Born:(1931-06-09)June 9, 1931 Hazel Park, Michigan, U.S.
Died: November 23, 2021(2021-11-23) (aged 90) Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 12, 1955, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
July 26, 1968, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
Batting average
.267
Home runs
91
Runs batted in
502
Managerial record
995–921
Winning %
.519
Teams
As player
St. Louis Cardinals (1955–1956)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1956–1965, 1968)
As manager
Pittsburgh Pirates (1972–1973)
New York Yankees (1974–1975)
Houston Astros (1975–1982)
Montreal Expos (1983–1984)
Career highlights and awards
2× World Series champion (1960, 1971)
NL Rookie of the Year (1955)
Gold Glove Award (1962)
William Charles Virdon (June 9, 1931 – November 23, 2021) was an American professional baseball outfielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Virdon played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 through 1965 and in 1968. He served as a coach for the Pirates and Houston Astros, and managed the Pirates, Astros, New York Yankees, and Montreal Expos.
After playing in the minors for the Yankees organization, Virdon was traded to the Cardinals, and he made his MLB debut in 1955. That year, Virdon won the National League Rookie of the Year Award. He slumped at the beginning of the 1956 season, and was traded to the Pirates, where he spent the remainder of his playing career. A premier defensive outfielder during his playing days as a center fielder for the Cardinals and Pirates, Virdon led a strong defensive team to the 1960 World Series championship. In 1962, Virdon won a Gold Glove Award. Following the 1965 season, he retired due to his desire to become a manager.
Virdon managed in the minor leagues until returning to the Pirates as a coach in 1968. He served as manager of the Pirates in 1972 and 1973, before becoming the manager of the Yankees in 1974. During the 1975 season, the Yankees fired Virdon, and he was hired by the Astros. After being fired by the Astros after the 1982 season, Virdon managed the Expos in 1983 and 1984. Virdon won The Sporting News' Manager of the Year Award in 1974, his only full season working for the Yankees, and in 1980, while managing the Astros. He returned to the Pirates as a coach following his managerial career, and remained with the Pirates as a guest instructor during spring training.
Virdon (June 9, 1931 – November 23, 2021) was an American professional baseball outfielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Virdon...
lead. In the bottom half, however, the Pirates evened the score when BillVirdon walked, stole second, advanced to third on an error by shortstop Tony...
team's first manager was Harry Craft, who managed for three seasons. BillVirdon is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games...
com. Archived from the original on 2008-02-12. Retrieved 2008-01-19. "BillVirdon". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. Retrieved...
he was 186–138 overall, winning a World Series in the second season. BillVirdon was the Pirates for one season, but after beginning his second 67–69...
third in the division with 86 wins. The Expos replaced Fanning with BillVirdon in 1983, and under their new manager, led the division in mid-July. However...
Houston Astros moved to the American League in 2013. "'Fantastic feeling' for Bill Giles". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 16, 2008. Retrieved August 17...
and replaced by BillVirdon. Virdon had managed the Yankees and Pirates before joining Houston. The Astros played .500 ball under Virdon in the last 34...
East with a record of 89–73, two games behind the Baltimore Orioles in BillVirdon's first season as manager. The Yankees played at Shea Stadium due to the...
Year American League: Herb Score, Cleveland Indians National League: BillVirdon, St. Louis Cardinals The Game of the Week moved from ABC to CBS (the...
to the ongoing renovation of Yankee Stadium, which re-opened in 1976. BillVirdon opened the season as Yankees manager, but he was replaced on August 1...
Indians in 1972, he was moved into the bullpen by New York Yankees manager BillVirdon toward the end of the 1974 season. He acquired his nickname, "Dirt",...
season and replaced by BillVirdon. The Astros played .500 ball under Virdon in the last 34 games of the season. With Virdon as the manager the Astros...
bad-hop ground ball that struck him in the throat in the eighth inning. BillVirdon reached first base on the infield single, which helped the Pittsburgh...
from the original on August 27, 2009. Retrieved September 13, 2009. "BillVirdon Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original...
the NL West. Everyone was happy, according to Morgan, except manager BillVirdon, who felt Morgan had overstepped his bounds. Their relationship changed...
center fielder and manager BillVirdon. Originally signed by the New York Yankees in 1950, Wright was traded with Virdon to the St. Louis Cardinals on...
make a cameo appearance during the film's climactic scene. They include BillVirdon, César Cedeño, Enos Cabell, Ken Forsch, Bob Watson, and J.R. Richard...
38 Wally Berger 71 Fred Schulte 71 40 Johnny Bates 70 Ron LeFlore 70 BillVirdon 70 43 Mickey Mantle * 67 Homer Smoot 67 Roy Thomas † 67 46 Tommy Leach...
ownership change, the Yankees hired former Pittsburgh Pirates manager BillVirdon to lead the team on the field. There is nothing in life quite so limited...
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