals to their first three division titles from 1976-78.

A native of New Athens, Ill., Herzog played eight years in the major leagues before becoming a manager, suiting up for the Washington Senators, the Kansas City Athletics, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Detroit Tigers from 1956-63.

Herzog arrived in Anaheim in Sept. 1991 as the senior vice president and director of player personnel after being hired by his good friends Gene and Jackie Autry. Their goal was to bring the franchise its first American League pennant and World Series title.

The legendary manager's time with the Angels was tumultuous. He was given an apartment in Anaheim but never moved from his home in St. Louis. He didn't have an office at Angel Stadium which rubbed some of his colleagues the wrong way.

His strength was in identifying talent. In his book, Herzog took credit for identifying Angels minor leaguers Garret Anderson, Tim Salmon, Jim Edmonds, and Gary DiSarcina as prospects and for preparing them to advance to the majors.

However, his weakness was in diplomacy dealing with lawyers and agents.

He retired from the Angels in Jan. 1994, lasting 2-and-a-half years with the franchise and failing to deliver a World Series title to the Autry family.