MLB playing career

Gardner was signed by the Giants in 1945 and came up with them on April 22, 1954, but he could not break into the contending team's lineup. In early 1956, he was purchased by the Orioles, which is where his career really began, and he would begin to secure himself as an everyday player.

Gardner was not speedy, picking up a career-high of only 10 steals, but in his best season of 1957, he did lead the league in doubles with 36, and at bats with 644. He played in every one of the 154 games that season, batting .262 with 6 home runs and 55 RBIs. In his career, Gardner also came in the top 10 in hit by pitches twice (1956, '57), with a career-high of 8 in 1957 (fifth in the league).

He wound up as a utility infielder on the powerful 1961 Yankees, winning the 1961 World Series with them against the Cincinnati Reds. In his one and only at bat of the post-season, he lined out to shortstop in the ninth inning of Game 2. The Yankees lost the game 6-2. He was never an everyday player with the Yankees, because they had Bobby Richardson to fill the second base spot. Gardner ended his career with two years on the Red Sox, picking up 70 hits with them in 283 at bats.

Nicknamed "Shotgun" for his rifle arm, Gardner led American League second basemen in fielding percentage in 1957 (.987), including 55 consecutive errorless games, and finished with a .976 fielding mark all-time.

In all or parts of ten seasons, Gardner batted .237 with 41 home runs and 271 RBIs in 1034 games played. He picked up 841 hits, with 159 doubles and 18 triples in 3544 career at bats. He finished with 19 career steals.

As a manager and coach

After finishing his career with the Red Sox, Gardner stayed in the Boston organization for eight more seasons as a minor league coach and manager (1964; 1967-71) and Major League third-base coach (1965-66). He then managed in the Kansas City Royals farm system from 1972-76, coached at first base for the Montreal Expos in 1977-78, and was a skipper in the Montreal farm system in 1979-80.

Gardner rejoined the Twins as a third-base coach for the 1981 season. He was promoted to manager on May 23, 1981, replacing Johnny Goryl, and served until June 21, 1985, never leading Minnesota to the play-offs and avoiding a losing record only once (1984, at 81-81). On the bright side, Gardner incorporated young players such as Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett, Frank Viola and Tim Laudner into the Twin lineup, beginning the foundation of the club's two World Series clubs to come.

After a 268-353 record with Minnesota, Gardner received a second chance to manage under difficult circumstances with the 1987 Royals. Gardner initially signed as the Royals' 1987 third-base coach. But terminally ill Royals manager Dick Howser, diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor during the summer of 1986, was forced to retire during spring training, and Gardner was promoted to fill the vacancy. He was fired on August 28 of that year after going 62-64, and John Wathan took over. His career record as a manager was 330-417, a .442 winning percentage.

His son, Billy Gardner, Jr., a former minor league infielder, is a manager in the Washington Nationals' organization. In 2014, Gardner Jr. was the skipper of the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League, the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate, marking his 20th consecutive season as a minor league pilot.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]