Former GM 'Bing' Devine dies

Vaughan "Bing" Devine, the influential Cardinals general manager from 1958-64 and 1968-78, died Saturday at the age of 90. He had worked as a special assignment scout for the club, reporting to general manager Walt Jocketty, since 1999. Devine may be best remembered for one of the greatest trades in baseball history, when he acquired Lou Brock from the Cubs for Ernie Broglio, Doug Clemens and Bobby Shantz. The deal helped the Cardinals to the 1964 World Series championship. The core of that team, which also included Devine acquisitions Curt Flood, Dick Groat, Tim McCarver, Bill White and Julian Javier, went on to win another title in 1967 and a pennant in 1968. Another trade by Devine may have had the greatest influence on baseball. On Oct. 7, 1969, he traded star center fielder Flood, along with McCarver, Byron Browne and Joe Hoerner, to the Phillies for Dick Allen, Cookie Rojas and Jerry Johnson. Flood refused to go to Philadelphia, challenging baseball's reserve sys...