It took a lot to make Stan Musial visibly angry. But when the legendary Cardinals outfielder learned just before boarding the team’s train to Pittsburgh that the Cardinals had traded Red Schoendienst, his roommate for more than a decade, Musial made his displeasure clear. “The rest of us got the word that Red had been …
On June 30, 1954, Joe Cunningham kicked off his 12-year major-league career with a single, homer, and five RBIs in an 11-3 St. Louis Cardinals victory over the Cincinnati Redlegs. Cunningham had been with the Cardinals’ International League affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings, on June 29 when manager Harry Walker informed the 22-year-old that he …
June 30, 1954: Joe Cunningham drives in five in his major-league debut Read More »
Even future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm couldn’t keep Stan Musial in the ballpark on May 2, 1954. In an afternoon doubleheader at Sportsman’s Park, Musial became the first player in major-league history to hit five home runs in a single day, smacking three home runs over the right-field wall in Game 1 before adding …
May 2, 1954: Stan Musial hits record five home runs in doubleheader vs. Giants Read More »
April 13, 1954, marked a new beginning in Cardinals baseball as Tom Alston became the first black player to make the major-league club and Wally Moon became the second Cardinal to homer in his first career at-bat. Just two and a half months earlier, the Cardinals traded Eddie Erautt and Dick Sisler, agreed to option …
April 13, 1954: Tom Alston, Wally Moon make history in their big-league debuts Read More »
As soon as Anheuser-Busch purchased the Cardinals in February 1953, Browns owner Bill Veeck knew that the battle for the hearts of St. Louis baseball fans was over. Desperate for funds and knowing that the Browns weren’t long for St. Louis, Veeck sold historic Sportsman’s Park to Anheuser-Busch on April 9, 1953. At the time …
April 9, 1953: Anheuser-Busch buys Sportsman’s Park Read More »
Just weeks ahead of the 1959 season, the Cardinals gambled on the potential of 25-year-old Bill White, dealing their ace, Sam Jones, to the Giants in a four-player trade that provided the Cardinals with a cornerstone of their 1964 World Series championship club. On March 25, 1959, Cardinals general manager Bing Devine dealt Jones and …
March 25, 1959: Giants trade Bill White to the Cardinals Read More »
No one seemed to think very much of Bing Devine’s first trade as general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals. After Devine traded relief pitcher Willard Schmidt and minor-league pitchers Ted Wieand and Marty Kutyna to the Reds for outfielders Curt Flood and Joe Taylor, legendary St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports editor Bob Broeg described the …
December 5, 1957: The Reds trade Curt Flood to the Cardinals Read More »
On July 30, 1959, Bob Gibson formally introduced himself to the Cincinnati Reds and Major League Baseball, earning the first of 251 career victories in the first starting assignment of his career. That April, Gibson had made three appearances for the Cardinals, each in relief. On April 15, Gibson made his major league debut, pitching …
July 30, 1959: Bob Gibson shuts out the Reds in his first career start Read More »
On July 27, 1953, the Baseball Hall of Fame celebrated Dizzy Dean’s remarkable career with an induction ceremony that formally recognized Dean as one of the game’s elite. “It’s the greatest honor I ever received,” Dean said. “I want to thank the good Lord for giving me a good right arm, a strong back, and …
July 27, 1953: Dizzy Dean is inducted into the Hall of Fame Read More »
Over the course of his 12-year career, Wally Moon was better known for his “Moon shot” home runs than his base-stealing ability. Nonetheless, on May 25, 1954, the rookie center fielder came one stolen base shy of breaking a 50-year-old National League record as he swiped four bags in a 9-4 Cardinals win over the …
May 25, 1954: Wally Moon steals four bases, nearly ties 50-year-old NL record Read More »
