TheSt. Louis Cardinals, aprofessional baseballfranchise based inSt. Louis,Missouri, compete in theNational League (NL) ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). Prior to entering the NL in 1892, they were also a member of theAmerican Association (AA) from 1882 to 1891.[a] They have won 11World Series titles as an NL team, onepre-World Series championship and tied another against the NL. Since 1900, the team has been known as the Cardinals. They were originally named the Perfectos.[1] Baseball teams like St. Louis employ amanager to make on-field decisions for the team during the game, similar to thehead coach position of other sports. A number ofcoaches report to the manager, including thebench coach, first and third base coaches, and pitching and hitting coaches, among other coaches and instructors.Mike Matheny, a formercatcher for the Cardinals from 2000 to 2004, was the manager from 2012–2018,[2] when he was relieved following a series of disputes, including allegations that he would not speak withDexter Fowler. He was signed through 2017 and extended to the 2018 season when he was fired. The Cardinals hired bench coachMike Shildt as interim manager.[3]
Matheny is one of 63 total individuals who have managed the Cardinals, more than any other Major League franchise.[4] Between 1882 and1918 – 37 total seasons – 37 different managers stayed the helm.Ned Cuthbert became the first manager of the then-Brown Stockings in 1882, serving for one season. Also anoutfielder for a formerSt. Louis Brown Stockings club, he was directly responsible for bringing professional baseball back to St. Louis after a game-fixing scandal expelled the earlier team from the NL in1877. He rallied abarnstorming team that attracted the attention of eventual ownerChris von der Ahe, who directly negotiated for the team to be a charter member of a new league, the AA, in 1882.[5]Charles Comiskey was the first manager in franchise history to hold the position for multiple seasons. He also owns the highest career winning percentage in franchise history at .673, four American Association pennants (1885–1888) and oneinterleague championship (before the officialWorld Series existed).[b] He also held the record for most career wins in team history with from1884 to1945 (563 total) and games managed (852) until1924. However, von der Ahe changed managers more than any other owner in team history – a total of 27 in 19 season oversaw the team on the field. After the Robison era began, stability marginally improved: nine managers in 20 years from 1899 to1918.Jack McCloskey,Roger Bresnahan, andMiller Huggins each managed three or more seasons from1906 to1917, becoming the first group to manage multiple seasons in succession.
Branch Rickey, known mainly as ageneral manager, surpassed Comiskey's record for games managed in 1924, totaling 947 in seven seasons.[6] His replacement,Rogers Hornsby – also thesecond baseman who won twoTriple Crowns and six consecutivebatting titles – finally guided the Cardinals to their first modernWorld Series championship against the formidableNew York Yankees, their first interleague championship in exactly 40 years.Sam Breadon, the Cardinals'owner, also frequently changed managers (althoughFrankie Frisch andGabby Street both managed at least five seasons and won one World Series title apiece in the 1930s out of nine total managers in 30 seasons) until settling onHall of FamerBilly Southworth from1940 to1945.
Southworth set new team records for games managed (981), wins (620) and World Series championships (two). His Cardinals teams won 105 or more games each year from1942 to1944, winning the NLpennants in each of those three seasons. His .642 winning percentage is second-highest in team history, and the highest since the Cardinals joined the National League. Southworth was also awardedThe Sporting NewsManager of the Year Award in 1941 and 1942. Starting in1953 with theGussie Busch/Anheuser-Busch era, thirteen managers captained the club in 43 seasons. After Southworth,Eddie Dyer,Eddie Stanky,Fred Hutchinson andJohnny Keane also each took home aSporting News Manager of the Year award. Keane's1964 team thatyear'sWorld Series. Hall of FamerRed Schoendienst took over from1965 to1977 and won one World Series and two NL pennants. Schoendienst then broke Southworth's team records for games (1,999 total) and wins (1,041). He also held records of 14 seasons managed and 955 losses.
In the 1980s, Hall of FamerWhitey Herzog's style of play known asWhiteyball pushed the Cardinals to three NL pennants and a World Series championship in1982. He was named theSporting NewsSportsman of the Year and Manager of the Year in1982.[7] In1990,Joe Torre took over andTony La Russa succeeded him when theWilliam DeWitt, Jr. ownership – still the current ownership – commenced in1996. La Russa finished with the longest tenure in franchise history (16 seasons), and leads Cardinals managers in wins (1,408), losses (1,182), playoff appearances (nine) and is tied for most World Series championships (two). He also won three NL pennants. Matheny took over from La Russa.
Besides La Russa, eight Cardinals managers have won a modern World Series: Hornsby, Frisch, Street, Dyer, Southworth, Keane, Schoendienst and Herzog; Southworth and La Russa are the only ones to win two each. Comiskey won one pre-World Series title and tied for another. Cardinals managers inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame include Comiskey,Tommy McCarthy,Roger Connor,Kid Nichols, Bresnahan, Huggins, Rickey, Hornsby,Bill McKechnie, Southworth, Frisch, Schoendienst, Herzog, Torre and La Russa.[8][9]
| # | Ordinal number in the succession of managers[b] |
| G | Regular season games managed (may not equal sum of wins and losses due to tie games) |
| W | Regular season wins |
| L | Regular season losses |
| Win% | Winning percentage |
| PA | Postseason appearances: number of years this manager has led the franchise to the postseason |
| PW | Postseason wins |
| PL | Postseason losses |
| LC | League championships: number of League championships, or pennants, achieved by the manager |
| WS | World Series Championships: number of World Series championships achieved by the manager |
| Awards | AwardedMVP (V) as aplayer-manager, MLBManager of the Year (given annually since1983) (M), andTheSporting NewsSportsman of the Year (awarded annually since 1968) (S) andThe Sporting NewsManager of the Year Award (awarded annually since 1936) (Y) while managing for the Cardinals. |
| Ref | Reference(s) |
| * | Also a player for the Cardinals |
| ∂ | Former MLBAll-Star |
| § | Inducted into theBaseball Hall of Fame as a Cardinal |
| †, ‡ | Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame primarily as a player (†) or as a manager and/or an executive (‡) |
Statistics current as of the end of the2025 Major League Baseball season
| #[c] | Manager | Seasons | G | W | L | Win% | PA | PW | PL | LC | WS | Awards | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ned Cuthbert * | 1882 | 80 | 37 | 43 | .463 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [10] |
| 2 | Ted Sullivan | 1883 | 79 | 53 | 26 | .671 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [11] |
| 3 | Charles Comiskey *‡ | 1883,1884–1889, 1891 | 852 | 563 | 273 | .673 | 4 | 16 | 21 | 4 | — | — | [12] |
| 4 | Jimmy Williams | 1884 | 85 | 51 | 33 | .607 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [13] |
| 5 | Tommy McCarthy *† | 1890 | 27 | 15 | 12 | .571 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [14] |
| 6 | John Kerins * | 1890 | 17 | 9 | 8 | .529 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [15] |
| 7 | Chief Roseman * | 1890 | 15 | 7 | 8 | .467 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [16] |
| 8 | Count Campau * | 1890 | 42 | 27 | 14 | .659 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [17] |
| 9 | Joe Gerhardt * | 1890 | 38 | 20 | 16 | .556 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [18] |
| 10 | Jack Glasscock * | 1892 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [19] |
| 11 | Cub Stricker * | 1892 | 23 | 6 | 17 | .261 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [20] |
| 12 | Jack Crooks * | 1892 | 62 | 27 | 33 | .450 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [21] |
| 13 | George Gore * | 1892 | 16 | 6 | 9 | .400 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [22] |
| 14 | Bob Caruthers * | 1892 | 50 | 16 | 32 | .333 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [23] |
| 15 | Bill Watkins | 1893 | 135 | 57 | 75 | .432 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [24] |
| 16 | Doggie Miller * | 1894 | 133 | 56 | 76 | .424 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [25] |
| 17 | Al Buckenberger | 1895 | 50 | 16 | 34 | .320 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [26] |
| 18 | Chris von der Ahe | 1895,1896,1897 | 17 | 3 | 14 | .176 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [27] |
| 19 | Joe Quinn * | 1895 | 40 | 11 | 28 | .282 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [28] |
| 20 | Lou Phelan | 1895 | 45 | 11 | 30 | .268 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [29] |
| 21 | Harry Diddlebock | 1896 | 17 | 7 | 10 | .412 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [30] |
| 22 | Arlie Latham * | 1896 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [31] |
| 23 | Roger Connor *† | 1896 | 46 | 8 | 37 | .178 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [32] |
| 24 | Tommy Dowd * | 1896–1897 | 92 | 31 | 60 | .341 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [33] |
| 25 | Hugh Nicol * | 1897 | 40 | 8 | 32 | .200 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [34] |
| 26 | Bill Hallman * | 1897 | 50 | 13 | 36 | .265 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [35] |
| 27 | Tim Hurst | 1898 | 154 | 39 | 111 | .260 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [36] |
| 28 | Patsy Tebeau * | 1899–1900 | 247 | 126 | 117 | .519 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [37] |
| 29 | Louie Heilbroner | 1900 | 50 | 23 | 25 | .479 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [38] |
| 30 | Patsy Donovan * | 1901–1903 | 421 | 175 | 236 | .426 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [39] |
| 31 | Kid Nichols *† | 1904–1905 | 169 | 80 | 88 | .476 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [40] |
| 32 | Jimmy Burke * | 1905 | 90 | 34 | 56 | .378 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [41] |
| 33 | Stanley Robison | 1905 | 50 | 19 | 31 | .380 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [42] |
| 34 | John McCloskey | 1906–1908 | 463 | 153 | 304 | .335 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [43] |
| 35 | Roger Bresnahan *† | 1909–1912 | 618 | 255 | 352 | .420 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [44] |
| 36 | Miller Huggins *‡ | 1913–1917 | 774 | 346 | 415 | .455 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [45] |
| 37 | Jack Hendricks | 1918 | 133 | 51 | 78 | .395 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [46] |
| 38 | Branch Rickey ‡ | 1919–1925 | 947 | 458 | 485 | .486 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [47] |
| 39 | Rogers Hornsby *†§ | 1925–1926 | 271 | 153 | 116 | .569 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | V | [48] |
| 40 | Bob O'Farrell * | 1927 | 153 | 92 | 61 | .601 | — | — | — | — | — | V | [49] |
| 41 | Bill McKechnie ‡ | 1928–1929 | 217 | 129 | 88 | .594 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | –– | [50] |
| 42 | Billy Southworth *‡§ | 1929,1940–1945 | 981 | 680 | 346 | .642 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 2 | Y (2) | [51] |
| 43 | Gabby Street * | 1929–1933 | 556 | 312 | 242 | .563 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 1 | –– | [52] |
| 44 | Frankie Frisch *†§ | 1933–1938 | 822 | 458 | 354 | .564 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | –– | [53] |
| 45 | Mike González * | 1938, 1940 | 23 | 9 | 13 | .409 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [54] |
| 46 | Ray Blades * | 1939–1940 | 194 | 106 | 85 | .555 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [55] |
| 47 | Eddie Dyer * | 1946–1950 | 777 | 446 | 325 | .578 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Y | [56] |
| 48 | Marty Marion * | 1951 | 155 | 81 | 73 | .526 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [57] |
| 49 | Eddie Stanky * | 1952–1955 | 501 | 260 | 238 | .522 | — | — | — | — | — | Y | [58] |
| 50 | Harry Walker * | 1955 | 118 | 51 | 67 | .432 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [59] |
| 51 | Fred Hutchinson | 1956–1958 | 434 | 232 | 220 | .513 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [60] |
| 52 | Stan Hack | 1958 | 10 | 3 | 7 | .300 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [61] |
| 53 | Solly Hemus * | 1959–1961 | 384 | 190 | 192 | .497 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [62] |
| 54 | Johnny Keane | 1961–1964 | 567 | 317 | 249 | .560 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Y | [63] |
| 55 | Red Schoendienst *†§ | 1965–1976,1980, 1990 | 1,999 | 1,041 | 955 | .522 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | –– | [64] |
| 56 | Vern Rapp | 1977–1978 | 179 | 89 | 90 | .497 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [65] |
| 57 | Jack Krol | 1978, 1980 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [66] |
| 58 | Ken Boyer * | 1978–1980 | 357 | 166 | 190 | .466 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [67] |
| 59 | Whitey Herzog ‡§ | 1980–1990 | 1,553 | 822 | 728 | .530 | 3 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 1 | S, Y, M | [7][68] |
| 60 | Joe Torre *∂‡ | 1990–1995 | 706 | 351 | 354 | .498 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [69] |
| 61 | Mike Jorgensen * | 1995 | 96 | 42 | 54 | .438 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [70] |
| 62 | Tony La Russa ‡ | 1996–2011 | 2,591 | 1,408 | 1,182 | .544 | 9 | 50 | 42 | 3 | 2 | M | [71][72] |
| 63 | Mike Matheny * | 2012–2018 | 1,074 | 591 | 474 | .555 | 3 | 21 | 22 | 1 | 0 | — | [73] |
| 64 | Mike Shildt | 2018–2021 | 451 | 252 | 199 | .559 | 3 | 4 | 9 | — | — | M | |
| 65 | Oliver Marmol | 2022–present | 648 | 325 | 323 | .502 | 1 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| AA totals (1882–1891)[a] | 1,233 | 780 | 432 | .644 | 4 | 16 | 21 | 4 | 1[b] | –– | [1] | ||
| NL (1892–1919) | 4,128 | 1,632 | 2,425 | .402 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | –– | [1] | ||
| NL (1920–1952) | 5,112 | 2,898 | 2,171 | .572 | 9 | 27 | 27 | 9 | 6 | –– | [74] | ||
| NL (1953–1989) | 5,867 | 3,038 | 2,814 | .519 | 6 | 32 | 26 | 6 | 3 | –– | [75] | ||
| NL (1990–present) | 4,631 | 2,462 | 2,167 | .532 | 12 | 70 | 61 | 4 | 2 | –– | [76] | ||
| NL totals (1892–present)[c] | 19,900 | 10,030 | 9,577 | .512 | 27 | 129 | 114 | 19 | 11 | –– | [77] | ||
| All-time totals | 20,971 | 10,810 | 10,009 | .519 | 31 | 145 | 135 | 23 | 12[b] | –– | [77] | ||
Note:Sort by games managedto view order of total games managed, which will show Rickey became the record-holder after Comiskey
The Sporting News today named Whitey Herzog of the St. Louis Cardinals manager of the year. Herzog edged Milwaukee's Harvey Kuenn in the balloting of major league managers conducted for the weekly newspaper.
