The Los Angeles Angels offered a starting job in a new franchise. In Milwaukee, where he had won the World Series in 1957, there was an offer to join the coaching staff. At age 38, however, Red Schoendienst was eager to return home to St. Louis. After receiving his unconditional release from Milwaukee and turning […]
Why Red Schoendienst returned to St. Louis in 1961 Read More »
In his final year on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, Joe Medwick finally got the call he had been waiting 20 years to receive. On January 23, 1968, Medwick woke with a swollen jaw from a toothache that would require a trip to the dentist in the afternoon. Before that, however, he went
Joe Medwick is elected to the Hall of Fame: January 23, 1968 Read More »
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
Stan Musial is elected to the Hall of Fame: January 21, 1969 Read More »
Ken Boyer had just returned from a quail-hunting trip in Hermann, Mo., when the phone rang. It was a reporter, calling to tell Boyer that he had just been named the 1964 National League MVP. “I guess 14 must be my lucky number,” Boyer said. “That’s my uniform number and that’s how many birds we
Ken Boyer is named National League MVP: November 23, 1964 Read More »
In Bob Gibson’s autobiography, Stranger to the Game, he summarized his historic 1968 season simply: “In the summer of 1968, I mastered my craft,” he wrote.[1] That mastery was rewarded with both the National League Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards. On November 13, 1968, Gibson became the 14th Cardinal in franchise history to
Bob Gibson is named 1968 National League MVP Read More »
In 1967, Orlando Cepeda was more than the heart of the World Series champion “El Birdos.” On November 7, he was named the first unanimous National League MVP since Carl Hubbell received all six first-place votes in 1936. “The Most Valuable Player Award, that’s the best compliment any ballplayer can desire,” Cepeda said.[1] The recognition
How Orlando Cepeda was unanimously voted 1967 NL MVP Read More »
On November 4, 1963, the Cardinals acquired Roger Craig from the Mets in exchange for outfielder George Altman and rookie pitcher Bill Wakefield. Less than a year later, Craig pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings to win Game 4 of the 1964 World Series and help St. Louis claim its seventh world championship. Craig’s pitching career
How trading for Roger Craig helped the Cardinals win the World Series Read More »
Steve Carlton didn’t realize he was closing in on the single-game strikeout record until he looked up after eight innings and saw the number 16 flash across the scoreboard. Those 16 strikeouts left him just two shy of 18, a major-league record shared by Sandy Koufax (who accomplished the feat twice), Bob Feller, and Don
September 15, 1969: Steve Carlton sets record with 19 strikeouts vs. Mets Read More »
On September 14, 1961, all-star Cardinals third baseman Ken Boyer became the first player in major league history to complete the cycle with a walk-off home run. Boyer’s 11th-inning, game-winning blast against the Cubs concluded a busy day in the batter’s box for Boyer, who totaled seven hits in the evening double-header. In the opener,
September 14, 1961: Ken Boyer hits walk-off home run to complete the cycle Read More »
Long before Cardinals general manager Bing Devine traded Ernie Broglio, Doug Clemens, and Bobby Shantz to the Cubs for Lou Brock, Jack Spring, and Paul Toth in June 1964, he’d been laying the groundwork for a deal. The previous winter, Devine inquired with Cubs general manager John Holland about Brock’s availability but was rebuffed. However,
Cardinals trade Brock for Broglio: June 15, 1964 Read More »