When fans remember the St. Louis Cardinals clubs of the 1980s, names like Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee often come first. But few players better represented that era’s grit, defense, and determination than Terry Pendleton, the hard-nosed third baseman who helped lead St. Louis to two National League pennants.
Pendleton’s path to St. Louis was far from conventional. Born in Los Angeles on July 16, 1960, he was not heavily recruited out of high school and began his college career at Oxnard College. The 1979 team was the first baseball team in school history, and Pendleton helped lead the program to a state championship berth. He later transferred to Fresno State University, where he became an All-American and set a school record with 98 hits in 1982. His performance revived his professional prospects and led the Cardinals to select him in the seventh round of the 1982 draft.
Pendleton moved quickly through the Cardinals’ minor league system. Initially a second baseman, he was shifted to third base in Triple-A Louisville during the 1984 season. The move proved decisive. St. Louis believed enough in Pendleton’s future at the hot corner that the club traded incumbent third baseman Ken Oberkfell and began preparing for Pendleton’s arrival.
That opportunity came on July 18, 1984, against the San Francisco Giants. Batting sixth in his major league debut, Pendleton collected three hits in five at-bats during an 8-4 Cardinals victory. It was an immediate statement that he belonged. Over 67 games that season, he hit .324 with 20 stolen bases and finished tied for seventh in National League Rookie of the Year voting. The Cardinals had found their everyday third baseman.
Pendleton entered 1985 as the starting third baseman on a St. Louis team built to contend. Managed by Whitey Herzog, the Cardinals emphasized speed, defense, and aggressive baserunning. Pendleton fit that style perfectly. Though he hit .240, he contributed 17 stolen bases and brought steady defense to the left side of the infield. One memorable moment came in June at Shea Stadium, when he hit an inside-the-park grand slam against the rival New York Mets after two outfielders collided chasing the ball.
The Cardinals captured the National League pennant that season and advanced to the 1985 World Series against the Kansas City Royals. Pendleton played a meaningful role, delivering the Cardinals’ only triple of the series in Game 4 and contributing timely offense throughout. St. Louis won three of the first four games before Kansas City rallied to win in seven.
The 1986 season brought offensive struggles for Pendleton, but it also reinforced his value. Though he hit just .239 with one home run, he stole 24 bases and excelled defensively. Cardinals management reportedly questioned his offensive production, but Herzog defended Pendleton’s importance, citing his baserunning and fielding. It was a reminder that Pendleton’s impact extended well beyond the batter’s box.
He answered all criticism in 1987 with the finest season of his Cardinals tenure. Pendleton improved his batting average to .286, finished second on the club in home runs, ranked third in RBIs, and remained one of the team’s best all-around contributors. His defense earned him the first Gold Glove Award of his career, the first won by a Cardinals third baseman since Ken Reitz in 1975. He also received MVP consideration as St. Louis captured another pennant.
Pendleton’s 1987 season also featured one of his most famous regular-season moments: a dramatic ninth-inning home run at Shea Stadium against the Mets during a critical September series. The blast helped preserve the Cardinals’ division lead and remains one of the signature swings of that pennant race.
In the 1987 World Series against the Minnesota Twins, Pendleton was limited by a rib cage injury. Even so, his switch-hitting ability allowed him to serve as a designated hitter in games at the Metrodome, where he collected three hits in seven at-bats. Again, however, the Cardinals lost in seven games.
Injuries hampered Pendleton during 1988, but he rebounded impressively in 1989. He played all 162 games, finished ninth in the National League in hits, and captured his second Gold Glove Award with a .971 fielding percentage. By then, he had firmly established himself as one of baseball’s premier defensive third basemen.
Pendleton’s final Cardinals season came in 1990. His offensive numbers declined, and rookie Todd Zeile began splitting time at third base. When the season ended, Pendleton entered free agency, closing the chapter on a significant St. Louis career.
He went on to greater individual acclaim with the Atlanta Braves, winning the 1991 National League MVP Award and helping launch their run of dominance. Yet Pendleton often spoke fondly of St. Louis, crediting the Cardinals organization for teaching him how to play winning baseball.
In seven seasons with the Cardinals, Pendleton helped win two National League pennants, reached two World Series, won two Gold Gloves, and became a respected clubhouse leader. He may have reached his peak elsewhere, but in St. Louis, Terry Pendleton became the player fans still remember.
Give the gift of Cardinals history! The Trades That Made The St. Louis Cardinals is available now on Amazon.