On This Date: Cardinals Managerial Changes

July 6th, 1990: Whitey Herzog steps down after 10 seasons with the Redbirds. After three pennants and a World Series championship in 1982, things had changed around Busch Stadium since owner Gussie Busch's passing the year before. 
Stuck in last place with a roster loaded with potential free agent defectors and playing erratic sloppy ball, Herzog leaves as the second winningest manager in Cardinals history.

While one St. Louis baseball era ended on July 6th, another one began on this date. In 1961, with the ballclub in 6th place, 14-1/2 games back of the pacesetting Reds, Solly Hemus is replaced by coach Johnny Keane (who'd served the organization as a coach minor league player and manager for 30 years). While his  tenure got off to a slow start, with Cards falling 10-1 that night to Don Drysdale and the Dodgers, Keane would lead St. Louis back to the top of the National League. Just three years later, he'd be in the dugout as the franchise broke an 18 year drought, winning its first pennant and World Series since 1946.
 

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