The sports world has suffered a loss this week.
Former MLB National League Rookie of the Year and manager Bill Virdon has passed away.
Virdon was 90 years old.
Distinguished Career
Virdon touched a lot of fans during his time in the Show.
In 1955, Virdon made a huge splash for the Cardinals as the NL Rookie of the Year.
He hit .267 over his career, playing a dozen seasons in total with the Cardinals and Pirates.
Virdon has one World Series ring as a player, with the Pirates winning it all in 1960.
Virdon also had a Gold Glove on his mantel, which he was awarded in the 1962 season while playing for the Pirates.
In 1968, Virdon put the glove on the shelf for good and transitioned into coaching.
He had a respectable 995-921 lifetime record over 13 seasons as a big-league manager.
Over the course of his coaching career, he sat on the top step for the Pirates, Yankees, Expos, and Houston, which is where he had his greatest success.
Under his guidance, the Astros made three straight postseason appearances.
Unfortunately, Virdon ran into two buzzsaws at the time, losing the 1980 NL Championship to the Philadelphia Phillies and getting knocked out of the playoffs the following year by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Virdon still holds the Astros record for managerial career wins at 544.
Source: New York Post
