 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.