Manager of Series-winning ’67 Cards

ST. LOUIS — Red Schoendienst, the Hall of Fame second baseman who managed the Cardinals to two pennants and the 1967 World Series championship, died Wednesday. He was 95. Alfred Fred Schoendienst wore the Cardinals uniform for 45 seasons as a player, coach and manager and remained involved as a special assistant to general manager Walt Jocketty. Into his 80s, Schoendienst hit fungoes to fielders in pregame practice.

“Red was one of the greatest Cardinals of all time and a beloved member of the Cardinals organization for over six decades,” Cardinals owner William O. DeWitt Jr. said in a statement. “His influence on this organization cannot be overstated. Red was a great player, a great manager, and a wonderful mentor to countless players, coaches, and members of the front office.”

A 10-time All-Star with the Cardinals, Giants and Braves with a career average of .289 and 2,449 hits, Schoendienst was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989 by the Veterans Committee. His best season was in 1953 when he batted .342, second in the NL, with 15 home runs and 79 RBIs. He led the league with 200 hits in 1957. Defensively, he tied or led the league in fielding seven times.

He’s second in Cardinals history with 1,041 managerial victories. His No. 2 jersey was retired in 1996 and a bronze statue portraying Schoendienst sits outside Busch Stadium.

Schoendienst's 12-year tenure as manager is the second longest in franchise history behind Tony La Russa. He also was interim manager in 1980 and 1990 and coached for the Athletics in 1977 and ’78.

“It’s been a good, long ride,” Schoendienst said in 2002. “And I’ve had a lot of fun.”