Wednesday, 04 December 2024

Billy Southworth

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Coaches 2024
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Baseball
Statistics: 2 World Series Championships (1942 & 1944)
1,044-704 Record
Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
Member of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame

*1 World Series Championship (1926)

*As a player
Billy Southworth had 1,296 career hits and a World Series title under his belt as a player with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1926. That was when his career was winding down, and in 1927 he managed AA Rochester in the Cardinal organization, and he was asked to replace Bill McKechnie for the 1929 season. It was not successful, as his disciplinarian style yielded average results, and he was out before the season ended with a losing record.

Southworth struggled after that, going back to AA, but his personal life went into chaos. His wife died, he became an alcoholic, and he left baseball. He was down and out, but one thing we all know about America is that it loves a redemption story!

Nearly a decade after he was unceremoniously sacked as the Cardinals manager, Southworth was back in charge. It was a much better result for St. Louis and the more mature Southworth, and the Cardinals responded, winning the World Series in 1942 and 1944, with another pennant in the year in-between.

Southworth left St. Louis after the 1945 season, but this time on his own accord to take a higher-paying job with the Boston Braves. He brought them to the World Series in 1949, and though they lost, it was the last time the Braves won the pennant while they were still in Boston. Southworth had a winning record every year until he stepped down during the 1951 season when they were three games below .500.

Southworth would later serve as a scout for the Braves, and it was he who recommended Hank Aaron.

We are proud to nominate Billy Southworth for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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