Red Schoendienst, Baseball's Oldest Hall Of Famer, Dies At 95

Baseball Hall of Famer Albert Fred "Red " Schoendienst died Wednesday night at his home in Town and Country, Missouri, just outside St. Louis.

Schoendienst was 95 at the time of his death, which was confirmed by his daughter Eileen Schless. He was the oldest living Hall of Famer, who spent 76 years of his life playing baseball, of which 67 were with the St. Louis Cardinals.

He made his debut for the Cardinals in 1945 three years after being signed up from a tryout camp and became their starting second baseman the following year — the same year he helped his team win the World Series.

He was dealt to the New York Giants in 1956, where he spent just one season before being dealt to the Milwaukee Braves where he went on to win his second World Series title in 1957, his final season as an All-Star.

Schoendienst returned for his second spell with the Cardinals in 1961 and played for three seasons before retiring after the 1963 season at the age of 40. He then coached the team in 1964 before taking over as manager for the next 12 seasons.

Under Schoendienst, the Cardinals went on to win the World Series in 1967 and made it to the final yet again the following year only to lose to the Detroit Pistons. He then left to coach the Oakland Athletics for two seasons before returning in a coaching capacity to the Cardinals.

The 95-year-old was beloved by the Cardinals fans and continued to serve the team well into his 90s. He served as the senior special assistant to the manager after leaving his coaching role.

Schoendienst spent 67 years of his life serving the Cardinals as player, coach, manager and special assistant. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player by the Veterans Committee in 1989.

"Red was one of the greatest Cardinals of all time, and a beloved member of the Cardinals organization for over six decades,” Cardinals principal owner and CEO William O. DeWitt Jr. said in a statement on the team’s official site.

"His influence on this organization cannot be overstated. Red was a great player, a great manager, and a wonderful mentor to countless players, coaches, and members of the front office. He was also a fan favorite who connected with millions of Cardinals fans across multiple generations. He will be sorely missed.”

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred extended his sympathies to the family while praising the connection between “Red” as Schoendienst was fondly known and the Cardinals supporters.

"The connection between Red and the fans of St. Louis spanned multiple generations and he was a wonderful ambassador for our game," Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Red's family, his many friends and admirers throughout our game, and Cardinals fans everywhere."