For much of the 1970s, few players were more essential to the steady rhythm of the St. Louis Cardinals than Ken Reitz, the man they called “Zamboni.” Born in San Francisco and raised in nearby Daly City, he grew up immersed in baseball. His father played semipro ball, his brother played professional baseball, and Reitz […]
Ken Reitz: The Cardinals’ Zamboni Read More »
When baseball fans remember St. Louis Cardinals clubs of the 1970s, names such as Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, and Ted Simmons often come first. Yet one of the most important contributors to that era was second baseman Ted Sizemore, a player whose value was built less on headlines than on hustle, intelligence, and an unwavering
Ted Sizemore: Remember Your Redbirds Read More »
Keith Hernandez arrived in St. Louis as an unheralded draft pick, but he left nearly a decade later as one of the most accomplished first basemen in Cardinals history. A National League batting champion, co–Most Valuable Player, World Series champion, and perennial Gold Glove winner, Hernandez embodied the combination of defensive brilliance, offensive consistency, and
Keith Hernandez: Remember Your Redbirds Read More »
The rivalry between the St. Louis and Chicago baseball teams may never have been more heated than on September 22, 1974, when a Cardinals-Cubs brawl added heat to the National League East pennant race. One inning after punching Bill Madlock in the face and sparking the bench-clearing brawl, Cardinals catcher Ted Simmons capped off his
The 1974 Cardinals-Cubs brawl sparked by Simmons, Hrabosky Read More »
On November 3, 1970, the Baseball Writers Association of America named Bob Gibson the National League Cy Young Award winner for the second time in three years. With the recognition, Gibson became just the third pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, joining Sandy Koufax and Denny McLain. Gibson previously had won the award in
How Bob Gibson won his second Cy Young Award in 1970 Read More »
Steve Carlton made sure his final start for the St. Louis Cardinals was a milestone game in more ways than one. The Cardinals’ September 28, 1971, win over the New York Mets marked not only Carlton’s final appearance wearing the birds on the bat, but also clinched the first 20-win season of his career. Coincidentally, it
Steve Carlton reaches 20 wins in final game with the Cardinals: 9/8/1971 Read More »
After the first three batters of the ninth inning reached, putting the go-ahead run on third base, Al Hrabosky knew he needed to tap into something primal to escape the jam against the defending World Series champion Cincinnati Reds. “I talk to the gypsy war gods,” he explained afterward. “I work myself into a controlled
Al Hrabosky and the gypsy war gods stifle Reds: May 9, 1977 Read More »
Ironically, in a 25-inning game that lasted seven hours and four minutes and didn’t end until 3:12 a.m., Bake McBride and the St. Louis Cardinals finally captured the 4-3 victory with their speed. The game was the longest night game in Major League Baseball history, exceeding a 24-inning, 1-0 Astros victory over the Mets in
Cardinals, Mets play 25-inning game: September 11, 1974 Read More »
Philadelphia Phillies general manager Paul Quinn answered the phone on February 25, 1972, to discover his Cardinals counterpart, Bing Devine, seeking a trade partner willing to take future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton. “Has Rick Wise signed?” Devine asked, referring to the 26-year-old right-hander who had led the Phillies in wins each of the past
Why the Cardinals traded Steve Carlton to the Phillies Read More »
More than 43 years after he helped the St. Louis Cardinals win their first World Series championship, Jesse Haines was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee at age 76. It wasn’t a bad achievement for a pitcher whose former minor-league manager with the Tulsa Oilers expected him to soon
How Jesse Haines was elected to the Hall of Fame Read More »