FACTBOX: Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre

(Reuters) - Factbox on Joe Torre, who was named manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.

Born: July 18, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York

* Breaks into the major leagues as a player with the Atlanta Braves in 1960. Primarily a catcher, he is named an All-Star from 1963 to 1967 and wins a Gold Glove Award in 1965.

* Goes on to play for the St Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets. Earns four more All-Star selections with the Cardinals, from 1970 to 1973, and is named the National League's (NL) Most Valuable Player in 1971.

* After brief stint as player-manager of the Mets in mid-1977, he ends his 18-year playing career with a .297 batting average and 252 home runs. Continues to manage the Mets until the end of the 1981 season with limited success.

* Takes over as manager of the Atlanta Braves for the 1982 season, leading them to the NL West title. From 1985 to 1990, works as a television analyst before being hired as manager of the Cardinals in 1990. Fails to lead them to the playoffs and is fired in 1995.

* Takes charge of the New York Yankees and steers them to the playoffs in each of his 12 seasons, from 1996 to 2007. Named manager of the year in 1996 and produces his best campaign in 1998 when the Yankees set a then-American League record of 114 regular-season wins. New York go on to sweep the San Diego Padres in the World Series.

* Leads the Yankees to a fourth world championship title in 2000, the last with him at the helm.

* On October 18, 2007, Torre declines a $5 million, one-year deal with an additional $3 million in performance bonuses to return to New York, ending his time at the club.

* Formally accepts a three-year contract to take over from Grady Little as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers on November 1, 2007.