Bill Virdon

William Charles Virdon (June 9, 1931 – November 23, 2021) was an American professional baseball outfielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 through 1965 and again in 1968. After playing in the minor leagues for the Yankees organization, Virdon was traded to the Cardinals and made his major league debut in 1955, winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award that season. He slumped at the start of the 1956 season and was traded to the Pirates, where he spent the remainder of his playing career. A premier defensive center fielder for both the Cardinals and Pirates, Virdon anchored a strong defensive team that won the 1960 World Series championship. He won a Gold Glove Award in 1962. Following the 1965 season, he retired out of a desire to become a manager. Virdon managed in the minor leagues before returning to the Pirates as a coach in 1968. He went on to manage the Pirates in 1972 and 1973, and later managed the New York Yankees, the Houston Astros, and the Montreal Expos, also serving as a coach for the Pirates and the Astros.