Joe Torre

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Torre's professional baseball career began as a player in 1960 with the Milwaukee Braves, as a catcher and first baseman. He also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets, until becoming a manager in 1977, when he briefly served as the Mets' player-manager before retiring as a player. His managerial career covered 29 seasons, including tenures with the same three clubs for which he had played, and also stints with the Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers, until 2010. After retiring as a manager, he accepted a role assisting the Commissioner as the executive vice president of baseball operations. A nine-time All-Star, Torre won the 1971 National League Most Valuable Player Award after leading the major leagues in batting average, hits, and runs batted in. After qualifying for the playoffs just once while managing the Mets, Braves, and Cardinals (leading the Braves to the 1982 NL West title, before losing in the NLCS), Torre's greatest success came as manager of the Yankees. His Yankee clubs compiled a .605 regular-season winning percentage and made the playoffs every year, winning four World Series titles, six AL pennants, and ten AL East division titles. In 1996 and 1998, he was the AL Manager of the Year. He also won two NL West division titles with the Dodgers, for a total of 13 division titles. In 2014, Torre was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

The 1977 season marked a turning point for Torre, transforming him from a veteran hitter into a leader in the dugout. After qualifying for the playoffs just once while managing the Mets, Braves, and Cardinals earlier in his career—specifically leading the Braves to the 1982 NL West title before losing in the NLCS—he found his greatest success later with the Yankees. However, his tenure with the Mets established his managerial style. From 1975 through his retirement as a player in 1977, he navigated the complexities of leading former teammates. His time in New York was part of a broader journey that included stints with the Braves and Cardinals before returning to manage the Dodgers later. In 2014, this entire body of work earned him election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Reader's Guide

Torre played baseball at Saint Francis Prep and in the All-American Amateur Baseball Association for the Brooklyn Cadets. He was signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent in 1959. He made his major league debut on September 25, 1960. Torre won the 1971 National League MVP Award. He managed the New York Yankees from 1996 to 2007, winning four World Series titles. He also managed the Mets, Braves, Cardinals, and Dodgers. He served as a television color commentator for the California Angels and for NBC from 1984 to 1989.

Did You Know?

• Torre is the only major leaguer to achieve both 2,000 hits as a player and 2,000 wins as a manager.
• He won the 1971 National League MVP Award after leading the majors in batting average, hits, and RBIs.
• Torre led the Braves to the 1982 NL West title, their only playoff appearance during his tenures with the Mets, Braves, and Cardinals.
• He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.