Billy Southworth
From BR Bullpen
William Harrison Southworth
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 9", Weight 170 lb.
- Debut August 4, 1913
- Final Game July 9, 1929
- Born March 9, 1893 in Harvard, NE USA
- Died November 15, 1969 in Columbus, OH USA
Inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2008
[edit] Biographical Information
Billy Southworth, who was named by the Veterans Committee to the Hall of Fame in 2007, was a major league player for 13 seasons and also a major league manager for 13 seasons. As a player he was above average, while as a manager he had a notable .597 winning percentage, and won the pennant four times. Two of the wartime teams he managed won the World Series.
As a hitter, he led the league in triples in 1919, and slugged .552 in the 1926 World Series, which his 1926 St. Louis Cardinals won. The similarity scores method shows the most similar hitter as another player famous as a manager, Casey Stengel. Southworth and Stengel were traded for each other (along with other players) in November 1923.
The father of Billy Southworth Jr. and cousin of Bill Southworth, outfielder Billy Southworth was player/manager with the St. Louis Cardinals for part of the 1929 season. His New York Times obituary states that he managed in the minors for one season before making his debut as a major league manager, and then went to Rochester as a manager where his teams won three consecutive pennants.
He was a member of the New York Giants coaching staff in 1933 before managing the Cardinals again from 1940 to 1945. He was then skipper of the Boston Braves from 1946 to 1951. In 1947 he was named as part of the inaugural class of the International League Hall of Fame. Southworth then scouted for the Braves from 1952 to 1956.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL Triples Leader (1919)
- Won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1926
- 2-time ML Manager of the Year Award (1940 & 1941)
- NL Pennants: 4 (1942-1944 & 1948)
- Managed two World Series Champions with the St. Louis Cardinals (1942 & 1944)
- 100 Wins Seasons as Manager: 3 (1942-1944)
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 2008
| Preceded by Bill McKechnie | St. Louis Cardinals Manager 1929 | Succeeded by Bill McKechnie |
| Preceded by Ray Blades | St. Louis Cardinals Manager 1940-1945 | Succeeded by Eddie Dyer |
| Preceded by Del Bissonette | Boston Braves Manager 1946-1949 | Succeeded by Johnny Cooney |
| Preceded by Johnny Cooney | Boston Braves Manager 1950-1951 | Succeeded by Tommy Holmes |
