Legendary Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog has passed away

St. Louis Cardinals fans and the baseball world are mourning today as Hall of Fame manager White Herzog has passed away today at the age of 92, according to a Cardinals team official.

Herzog is both a National Baseball Hall of Famer and Cardinals Hall of Famer, winning the World Series in 1982 and leading the Cardinals to the October Classic in 1985 and 1987 as well. Herzog was known for his "Whiteyball" tactics, singlehandedly influencing the entire game of baseball in a way that few managers in the history of the game have.

Stolen bases were commonplace under Herzog's leadership. He helped the Cardinals build a team that perfectly fit their ballpark, and in many ways, Major League Baseball has tried to integrate new rules that will bring back the fun and flair that Herzog's teams played with.

Cardinals fans who grew up watching Herzog's teams will always hold dearly legends like Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, Keith Hernandez, Willie McGee, Bob Forsch, and many others. That great era of Cardinals baseball, under Herzog's leadership, has produced countless legends and memories and has influenced Cardinals history forever. Many of the players and coaches associated with Herzog's teams remain a part of the Cardinals organization in some capacity today.

Herzog was able to make the Cardinals' Opening Day one final time this season but was unable to join the Cardinals' legends on the field. He was met with the longest and loudest cheers of the day though, reminding Cardinals fans both young and old of the legend that Herzog was.

We'll continue to cover the life and legacy of White Herzog on the site over the coming days, but today we join the rest of the baseball world in remembering the life of someone who brought so much joy to Cardinals fans.