When baseball fans remember St. Louis Cardinals clubs of the 1970s, names such as Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, and Ted Simmons often come first. Yet one of the most important contributors to that era was second baseman Ted Sizemore, a player whose value was built less on headlines than on hustle, intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to team success.
Sizemore’s path to the Cardinals reflected the versatility that would define his career. Born in Gadsden, Alabama, and raised in Detroit, he excelled in baseball, basketball, and football at Pershing High School before earning a scholarship to the University of Michigan. Skeptics said he was too small to reach the major leagues, but Sizemore countered that criticism by learning multiple positions and embracing any role available. That determination helped make him a 15th-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966.
After starring in the minors, Sizemore won the 1969 National League Rookie of the Year Award with Los Angeles. Injuries slowed him in 1970, but he still hit .306 in 96 games. That winter, the Dodgers traded him to St. Louis in a deal that sent slugger Dick Allen west.
Sizemore reported to St. Louis in 1971 after minor wrist surgery and initially split time between shortstop and second base. It soon became clear that second base was his best fit. Once installed there, he gave the Cardinals dependable defense, steady at-bats, and a smart baseball presence. He hit .264 in his first season with the club while appearing in 135 games, an important accomplishment after injuries had interrupted his previous campaign.
Sizemore again batted .264 in 1972, but his value went far beyond batting average. He excelled in the subtle parts of the game that do not always show in box scores. He moved runners, made consistent contact, and understood how to handle situations. Batting behind leadoff man Lou Brock, he quickly became an ideal No. 2 hitter. Brock frequently reached base and constantly threatened to steal. Sizemore knew how to protect him, take pitches when needed, and help move him into scoring position. Some observers even described him as perhaps the best second-place hitter in the National League.
Sizemore also delivered one of the most dramatic moments of his Cardinals tenure on August 7, 1972. Leading off the bottom of the 13th inning against the New York Mets, he hit a walk-off, inside-the-park home run off reliever Tug McGraw. It was a thrilling ending and a reminder that while Sizemore was not known for power, he had a knack for contributing in unexpected ways.
His finest statistical season came in 1973. After missing a brief stretch early with a hamstring injury, Sizemore returned and stayed healthy the rest of the way. He hit a career-best .282 with 54 RBIs and 69 runs scored while playing 142 games. He also led the National League with 25 sacrifice hits, perfectly illustrating his selfless approach. While many players sought to pad personal numbers, Sizemore willingly gave himself up to move runners and create scoring chances. For the Cardinals, he and Brock formed a highly effective top-of-the-order combination.
That partnership remained crucial in 1974, when Brock produced one of the most famous base-stealing seasons in baseball history, swiping a record 118 bases. Sizemore’s role in that achievement was significant. He often stood deep in the batter’s box to force catchers farther back, buying Brock extra fractions of a second. At times, he would swing late or fake a bunt to distract the defense as Brock broke for second. Brock himself credited Sizemore’s patience and awareness as important factors in his success. Those contributions rarely made headlines, but teammates understood their value.
Former Cardinals pitcher Rich Folkers later praised Sizemore as one of the best No. 2 hitters he had ever seen, noting how often he accepted two-strike counts so Brock could run. It was the kind of baseball intelligence that wins games but often goes unnoticed.
The 1974 Cardinals narrowly missed a division title, finishing just behind the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sizemore hit .250 that year and battled injuries, but he still played 130 games and played strong defense.
By 1975, however, the Cardinals were changing, and Sizemore’s production slipped to .240. Though still respected for his professionalism and versatility, it proved to be his last year with St. Louis. Before the 1976 season, he was traded back to Los Angeles, ending a productive five-year run with the Redbirds.
Sizemore later played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox before retiring, but St. Louis remained one of the defining chapters of his career. After baseball, he built a successful second career with Rawlings Sporting Goods and later worked with the Baseball Assistance Team, helping former players in need. In 2019, he was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
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