BOSTON — Ralph Houk, who guided the Yankees of the early 1960s to two World Series championships during a 20-year managerial career, died Wednesday at his home in Winter Haven, Fla. He was 90.
Houk, who served in the Army in World War II and rose to the rank of major, also skippered the Tigers and the Red Sox in a managerial career that spanned three decades.
Houk’s grandson, Scott Slaboden, wrote in an e-mail that Houk “died peacefully of natural causes after having a brief illness.”
Houk managed 3,157 games and won 1,619 with a winning percentage of .514. He followed Casey Stengel as Yankees manager in 1961 and was George Steinbrenner’s first manager for New York in 1973. He resigned after one year working for the Boss and moved on to Detroit.
Houk managed the Tigers from 1974-78. His final stint in the dugout came with Boston from 1981-84.
Torre, Kershaw disciplined
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, manager Joe Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer were suspended as a result of incidents in Tuesday night’s loss to the Giants.
The punishment includes undisclosed fines for all three. Kershaw appealed his five- game suspension, so he’ll be allowed to play until the process is complete.
Footnotes.
Phillies left-hander Jamie Moyer (elbow) returned to Philadelphia to be examined by team medical personnel.
• Left-hander Erik Bedard likely won’t pitch this season because of issues inside his surgically repaired shoulder.
• The Twins moved right-hander Nick Blackburn into the bullpen, and left-hander Brian Duensing will take his place in the rotation.
• Brewers Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Bob Uecker will be back behind the microphone this weekend, just three months after heart surgery.
• Padres second baseman David Eckstein was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a right calf strain.
The Associated Press
