On the day of Whitey Herzog’s first game as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, he found himself, somewhat baffled, in Marietta, Georgia, trying to get to the team hotel in nearby Atlanta. His misadventures began when he was given the wrong departure time for his flight. Then, after catching a later plane to Atlanta, …
June 9, 1980: Whitey Herzog manages his first game for the Cardinals Read More »
Desperate to bolster their relief corps, the Cardinals purchased the rights to future Hall of Famer Jim Kaat from the Yankees on April 30, 1980. The three-time all-star and 16-time Gold Glove Award winner played the final four seasons of his career in St. Louis, including 62 appearances as a valuable bullpen piece for the …
April 30, 1980: Cardinals acquire Jim Kaat to shore up their bullpen Read More »
In October 1982, Bruce Sutter closed the door on the Cardinals’ first world championship since 1967. His path to that moment began almost three years earlier, shortly after he was named the 1979 National League Cy Young Award winner. Sutter had a contract with the Cubs for the 1980 season, but the agreement included a …
December 9, 1980: Cubs trade Bruce Sutter to the Cardinals Read More »
The first time Darrell Porter met Whitey Herzog, he asked the Royals manager what was expected of him. Porter had just arrived in Kansas City in a trade from the Brewers, while Herzog was coming off his second season with the Royals, a 90-win campaign that resulted in an American League West championship. “I expect …
December 7, 1980: Whitey Herzog’s roster rebuild begins with Darrell Porter Read More »
