Byline: 

Casey Stengel was the manager of the Yankees from 1945 to 1960. Stengel led the team to seven World Championships. But he was more famous for his verbosity than for his managerial skills. He wore the uniform of four New York teams: The New York Giants, The Brooklyn Dodgers, The New York Yankees and the New York Mets.

Asked a question by a reporter one day, Stengel talked for forty minutes straight until the reporter cut in, saying his question had not been answered. “ Don’t rush me, “ Stengel admonished.

Asked about the art of managing, Stengel replied, “Managing is getting paid for home runs someone else hits.”

Casey Stengel’s eye for talent was often as keen as his wit. Early in his managerial career with the New York Mets, he was asked about the future prospects for two of his twenty-year old players. “ In ten years, Ed Karnepool has a chance to be a star. In ten yeas the other guy has a chance to be thirty.”

Told by a pitcher he wanted to remove from the mount, “ I’m not tired,” Stengel said, “Well, I’m tired of you.”

During a famous exchange with Senator Kefauver in 1958, when Stengel testified before a committee investigating antitrust issues, Stengel kept talking and talking, while the senator kept repeating his question about Stengel’s opinion of some proposed legislation. Finally Kefauver said, “ Mr.Stengel, I am not sure that I made my question clear.” Stengel replied, “Well, that is all right. I am not sure I am going to answer you perfectly, either. 

Explaining a point of strategy to young baseball star Mickey Mantle, seventy- year old Stengel described an incident from his own days as a player. “ You played? Asked Mantle astonished. “ Sure I played,” said Stengel. “ Did you think I was born at the age of seventy sitting in the dugout trying to manage guys like you?”

Finally, in 1960, Stengel was fired. Of his end, he said, “ I will never make the mistake of being seventy again.”

In his old age, Stengel was asked how he was doing. He sighed and said, “ Not bad. Most people my age are dead. You could look it up.”

When Casey was playing for the New York Giants, he wore a bird underneath his hat. During a timely moment in the game, he lifted his hat and shot the fans the bird!