On March 8, 1966 Casey Stengel Claims Title
1966: Lured to spring training under a false pretense, Casey Stengel learns that he’s been elected to the Hall of Fame in a rare special act. The ceremony in St. Petersburg, Fla., is a surprise to the 75-year-old Stengel, the former Mets manager who had been told he was to present plaques to manager Wes Westrum and executive George Weiss.
Normally, the fun-loving Stengel would not have been eligible for the Hall because of the five-year waiting period after retirement. But unknown to Stengel, the rules were recently changed (because of Stengel) and Hall of Fame eligibles over the age of 65 could be voted in six months after leaving the game. In a special election, the veteran committee unanimously elects Stengel.
Stengel broke his hip last July 25 and officially retired as Mets manager on August 30. He started his career as an outfielder with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1912, and played 14 seasons in the majors, compiling a .284 lifetime batting average. In his more than five decades in the game, his greatest accomplishment was winning 10 pennants and seven World Series (including five straight) as Yankees manager from 1949-60.
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