Read Me Bill Virdon
Bill Virdon
Full name William Charles Virdon Born June 9, 1931, Hazel Park, Michigan Died November 23, 2021, Springfield, Missouri Buried at King's Way United Methodist Church Cemetery Columbarium, Springfield, Missouri (Cremated) First Game: April 12, 1955 ; Final Game: July 31, 1968 Managed First Game: July 14, 1969 ; Managed Final Game: August 29, 1984 Bat: Left Throw: Right Height: 6' 0" Weight: 175 Named NL Rookie of the Year by Baseball Writers' Association of America (1955) Named NL Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News (1955) Named Major League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News (1974 and 1980) Won NL Gold Glove as outfielder (1962) Ejections as coach: 1968 (1), 1971 (1), 1993 (1), 2002 (1). Total: 4 Ejections as manager: 1972 (1), 1973 (2), 1974 (2), 1975 (1), 1976 (4), 1979 (1), 1980 (1), 1982 (1), 1983 (2), 1984 (1). Total: 16 SABR Biography
Top Performances
Pitcher Matchups
Discrepancies Batting Record
Year Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF XI ROE GDP SB CS AVG OBP SLG BFW Year Team
1955 STL N Daily Splits 144 534 58 150 18 6 17 68 36 3 64 1 6 9 0 5 10 2 4 .281 .322 .433 -1.0 1955 STL N
1956 STL N Daily Splits 24 71 10 15 2 0 2 9 5 2 8 1 2 1 0 2 0 0 1 .211 .269 .324 -0.6 1956 STL N
1956 PIT N Daily Splits 133 509 67 170 21 10 8 37 33 7 63 1 2 2 0 7 12 6 6 .334 .374 .462 1.2 1956 PIT N
1956 TOT N 157 580 77 185 23 10 10 46 38 9 71 2 4 3 0 9 12 6 7 .319 .361 .445 0.6 1956 TOT N
1957 PIT N Daily Splits 144 561 59 141 28 11 8 50 33 5 69 0 8 3 0 12 8 3 3 .251 .291 .383 -1.9 1957 PIT N
1958 PIT N Daily Splits 144 604 75 161 24 11 9 46 52 5 70 1 2 3 0 11 5 5 3 .267 .324 .387 -1.5 1958 PIT N
1959 PIT N Daily Splits 144 519 67 132 24 2 8 41 55 11 65 2 5 2 0 9 7 7 4 .254 .327 .355 -0.7 1959 PIT N
1960 PIT N Daily Splits 120 409 60 108 16 9 8 40 40 2 44 0 0 5 0 8 4 8 2 .264 .326 .406 0.0 1960 PIT N
1961 PIT N Daily Splits 146 599 81 156 22 8 9 58 49 1 45 0 5 7 0 14 4 5 8 .260 .313 .369 -2.4 1961 PIT N
1962 PIT N Daily Splits 156 663 82 164 27 10 6 47 36 0 65 1 2 3 0 8 10 5 13 .247 .286 .345 -4.3 1962 PIT N
1963 PIT N Daily Splits 142 554 58 149 22 6 8 53 43 4 55 0 9 1 0 10 6 1 2 .269 .321 .374 -1.0 1963 PIT N
1964 PIT N Daily Splits 145 473 59 115 11 3 3 27 30 1 48 0 5 3 0 8 12 1 5 .243 .287 .298 -3.7 1964 PIT N
1965 PIT N Daily Splits 135 481 58 134 22 5 4 24 30 0 49 1 7 0 0 6 6 4 3 .279 .322 .370 -1.4 1965 PIT N
1968 PIT N Daily Splits 6 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 1.333 0.1 1968 PIT N
Total (12 Years) Splits 1583 5980 735 1596 237 81 91 502 442 41 647 8 53 39 0 100 84 47 54 .267 .316 .379 -17.2 Total
Year Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF XI ROE GDP SB CS AVG OBP SLG BFW Year Team
World Series Batting Record
Year Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF XI ROE GDP SB CS AVG OBP SLG Year Team
1960 PIT N Daily Splits 7 29 2 7 3 0 0 5 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .241 .267 .345 1960 PIT N
Fielding Record
Year Team POS G GS CG INN PO A ERR DP TP AVG LF-G CF-G RF-G
1955 STL N Daily Splits OF 142 132 123 1186 339 7 12 1 0 .966 1 110 33
1955 STL N CF 110 102 97 910 273 3 8 0 0 .972
1955 STL N RF 33 29 25 267 67 4 4 1 0 .947
1955 STL N LF 1 1 1 9 6 0 0 0 0 1.000
1956 STL N Daily Splits OF 24 22 16 183.2 53 2 1 0 0 .982 0 24 0
1956 STL N CF 24 22 16 183.2 54 2 1 0 0 .982
1956 PIT N Daily Splits OF 130 126 124 1111 334 10 4 2 0 .989 0 130 0
1956 PIT N CF 130 126 124 1111 337 9 4 1 0 .989
1956 TOT N CF 154 148 140 1294.2 391 11 5 1 0 .988
1956 TOT N OF 154 148 140 1294.2 387 12 5 2 0 .988 0 154 0
1957 PIT N Daily Splits OF 141 138 131 1242 403 13 6 2 0 .986 0 141 0
1957 PIT N CF 141 138 131 1242 406 11 7 1 0 .983
1958 PIT N Daily Splits OF 143 143 142 1267.1 401 11 3 0 0 .993 0 143 0
1958 PIT N CF 143 143 142 1267.1 401 10 3 0 0 .993
1959 PIT N Daily Splits OF 144 139 133 1251 404 16 9 5 0 .979 0 144 0
1959 PIT N CF 144 139 133 1251 407 16 9 5 0 .979
1960 PIT N Daily Splits OF 109 98 93 887.2 272 10 5 0 0 .983 0 109 0
1960 PIT N CF 109 98 93 887.2 269 10 5 0 0 .982
1961 PIT N Daily Splits OF 145 144 143 1269 384 6 6 4 0 .985 0 145 0
1961 PIT N CF 145 144 143 1269 384 7 6 4 0 .985
1962 PIT N Daily Splits OF 156 156 154 1375.1 360 11 9 0 0 .976 0 156 0
1962 PIT N CF 156 156 154 1375.1 354 11 9 0 0 .976
1963 PIT N Daily Splits OF 142 142 138 1255.1 323 6 4 2 0 .988 0 142 0
1963 PIT N CF 142 142 138 1255.1 321 6 4 2 0 .988
1964 PIT N Daily Splits OF 134 112 107 1038.1 243 5 6 1 0 .976 0 134 0
1964 PIT N CF 134 112 107 1038.1 241 7 6 2 0 .976
1965 PIT N Daily Splits OF 128 110 99 1026 260 3 8 1 0 .970 0 128 0
1965 PIT N CF 128 110 99 1026 260 3 8 1 0 .970
1968 PIT N Daily Splits OF 4 0 0 6 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 1 0 3
1968 PIT N RF 3 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 1.000
1968 PIT N LF 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 -
Total (12 Years) Splits OF 1542 1462 1403 13098.2 3777 100 73 18 0 .982 2 1506 36
Total (11 Years) CF 1506 1432 1377 12816.2 3707 95 70 16 0 .982
Total ( 2 Years) RF 36 29 25 272 68 4 4 1 0 .947
Total ( 2 Years) LF 2 1 1 10 6 0 0 0 0 1.000
Year Team POS G GS CG INN PO A ERR DP TP AVG LF-G CF-G RF-G
World Series Fielding Record
Year Team POS G GS CG INN PO A ERR DP TP AVG LF-G CF-G RF-G
1960 PIT N Daily Splits OF 7 7 7 62 18 0 1 0 0 .947 0 7 0
1960 PIT N CF 7 7 7 62 18 0 1 0 0 .947
Managerial Record
Year Team G W L PCT RS RA START END STANDING
1969 PIT N 1 0 1 .000 0 2 7-14 7-14 4 4 3
1971 PIT N 16 9 7 .563 76 47 5-20 6- 5 1 3 1
1972 PIT N 155 96 59 .619 691 512 1
1973 PIT N 136 67 69 .493 570 590 9- 5 3 3
1974 NY A 162 89 73 .549 671 623 2
1975 NY A 104 53 51 .510 447 388 8- 1 3 3
1975 HOU N 35 17 17 .500 146 147 8-19 6 6
1976 HOU N 162 80 82 .494 625 657 3
1977 HOU N 162 81 81 .500 680 650 3
1978 HOU N 162 74 88 .457 605 634 5
1979 HOU N 162 89 73 .549 583 582 2
1980 HOU N 163 93 70 .571 637 589 1
1981 HOU N 110 61 49 .555 394 331 3
1982 HOU N 111 49 62 .441 406 465 8- 9 5 5
1983 MON N 163 82 80 .506 677 646 3
1984 MON N 131 64 67 .489 480 469 8-29 5 5
Total (15 Years) 1935 1004 929 .519 7688 7332
Year Team G W L PCT RS RA START END STANDING
Division Series Managerial Record
Year Team G W L PCT RS RA START END STANDING
1981 HOU N 5 2 3 .400 6 13
League Championship Series Managerial Record
Year Team G W L PCT RS RA START END STANDING
1972 PIT N 5 2 3 .400 15 19
1980 HOU N 5 2 3 .400 19 20
Total ( 2 Years) 10 4 6 .400 34 39
Year Team G W L PCT RS RA START END STANDING
Coaching Record
Year Team Position START END
1968 PIT N Hitting 4-10 9-29
1969 PIT N Hitting 4- 8 10- 2
1970 PIT N Hitting 4- 7 10- 5
1971 PIT N Hitting 4- 6 10-17
1986 PIT N Coach 4- 8 10- 5
1992 PIT N Bench 4- 6 10-14
1993 PIT N Bench 4- 6 10- 3
1994 PIT N Bench 4- 4 8-11
1995 PIT N Bench 4-26 10- 1
1997 HOU N Coach 4- 1 10- 3
2001 PIT N Coach 4- 3 10- 7
2002 PIT N Bench 4- 1 9-29
Total (12 Years)
Ejection Information
As manager:
Date Team Umpire Reason
5-24-1972 BOX PIT N Bruce Froemming Foul tip
5- 1-1973 BOX PIT N Doug Harvey Balls and strikes
7- 1-1973(2) BOX PIT N Augie Donatelli Call at HP
4-21-1974(2) BOX NY A Larry Napp Check swing
5-15-1974 BOX NY A Jim Odom Balls and strikes
4-28-1975 BOX NY A Marty Springstead Balls and strikes (foul tip)
4-24-1976 BOX HOU N Jim Quick Check swing
6-12-1976 BOX HOU N Jerry Dale Balk call
7- 2-1976(1) BOX HOU N Paul Runge Call at 1B
9- 6-1976 BOX HOU N Bruce Froemming Call at 1B
7-19-1979(2) BOX HOU N Charlie Williams Interference non-call
6-29-1980 BOX HOU N Lanny Harris Balls and strikes
7- 2-1982 BOX HOU N Ed Montague Balls and strikes
5-18-1983 BOX MON N Joe West Balls and strikes
9-26-1983 BOX MON N Harry Wendelstedt Intentional HBP
5- 6-1984(2) BOX MON N Randy Marsh Balls and strikes
As coach:
Date Team Umpire Reason
8-24-1968 BOX PIT N Mel Steiner Balls and strikes
8- 5-1971 BOX PIT N Lee Weyer Complaining about warning
8- 2-1993 BOX PIT N Charlie Reliford Balls and strikes
6-12-2002 BOX PIT N Tim Tschida Call at 1B
Transaction Information
Signed as an amateur free agent by New York Yankees (1950).
Traded by New York Yankees with Mel Wright and Emil Tellinger to St. Louis Cardinals
in exchange for Enos Slaughter (April 11, 1954 ).
Traded by St. Louis Cardinals to Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Dick Littlefield
and Bobby Del Greco (May 17, 1956 ).
Released by Pittsburgh Pirates (November 22, 1965 ).
Signed by Pittsburgh Pirates (July 15, 1968 ).
Released by Pittsburgh Pirates (August 13, 1968 ).
Read Me