Eddie Stanky Biography

Eddie Stanky

feisty second baseman who won NL pennants with Brooklyn, Boston and New York and later coached South Alabama to five NCAA Tournament appearances; nicknamed "The Brat" for his win-at-all-costs attitude on the field; batted .268 with 29 homers and 365 RBI in 11 major league seasons with five teams; led the NL in walks twice and runs scored once; managed the St. Louis Cardinals (1952-55) and Chicago White Sox (1966-68), plus the Texas Rangers for one game in 1977; a coach who preached the importance of fundamentals, he often rewarded players with gifts such as suits and alligator-skin shoes for pitching a complete game or catching a pop fly with one's feet properly planted; South Alabama was ranked No. 1 in the nation twice and won two conference titles during his tenure; retired in 1983 with a 488-193 career collegiate coaching record; elected to Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1977. He died of a heart attack.