Reds fans may remember the short tenure of a manager named Vern Rapp, which was less of a disaster than Rapp's tenure in St. Louis.
Here's the quick version. Rapp was a very successful minor league manager, and St. Louis had a reputation as a talented but soft team that tended to underachieve. Basically the entire team was under age 30, except for Lou Brock (still starting in the outfield at 37). It was thought that they needed discipline and accountability, and no one knew that better than whichever of the Busch family actively participated in the hiring process. Who better than Rapp, who's the one who slammed his fist down and raised hell about discipline and accountability?
Rapp's idea of what constituted poor discipline:
- Lou Brock, the unquestioned leader of the team, let his sideburns get a little bit thick. They had to go.
- Al Hrabosky, one of the best closers in the league, had bushy hair and a mustache as well as a series of gyrations that led to him being branded "The Mad Hungarian". This was a constant source of tension, and finally Hrabosky was ordered to look, dress, and act more like a West Point cadet. After months of haranguing, he quietly requested a trade, which was promptly made public by Rapp and Busch.
- Ted Simmons, one of the best catchers in the league and one of the 10 best of all-time, had several interests outside of baseball connected to charity and the community. Rapp felt this was a sign of lack of commitment, and routinely hounded Simmons for it.
- Keith Hernandez had a mustache. That was an issue.
- Oddly enough, the only player who truly lacked discipline was Garry ("If I ain't startin', I ain't departin'.") Templeton, and Rapp got no more out of him than any ensuing manager ever would.
As you can see, none of this has anything to do with discipline or accountability. It's nothing but petty crap that's normally an issue only for the neurotic control freaks who are able to have success in the minors and then flame out in the majors. High school coaches can do it, college coaches can do it, and it never works above that level.
Rapp lasted barely a year. In 1977 (his full season), there had been a meeting that was supposed to clear the air. Rapp turned it into an all-out attack on the players, then announced that he would refuse to change or bend on petty things when Lou Brock said that it would help alleviate the tension. After a win in April 1978, Ted Simmons put on some music in the clubhouse, with Rapp angrily turning it off and yelling at Simmons that he was "a (expletive) loser". Jack Buck (who was standing right there) asked if Rapp meant that, which he affirmed. Buck went on the air and told the listening audience that Rapp had called Simmons a loser, and Rapp was canned the next day.
