Ralph Houk, Yankees Manager, Dies at 90

Ralph Houk: 'The Major' Dies

Ralph Houk, who started with the New York Yankees as a third-string catcher and went on to become their manager, has died at his Florida home on July 21.

Ralph Houk won the Silver Star during World War II, and fought during the invasion of Normandy and at the Battle of the Bulge. He took over the Yankees in 1960 from the legendary Casey Stengel, and led the team to two consecutive World Series wins. In 1963, Houk became general manager, with Yogi Berra stepping up as manager.

• Yankees’ Owner George Steinbrenner Dies at 80

Houk left the Yankees in 1973, and went on to manage the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox, and retired as manager with a career record of 1,619-1,531. Houk became VP of the Minnesota Twins in 1986.

Ralph Houk is survived by his son, daughter, four grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.