When Stan Musial was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1969, the question wasn’t whether the three-time National League MVP Award winner would earn his place in Cooperstown. The real question was what the 23 voters who didn’t mark Musial’s name on their ballots were thinking. In his […]
January 21, 1969: Stan Musial is elected to the Hall of Fame Read More »
On January 20, 1942, Rogers Hornsby, the greatest right-handed hitter in baseball history, was getting his hair cut when he received the official word that he had been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. “Wait’ll I get out of here and to the ballpark,” he said. “That’s the place to talk about this.”
January 20, 1942: Rogers Hornsby is elected to the Hall of Fame Read More »
On January 18, 1938, Grover Cleveland Alexander, the hero of the Cardinals’ 1926 World Series championship, became the lone player elected to that year’s Baseball Hall of Fame class. Alexander spent just 3 ½ seasons with the Cardinals as part of a 20-year career, but he made them count. In 1911, Alexander debuted with the
Grover Cleveland Alexander and the Hall of Fame Read More »
The 1981 Hall of Fame ballot was stacked with stars who would one day receive their day in Cooperstown. Joining Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson among the candidates were future Hall of Famers Don Drysdale, Gil Hodges, Harmon Killebrew, Juan Marichal, and Hoyt Wilhelm. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch even ran a story noting that all six
Bob Gibson is elected to the Hall of Fame: January 15, 1981 Read More »
As a 6-year-old boy growing up in Southern California, Troy Glaus proudly declared to his mother that he wanted to be the Cardinals’ third baseman. Twenty-five years later, that dream came true, though it required a “very personal” feud between Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and third baseman Scott Rolen to make it happen. On
Why St. Louis traded Scott Rolen to Toronto for Troy Glaus Read More »
With the holidays in the rearview mirror and spring training just a few weeks away, Jack Clark finally lost patience. On January 6, 1988, the Cardinals’ leading home-run hitter during their National League pennant-winning seasons in 1985 and 1987 signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Yankees. Since the Cardinals acquired Clark from the
Jack Clark signs with the Yankees: January 6, 1988 Read More »
When the idea of signing Bob Horner to replace Jack Clark was first broached, Whitey Herzog didn’t pull any punches. “I don’t like Horner,” the Cardinals manager said. “Of his lifetime homers, about 70% were hit in Atlanta. He never could hit in St. Louis. He can’t hit and he can’t field, and he wants
Why the Cardinals signed Bob Horner despite Herzog’s initial concerns Read More »
On the day the Baseball Writers Association of America was set to announce the Hall of Fame class of 2002, Ozzie Smith had a backup plan ready. If the phone rang with the news that he had not been inducted in his first year of eligibility, Smith and his family were all set to drive
Ozzie Smith is elected to the Hall of Fame: January 8, 2002 Read More »
It may have been Lou Brock’s first year of eligibility, but he had been waiting his entire life for Jack Lang’s phone call. At 6 p.m. on January 7, 1985, the secretary-treasurer of the Baseball Writers Association of America called to inform Brock that he had just been elected to the National Baseball Hall of
January 7, 1985: Lou Brock is elected to the Hall of Fame Read More »
It took longer than either side was entirely comfortable with, but in the end the Cardinals got their man. On January 5, 2010, Matt Holliday agreed to a seven-year, $120 million deal that represented the largest contract in franchise history. The signing gave the Cardinals a pair of franchise cornerstone sluggers in Holliday and Albert
How Matt Holliday finally signed a record contract in 2010 Read More »