Billy Southworth was the most successful manager in major league baseball during the 1940's. His record during that decade was 890-557 for a .633 winning percentage.
Under his direction, the Cardinals finished 2nd in 1941 and then captured three successive NL Pennants (1942-44) and two World Championships.
His career record;
13 Years, 1770 Games, 1044 Wins & 704 Losses for a .597 pct.His .597 pct among managers with at least 1000 games, would place him 5th on the all time list.
His +340 games above .500, ranks him 10th on the all time list.
In his 13 years as a Major League manager, Southworth only once finished in the second division. The Sporting News named him Manager of the Year in 1941 & 1942. And yet he is all but forgotten.
Hall of Famer?
Billy Southworth is the only Manager to win four pennants since 1901 and not be elected to the Hall of Fame. St. Louis NL, 1942,43 & 44 and Boston NL, 1947.
Who was the last National League Manager to win three straight pennants? Billy Southworth, St. Louis NL, 1942,43 & 44.
Nominated to the Hall of Fame in 1946, but never received more than 18 votes (1958).
Unbelieveable!
Billy had a very successful career as both a player and manager. He was a career .297 hitter and a career .597 skipper. He managed four pennant-winning seasons with the Cardinals and the Braves, and he retired with the fifth best lifetime winning percentage among mangers.
Southworth, a lefty-hitting outfielder who could run, debuted with the Indians in 1915, hitting .220 in 60 games. He resurfaced with the Pirates in 1918 and moved into the starting lineup the following season. Traded to the Braves in 1921, he hit .308 with 79 RBI. Injuries limited hime to 43 games in 1922, but he returned the following season to hit .319 with 78 RBI. He moved to the Giants in 1924 and had his best season in 1926 for the Giants and the Cardinals, with career highs in average .320, home runs 16 and RBI with 99.
Southworth began his managing career in the Cardinals' system in 1928 with Rochester, winning the pennant and returning to the majors as a player-manager for the Cardinals. His players considered him a strict taskmaster and resisted the changes he wanted to make. He lasted 88 games 43-45 before returning to Rochester, where he won three more pennants.
Southworth got another chance with the Cardinals when Ray Blades was fired in early 1940. He moved the team from sixth to third that year, finishing second in 1941, and then won three straight pennants. The Cards also won he 1942 and 1944 World Series.
After finishing second in 1945, Southworth moved to the Boston Braves for $50,000. He won a pennant in 1948, behind the arms of Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain. When asked during the season what his plans were for the rotation, Southworth replied, "Spahn, Sain, and pray for rain." The Braves making their first World Series appearance since 1914, lost to the Indians in six games.
A heavy drinker, Southworth suffered what was officially described as a nervous breakdown in 1949. he guided the club consecutive fourth place finishes before he quit in the middle of 1951.
