Walter Alston
From SoSH
Walter Alston
| Born: | December 1, 1911 |
| Birthplace: | Venice, Ohio |
| Height: | 6' 2" |
| Weight: | 195 lbs |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Drafted: | 1935: St. Louis Cardinals as amateur free agent |
| College: | Miami University (OH) |
| High School: | |
| Teams: | St. Louis Cardinals 1936 |
| Managed: | Brooklyn Dodgers 1954-1957 Los Angeles Dodgers 1958-1976 |
Contents |
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Overall Career
Walter Emmons Alston (December 1, 1911 - October 1, 1984) did not get off to an auspicious start when he made his major league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936, going 0-for-1 and making an error in his only major league game. What skills he lacked as a player, however, he had as a manager. In 23 seasons with the Dodgers, Alston steered the team to seven pennants and four championships, including the 1955 World Series, where he was the first Dodgers manager to win a World Series. He also holds a record for most victories as an All-Star Game manager, with seven.
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Awards
- Elected to Hall of Fame by Veterans Committee in 1983, Manager
- Three-time Major League Manager of the Year (1955, 1959, 1963)
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Achievements
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Player
Not so much.
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Manager
- Won 2,040 games, ninth all-time
- 10 National League pennants (1955, 1956, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1974)
- 4 World Series titles (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965)
- 2 100-win seasons (1962 & 1974)
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Trivia
- Nickname: Smokey
- Alston was a teammate of Leo Durocher's in St. Louis. Durocher preceded Alston as the Dodgers' manager and served as his first-base coach from 1961 to 1964.
- Substituted for Johnny Mize in his only game as a player. Mize had been ejected earlier in the game.
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Transactions
- June 1935: Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent.
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External Links
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Managerial Record
- Walter Alston: Hall of Fame Page
- 1983 Hall of Fame Class
