the Orioles' field manager. The Orioles finally blossomed in 1960 with a second-place finish after five disappointing seasons. The Orioles’ second-place finish was Richards’ best as a manager. Both the Associated Press and United Press International named him the American League Manager of the Year. Richards led American League managers in ejections for 11 consecutive seasons from 1951 to 1961, setting an all-time managerial record. In September 1961, Richards resigned as manager of the Orioles to become general manager of the new Houston Colt .45s National League club. Richards stocked the Houston club (soon renamed the Astros) with young players – including Joe Morgan, Jimmy Wynn, Mike Cuellar, Don Wilson and Rusty Staub – but he was fired after the 1965 season when the on-field results did not match owner Roy Hofheinz' expectations. The following year, Richards was hired as Director of Player Personnel by the Atlanta Braves – returning to the city where he excelled as a minor league catcher and player-manager for the Southern Association's Atlanta Crackers from 1938 to 1942. By the end of the season, Richards was given the title of general manager of the Braves. Richards' six years at the helm of the Atlanta organization were in some ways his most successful in baseball. He inherited a strong core of players including Henry Aaron, Joe Torre, Felipe Alou, and Rico Carty. He added several young pitchers and position players to the mix and converted knuckleballing reliever Phil Niekro into a successful starter. His 1969 Braves, skippered by his longtime protege Luman Harris, won the National League Western Division title, but that team was swept by the eventual world champion "Miracle Mets" in the first National League Championship Series ever played. The Braves failed to contend in 1970 and 1971 and, Richards was fired in the middle of the 1972 season, replaced by Eddie Robinson. In 1976, after three and a half years out of the game, Richards was hired by Bill Veeck to return to Chicago as manager of the White Sox. After a losing record, he retired from the field at the end of the season, but stayed in the game as a player personnel advisor with the White Sox, and the Texas Rangers. As a manager, he compiled a 923–901 record in 11 seasons (406-362 with Chicago, 517–539 with Baltimore). Richards was credited in helping Sherm Lollar become one of the best catchers