Was inducted into the St Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame on August 15, 2015. He was with the Cardinals organization nearly 70 years in several different capacities.
Age 88.
Kissell was renowned for his sayings, his quips, but also his relentlessly encouraging spirit. He once needled players by saying that his wife could bunt better. He called spring training "spring cleaning — a time to knock the dust out of you." Once, while showing Yadier Molina how to improve his bunting, he instructed the catcher: "The bat has no knowledge at all. It does what you tell it to."
Baseball has a rainout to thank for Kissell's presence.
In 1940, Kissell, a Watertown, N.Y., native, received an invitation to a tryout, but his father said he could not attend because there was hay to cut and bale. Rain made it impossible to cut or bale anything, so Kissell's dad drove him the 125 miles for the tryout. The teen wore No. 385, but by the end of the day he was one of two players picked for contracts. Kissell said Rickey gave him $20 for gas. The remainder was his signing bonus.
For two years, Kissell played minor-league ball for the Cardinals and attended Ithaca College, where he would later earn a master's degree. He hit .350 in 1941 and .322 overall in three seasons before entering military service. He spent three years in the U.S. Navy, most of that time in Guadalcanal. When he returned, the Cardinals offered him two opportunities: play or manage.
He decided to manage.
From 1946 to 1968, he served the organization as a minor-league manager, coach, scout and instructor. In 1950, he turned down a chance to be a utility infielder in the majors to remain manager of a Winston-Salem club that won 106 games. He was a major-league coach from 1969 to 1975. And it was during those years that Kissell — and other coaches such as Dave Ricketts, who died in July — began compiling the fundamentals that La Russa and others came to call the Cardinal Way.
"There's only one way to play baseball," Kissell once said, "the Cardinals' way."
Kissell is survived by his wife, Virginia, and their two children, Dick and Kay. Kissell's grandson, Tommy Kidwell, played and managed in the Cardinals' minor-league system.
Age 88.
Kissell was renowned for his sayings, his quips, but also his relentlessly encouraging spirit. He once needled players by saying that his wife could bunt better. He called spring training "spring cleaning — a time to knock the dust out of you." Once, while showing Yadier Molina how to improve his bunting, he instructed the catcher: "The bat has no knowledge at all. It does what you tell it to."
Baseball has a rainout to thank for Kissell's presence.
In 1940, Kissell, a Watertown, N.Y., native, received an invitation to a tryout, but his father said he could not attend because there was hay to cut and bale. Rain made it impossible to cut or bale anything, so Kissell's dad drove him the 125 miles for the tryout. The teen wore No. 385, but by the end of the day he was one of two players picked for contracts. Kissell said Rickey gave him $20 for gas. The remainder was his signing bonus.
For two years, Kissell played minor-league ball for the Cardinals and attended Ithaca College, where he would later earn a master's degree. He hit .350 in 1941 and .322 overall in three seasons before entering military service. He spent three years in the U.S. Navy, most of that time in Guadalcanal. When he returned, the Cardinals offered him two opportunities: play or manage.
He decided to manage.
From 1946 to 1968, he served the organization as a minor-league manager, coach, scout and instructor. In 1950, he turned down a chance to be a utility infielder in the majors to remain manager of a Winston-Salem club that won 106 games. He was a major-league coach from 1969 to 1975. And it was during those years that Kissell — and other coaches such as Dave Ricketts, who died in July — began compiling the fundamentals that La Russa and others came to call the Cardinal Way.
"There's only one way to play baseball," Kissell once said, "the Cardinals' way."
Kissell is survived by his wife, Virginia, and their two children, Dick and Kay. Kissell's grandson, Tommy Kidwell, played and managed in the Cardinals' minor-league system.
Was inducted into the St Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame on August 15, 2015. He was with the Cardinals organization nearly 70 years in several different capacities.
Age 88.
Kissell was renowned for his sayings, his quips, but also his relentlessly encouraging spirit. He once needled players by saying that his wife could bunt better. He called spring training "spring cleaning — a time to knock the dust out of you." Once, while showing Yadier Molina how to improve his bunting, he instructed the catcher: "The bat has no knowledge at all. It does what you tell it to."
Baseball has a rainout to thank for Kissell's presence.
In 1940, Kissell, a Watertown, N.Y., native, received an invitation to a tryout, but his father said he could not attend because there was hay to cut and bale. Rain made it impossible to cut or bale anything, so Kissell's dad drove him the 125 miles for the tryout. The teen wore No. 385, but by the end of the day he was one of two players picked for contracts. Kissell said Rickey gave him $20 for gas. The remainder was his signing bonus.
For two years, Kissell played minor-league ball for the Cardinals and attended Ithaca College, where he would later earn a master's degree. He hit .350 in 1941 and .322 overall in three seasons before entering military service. He spent three years in the U.S. Navy, most of that time in Guadalcanal. When he returned, the Cardinals offered him two opportunities: play or manage.
He decided to manage.
From 1946 to 1968, he served the organization as a minor-league manager, coach, scout and instructor. In 1950, he turned down a chance to be a utility infielder in the majors to remain manager of a Winston-Salem club that won 106 games. He was a major-league coach from 1969 to 1975. And it was during those years that Kissell — and other coaches such as Dave Ricketts, who died in July — began compiling the fundamentals that La Russa and others came to call the Cardinal Way.
"There's only one way to play baseball," Kissell once said, "the Cardinals' way."
Kissell is survived by his wife, Virginia, and their two children, Dick and Kay. Kissell's grandson, Tommy Kidwell, played and managed in the Cardinals' minor-league system.
Age 88.
Kissell was renowned for his sayings, his quips, but also his relentlessly encouraging spirit. He once needled players by saying that his wife could bunt better. He called spring training "spring cleaning — a time to knock the dust out of you." Once, while showing Yadier Molina how to improve his bunting, he instructed the catcher: "The bat has no knowledge at all. It does what you tell it to."
Baseball has a rainout to thank for Kissell's presence.
In 1940, Kissell, a Watertown, N.Y., native, received an invitation to a tryout, but his father said he could not attend because there was hay to cut and bale. Rain made it impossible to cut or bale anything, so Kissell's dad drove him the 125 miles for the tryout. The teen wore No. 385, but by the end of the day he was one of two players picked for contracts. Kissell said Rickey gave him $20 for gas. The remainder was his signing bonus.
For two years, Kissell played minor-league ball for the Cardinals and attended Ithaca College, where he would later earn a master's degree. He hit .350 in 1941 and .322 overall in three seasons before entering military service. He spent three years in the U.S. Navy, most of that time in Guadalcanal. When he returned, the Cardinals offered him two opportunities: play or manage.
He decided to manage.
From 1946 to 1968, he served the organization as a minor-league manager, coach, scout and instructor. In 1950, he turned down a chance to be a utility infielder in the majors to remain manager of a Winston-Salem club that won 106 games. He was a major-league coach from 1969 to 1975. And it was during those years that Kissell — and other coaches such as Dave Ricketts, who died in July — began compiling the fundamentals that La Russa and others came to call the Cardinal Way.
"There's only one way to play baseball," Kissell once said, "the Cardinals' way."
Kissell is survived by his wife, Virginia, and their two children, Dick and Kay. Kissell's grandson, Tommy Kidwell, played and managed in the Cardinals' minor-league system.
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