Red Schoendienst, Hall of Famer and Cardinals legend, dies at 95

Red Schoendienst, the St. Louis Cardinals legend and Hall of Famer thanks to his many years as both a player and manager, died Wednesday at the age of 95.

Schoendienst was the longest-tenured member of the Cardinals organization. He wore the uniform in virtually every season since 1945; the 2018 season, where he was employed by St. Louis as a senior special assistant to the general manager, was also his 76th year in baseball, and 67th as a Cardinal.

"Red was one of the greatest Cardinals of all time, and a beloved member of the Cardinals organization for over six decades," Cardinals owner Bill 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.

"He will be sorely missed."

Born about 40 miles east of St. Louis in Germantown, Ill., Albert Fred Schoendienst was signed by the Cardinals in 1942 for a monthly salary of $75. By 1945 - after he'd been discharged from military duty due to an eye injury - he was the Cards' starting left fielder, beginning his long association with the team. He moved to his primary position of second base in 1946.

Over his 19-year playing career, the switch-hitting Schoendienst hit .289/.337/.387 with 2,449 hits, 427 doubles, 84 home runs, and 773 RBIs with the Cardinals (1945-56, 1961-63), New York Giants (1956-57), and Milwaukee Braves (1957-60). A 10-time All-Star, he led the Cardinals to a World Series title in 1946 alongside fellow future Hall of Fame hitters Enos Slaughter and Stan Musial; later, he'd team up with Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews to win a second ring with Milwaukee in 1957. In 1958, he hit .262 and played in all seven World Series games for the NL champion Braves despite an in-season bout of tuberculosis.

After retiring following the 1963 season, Schoendienst joined the Cardinals' coaching staff in 1964, and replaced Johnny Keane as manager after they had won the World Series. Schoendienst piloted the Cardinals for the next 12 seasons, leading them to consecutive pennants in 1967 and '68 and another world championship in '67. Schoendienst's teams only finished below .500 four times and won 90-plus games on three occasions. His 1,041 managerial wins were a franchise record until passed by Tony La Russa.

Schoendienst moved to the Oakland Athletics' coaching staff for two years in 1977, but came back to St. Louis for good two years later. He remained an in-uniform coach with the Cardinals until 1995, and served as the team's interim manager in both 1980 and 1990.

He was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1991, and the Cardinals retired his No. 2 in 1996. Schoendienst was also an inaugural inductee into the Cardinals Hall of Fame four years ago.

At the time of his death, Schoendienst was the oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.