On June 25, 1999, Arizona Diamondbacks fans came to Bank One Ballpark looking forward to a match-up between flame-throwing left-hander Randy Johnson and record-breaking slugger Mark McGwire. They indeed got to see something special – they just weren’t expecting it to come from rookie right-hander Jose Jimenez. With the assistance of two exceptional plays from […]
Jose Jimenez throws a no-hitter: June 25, 1999 Read More »
In the hours before Mark Whiten made history with a four-homer, 12-RBI performance in the second game of a double-header against the Reds on September 7, 1993, he didn’t appear to be a man on the verge of the greatest performance of his major league career. The first game of the double-header was an ugly
Mark Whiten homers four times: September 7, 1993 Read More »
Prior to his September 3, 2001, start against the Padres, the 11th of his major league career, Bud Smith already had experience throwing no-hitters. As a high school junior, he had thrown one. He had even thrown two the previous season while pitching for the Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate in Arkansas, though admittedly both of those
September 3, 2001: Rookie Bud Smith throws a no-hitter Read More »
Heading into the Cardinals’ May 20, 1964, game against the Chicago Cubs, Bob Gibson knew he needed to do something different. So, like the Karate Kid 20 years later, Gibson got to work polishing his car. “I threw well in spring training, but my shoulder has been stiff since then,” Gibson said. “I had to
How waxing his car helped Bob Gibson shut out the Cubs Read More »
More than twenty-six years before Glenn Brummer made his mad dash home on August 22, 1982, to give the Cardinals a 5-4 victory over the Giants in 12 innings, a Washington Senators rookie named Whitey Herzog swiped home for his second career stolen base. Herzog, who engineered the Whiteyball teams that regularly stole more than
Whitey Herzog steals home: June 17, 1956 Read More »
If you’re going to steal 110 bases as a rookie, you don’t have any time to waste. So when Tito Landrum and Willie McGee both went down with injuries, Vince Coleman made sure to make the most of his opportunity. Coleman had been attracting headlines for two years, ever since setting a new professional baseball
Vince Coleman steals two bags in MLB debut: April 18, 1985 Read More »
Even before Chicago Cubs left-hander Glendon Rusch threw the game’s first pitch to St. Louis Cardinals leadoff batter Tony Womack, tensions were high in Wrigley Field. The previous night, the fireworks started when Jim Edmonds hit a two-run home run off Chicago’s Carlos Zambrano. The fiery Cubs right-hander felt that Edmonds spent too long admiring
Albert Pujols goes 5-for-5 with three homers in comeback win: July 20, 2004 Read More »
When Rick Ankiel arrived at Busch Stadium III on August 9, 2007, it had been almost seven years since he’d thrown five wild pitches in Game 1 of the National League Division Series and tied a 110-year-old record. It had been almost three years since he’d been in the majors, and 2 ½ years since
August 9, 2007: Rick Ankiel homers in his return to the majors – as an outfielder Read More »
Heading into the game that came to define his career, 21-year-old rookie left-hander Rick Ankiel wasn’t nervous. “I was not hurt. I was not afraid. I was not sick or distracted or particularly anxious,” he wrote 17 years later. “In game one of the National League Division Series, on a warm and sunny afternoon with
Rick Ankiel develops the yips: October 3, 2000 Read More »
Though largely forgotten in common baseball lore, the first owner of the St. Louis Cardinals franchise was the George Steinbrenner of early American baseball – brash, outspoken, innovative, and determined to field a championship club. Perhaps no one in baseball history can claim as much credit for bringing the sport to the masses and making
Chris Von der Ahe: The Steinbrenner of early baseball Read More »