| Eddie Kasko | |
|---|---|
 Kasko in 1957 | |
| Shortstop /Third baseman /Manager | |
| Born:(1931-06-27)June 27, 1931 Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Died: June 24, 2020(2020-06-24) (aged 88) Richmond, Virginia, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 18, 1957, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 10, 1966, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .264 |
| Home runs | 22 |
| Runs batted in | 261 |
| Managerial record | 345–295 |
| Winning % | .539 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Managerial record at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Edward Michael Kasko (June 27, 1931 – June 24, 2020) was an Americaninfielder,manager,scout and front office executive inMajor League Baseball (MLB).[1]
Kasko was born inElizabeth, New Jersey, and raised in nearbyLinden. He graduated fromLinden High School in 1949.[2]
Kasko stood 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg). A standout defensive player as ashortstop andthird baseman, he began his professional career in 1949. After six years inminor league baseball and two in the military at the time of theKorean War, Kasko played for ten MLB seasons (1957–66) with theSt. Louis Cardinals,Cincinnati Reds,Houston Colt .45s / Astros andBoston Red Sox. He ledNational League third basemen infielding percentage in 1960 and NL shortstops in that categoryfour years later.
A right-handed batter, Kasko had a careerbatting average of .264 in 1,077games and 3,546at bats. His 935 Major Leaguehits included 146doubles and 13triples, as well as 22 home runs. Selected to the 1961National League All-Star team, he appeared in that year'ssecond all-star classic, played July 31 atFenway Park. In the contest, a 1–1 tie shortened by rain, Kasko replaced starterMaury Wills at shortstop in the fourthinning andsingled offDon Schwall of the Red Sox in the sixth frame to help the Senior Circuit score the tyingrun.Hall of Fame shortstopErnie Bankspinch-hit for Kasko in the eighth inning and replaced him in the field.[3]
Kasko appeared in oneWorld Series—also in1961, with Cincinnati. He started all five games (theNew York Yankees defeated the Reds, four games to one) at shortstop, led the Reds with seven hits (all singles), scored one run, and batted .318. Defensively, he made oneerror in 27chances in the field and participated in fivedouble plays.
After the 1966 season, his only campaign with Boston, Kasko retired as an active player and managed the Red Sox'Triple-A clubs, theToronto Maple Leafs (1967) andLouisville Colonels (1968–69), to a cumulative 213–213 record and one playoff berth.
He succeeded the popularDick Williams as Red Sox manager in 1970, and guided the club through 1973. The Red Sox finished above the .500 mark each season, but only contended in 1972 when they finished a half-game out of first place, behind theDetroit Tigers, in theAmerican League East Division. The half-game differential was due to the briefplayers' strike that spring: between six and eight games were lopped off each club's schedule and it was agreed that lost games would not be "made up" to resolve pennant races.
During Kasko's four-year managerial term, he incorporated young players such asCarlton Fisk andDwight Evans into the Red Sox lineup, convertedrelief pitcherBill Lee into a successfulstarter, and showed patience with sore-armed veteranLuis Tiant as he returned to form. But when the1973 Red Sox again could not measure up to the powerfulBaltimore Orioles of the era, Kasko was reassigned to an executive scouting position within the organization and replaced as manager byDarrell Johnson upon season's end onSeptember 30.[4] His final record with Boston, over four seasons, was 345–295 (.539).
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| BOS | 1970 | 162 | 87 | 75 | .537 | 3rd in AL East | – | – | – | – |
| BOS | 1971 | 162 | 85 | 77 | .525 | 3rd in AL East | – | – | – | – |
| BOS | 1972 | 155 | 85 | 70 | .548 | 2nd in AL East | – | – | – | – |
| BOS | 1973 | 161 | 88 | 73 | .547 | 2nd in AL East | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 640 | 345 | 295 | .539 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
Kasko remained with the Red Sox for another two decades as a scout (1974–77), director of scouting (1977–92) and vice president, baseball development (1992–94). While he was scouting director, the Red Sox drafted and signed impactful players likeRoger Clemens,Marty Barrett,Ellis Burks,Mike Greenwell,John Valentin,Tim Naehring,Jeff Bagwell,Curt Schilling,Brady Anderson andMo Vaughn, although Bagwell, Anderson and Schilling became stars for other teams after Boston traded them for veteran talent. Kasko was named to theBoston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2010.[5]
He died inRichmond, Virginia, his longtime adopted home city, at age 88 on June 24, 2020.[6]
| Preceded by | Toronto Maple Leafsmanager 1967 | Succeeded by Franchise relocated |
| Preceded by Franchise re-established | Louisville Colonelsmanager 1968–1969 | Succeeded by |