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 often noted that the game was woven into his life from the beginning. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the 31st round in 1969, a selection that carried little expectation but ultimately delivered one of the most dependable players of his era.

His climb through the minor leagues was steady, defined by improving defense and enough offensive growth to keep him moving forward. By 1972, at just 21 years old, he had reached Triple-A and forced his way into the Cardinals’ plans.

When he arrived in St. Louis late that season, he did more than simply hold his own. In 21 games, he hit .359, including a seven-hit doubleheader against the New York Mets, and displayed a level of confidence that stood out immediately. The Cardinals, in need of stability, saw enough to make a significant change. Veteran Joe Torre shifted from third base to first, and the job at the hot corner belonged to Reitz. It was a bold move, but one that quickly proved justified.

Reitz’s rookie season in 1973 was uneven at the plate. He hit just .235 and rarely walked, limiting his offensive impact. But defense quickly became his identity. Playing on the artificial turf of Busch Stadium, where ground balls could take unpredictable hops, Reitz developed a reputation for making even difficult plays look routine. His hands were quick, his reactions precise, and his throws accurate. By the end of the season, he led National League third basemen in fielding percentage, the first of six times he would accomplish that feat.

It was during these early seasons that his nickname took hold. “Zamboni” captured exactly what he did: smooth over the chaos. Where other players might fight the turf, Reitz seemed to tame it. His teammates trusted him, and pitchers relied on him. In an era where defense was often overlooked in favor of offense, Reitz quietly established himself as one of the best at his position.

There were moments that hinted at just how special his glove could be. Early in his career, he made a diving stop down the third-base line, spun, and fired home to cut down a runner, a play so impressive that manager Red Schoendienst called it the best he had ever seen from a third baseman.

Teammates marveled at his ability to make throws from impossible angles, sometimes appearing to release the ball without even looking. What really set Reitz apart, though, was his ability to cleanly handle the routine grounders, inning after inning, game after game.

While defense defined him, Reitz strengthened his skills at the plate throughout his career. After his difficult rookie season, he improved steadily, becoming a reliable contributor in the Cardinals’ lineup. His batting average climbed into the .260s and .270s, and his run production increased each year. From 1973 through 1977, his RBI totals rose from 42 to a career-high 79, reflecting a player who understood his role and grew into it.

The 1977 season represented the peak of his offensive contributions. He hit 17 home runs and delivered his most complete year at the plate. That season also included one of the most remarkable games of his career. In a June doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Reitz drove in eight runs in the second game, hitting a grand slam and a three-run home run. It was an explosion of offense from a player known primarily for his defense, and it remains one of the most productive single-game performances in Cardinals history.

Two years earlier, in 1975, Reitz earned the Gold Glove Award for his defensive excellence. Yet that same offseason brought an unexpected twist. The Cardinals, seeking to strengthen their pitching staff and make room for a promising prospect, traded Reitz to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Pete Falcone. From a roster-building perspective, the move had logic. From a practical standpoint, it left a void. Reitz had been a stabilizing force at third base, and replacing that kind of reliability proved more difficult than anticipated.

For Reitz, the trade was both surprising and personal. He had established himself in St. Louis and expected to remain there. Though returning to his hometown had its appeal, the experience with the Giants lacked the connection he had felt with the Cardinals. Within a year, St. Louis reversed course, bringing him back in a deal that sent Lynn McGlothen to San Francisco.

His return in 1977 immediately restored stability. Reitz resumed his role as the club’s defensive anchor while delivering his best offensive season. Over the next several years, he continued to set the standard at third base, leading the league in fielding percentage multiple times and establishing new benchmarks for defensive efficiency.

In 1977, he committed just nine errors in more than 150 games. In 1980, he was even better, committing only eight. His career fielding percentage of .970 stood as the best ever recorded by a National League third baseman at the time of his retirement.

The 1980 season also brought his only All-Star selection. He began the year hitting over .400 into mid-May before settling at .270, and his steady performance earned him a starting role in the All-Star Game. It was long-overdue recognition for a player whose contributions often went unnoticed outside of St. Louis.

Even in a career defined by consistency, Reitz produced moments of drama. In September 1974, he hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning against the Mets, extending a game that would stretch to 25 innings, one of the longest in major league history. It was a rare flash of late-game heroics from a player whose value was usually measured in quieter ways.

Reitz remained the Cardinals’ primary third baseman through 1980, appearing in more than 1,100 games for the organization. His time in St. Louis came to an end that December when he was traded to the Chicago Cubs as part of the deal that brought closer Bruce Sutter to the Cardinals. The trade had a significant impact on the franchise, but for Reitz, it marked the closing chapter of his Cardinals career.

His final seasons with the Cubs and later the Pittsburgh Pirates were brief and difficult. His performance declined, and he later acknowledged personal struggles that affected both his career and his life. Yet even in those challenges, the intensity with which he approached the game remained evident. He cared deeply about his performance, sometimes to an extreme, once even setting his glove on fire after a poor defensive outing.

After leaving baseball, Reitz worked to rebuild his life and remained connected to the Cardinals organization. He participated in alumni events, engaged with fans, and contributed to drug education programs, using his experiences to help others. He also found enjoyment in golf, competing in celebrity events and embracing a quieter life.

When he passed away in 2021, the tributes reflected a player who had left a lasting impression not through flash or notoriety, but through reliability. He may not have been the most celebrated player in Cardinals history, but he embodied something fundamental to the game: the importance of doing the job right, every time.

For those who watched him, the memory is simple. A ground ball hit toward third base did not create uncertainty. With Ken Reitz on the field, it was just another out waiting to happen.

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The game was the longest night game in Major League Baseball history, exceeding a 24-inning, 1-0 Astros victory over the Mets in 1968. The game’s total time was only exceeded by a 1964 day game between the Mets and Giants went seven hours and 23 minutes, ending with an 8-6 San Francisco victory after 23 innings. In terms of innings, the contest ranked second only to a 26-inning battle between the Dodgers and Braves in 1920.[1]

The previous record-holder for the Cardinals’ longest game was an 8-7 win over the Cubs that lasted 20 innings in 1930.[2] In all, the Cardinals used a total of 26 players, breaking the National League record, and the Cardinals and Mets combined to use 50 players, setting a new MLB mark.[3]

“I’ve been out till 4 in the morning before, but never on a team bus going from the ballpark to the hotel,” Cardinals equipment manager Butch Yatkeman said.[4]

Both teams opened the evening with first-inning runs. Mets starter Jerry Koosman issued one-out walks to Ted Sizemore and Reggie Smith before Joe Torre made him pay with an RBI single into left field. Koosman limited the damage, however, when Ted Simmons lined into an inning-ending double play.

The Mets answered in the bottom of the inning against Bob Forsch. After a one-out error and a wild pitch, Mets first baseman John Milner doubled into right field to tie the game 1-1.

Both pitchers exchanged zeroes until the bottom of the fifth, when Mets second baseman Felix Milan – who finished with four hits and a walk in 11 plate appearances – reached with an infield single. Left fielder Cleon Jones followed with a home run over the left-field wall to give New York a 3-1 lead.

“It was a fastball where I didn’t want to put it – a big mistake,” Forsch said.[5]

Heading into the ninth inning, it looked as though that might be all the support Koosman needed for his 14^th win of the season. Koosman struck out Torre to open the frame, but Ted Simmons followed with an infield single. It was just the Cardinals’ fourth hit of the game.

After Koosman struck out McBride looking, he was one out away from the complete-game victory. Cardinals third baseman Ken Reitz, however, had other plans. After Koosman fooled him with a first-pitch changeup, Reitz hit a fastball over the left-field wall to tie the game, 3-3.

“I was guessing fastball,” Reitz said. “He made me look bad on the first pitch.”[6]

From there, the bullpens took over. Al Hrabosky threw three innings of relief for the Cardinals and Harry Parker did the same for the Mets. St. Louis pitcher Claude Osteen entered the game with one out in the 14^th inning and proceeded to throw 9 1/3 shutout innings, holding the Mets to just four hits while striking out five.

For the Mets, Bob Miller threw a scoreless 13^th inning before Bob Apodaca threw three scoreless frames. In the 17^th inning, Jerry Cram, a 26-year-old righthander with fewer than 23 major-league innings under his belt, entered the game. He proceeded to shut the Cardinals out for eight innings, scattering seven hits while striking out four.

Cram’s final inning was the 24^th. Jack Heidemann led off the inning with a single to right. After Cram intentionally walked Reggie Smith with two outs, Torre singled to load the bases. Cram, however, ended the threat when he got Dick Billings to ground into an inning-ending force out.

It was almost 3 a.m. by the time the Cardinals came up in the top of the 25^th inning. McBride led off the inning with an infield single off Mets righthander Hank Webb, a righthander from Copiague, New York. With Reitz at the plate, McBride took a big lead off of first. Webb made a quick throw over to first (the play was ruled a balk), but his throw sailed past Milner and the Mets’ first baseman had to run to retrieve it.

“I was leaning,” McBride said. “Leaning back on my heels, resting. When I turned second, I said to myself, ‘I’m going all the way.’”[7]

Milner threw home as McBride raced past third-base coach Vern Benson’s signal to halt at third. Milner’s throw beat McBride to the plate, but Mets catcher Ron Hodges dropped the ball and was charged with an error.

“It was a good throw by Milner and Hodges probably would have got McBride if he hadn’t taken his eyes off the ball,” Benson said. “I didn’t see any sense in sending him home with nobody out.”[8]

“Bake was running so fast that he couldn’t see the sign,” Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst said. “When you’ve got speed like McBride’s, you make the other guys nervous. You just can’t beat that speed.”[9]

With a 4-3 lead finally in hand, Sonny Siebert returned to the mound for his second inning of relief. After 21-year-old rookie Brock Pemberton singled with two outs for his first major-league hit, Mets pitcher Tom Seaver joked that Pemberton couldn’t keep the memento because it was the last ball left.[10] He may not have been far off, as the game ended up using 15 dozen baseballs.[11]

With Pemberton representing the tying run, Siebert struck out Milner to end the game.

“It was a high fastball,” Siebert said. “It wasn’t a strike, I don’t think. … He was swinging for the fences and just swung through it.”[12]

By that point, all but a few hundred of the 13,460 fans had left. Among the die-hards who remained until the last pitch? Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn and his wife.[13]

Umpire Ed Sudol was behind the plate for all 25 innings. Incredibly, he also had been behind the plate for the 23-inning Mets-Giants game in 1964 and the 24-inning Astros-Mets game in 1968.[14]

“My legs feel like a couple of lead posts,” he said. “The players kept coming up and asking, ‘How are you standing?’ and I didn’t know what to say because I didn’t know how I was standing.”[15]

Sudol said he was hit by the ball six times in the game – once in the chest, once in the shoulder, and four times on his mask.[16]

“One time my mask was knocked off,” he said. “No wonder I had a headache. And I didn’t even go to the bathroom in the seven hours.”[17]

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[1] Hal Bock, “Mets: L-o-n-g hours for nothing,” Daily Item, September 12, 1974.

[2] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[3] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[4] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[5] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[6] Paul Ballot, “Night Has 1,000 Outs,” Newsday, September 12, 1974.

[7] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[8] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[9] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[10] Jack Lang, “Baseball’s Longest Night — Mets bow in 25 innings and 7 hours, 4 minutes,” Long Island Press, September 12, 1974.

[11] Paul Ballot, “Night Has 1,000 Outs,” Newsday, September 12, 1974.

[12] Kevin Duffy and Rory Costello, “September 11, 1974: Cardinals prevail over Mets in 25 innings at Shea Stadium,” Society for American Baseball Research Games Project, https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/september-11-1974-cardinals-prevail-over-mets-in-25-innings-at-shea-stadium/.

[13] Paul Ballot, “Night Has 1,000 Outs,” Newsday, September 12, 1974.

[14] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[15] Neal Russo, “Cardinals Shade Mets In 25 Innings,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 12, 1974.

[16] Neal Russo, “Sudol Hits Back At ‘Hit’ Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 13, 1974.

[17] Neal Russo, “Sudol Hits Back At ‘Hit’ Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 13, 1974.

The post Cardinals, Mets play 25-inning game: September 11, 1974 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Sutter had a contract with the Cubs for the 1980 season, but the agreement included a clause that allowed him to renegotiate that year’s salary.^[1] With the contract negotiations hovering in the background, trade rumors began to swirl around Sutter.

They began with reports in December 1979 that a Phillies scout had approached Kennedy with an offer that included pitchers Larry Christenson and Tug McGraw and outfielder Greg Luzinski for Sutter. The Chicago Tribune hinted that Kennedy responded by asking the Phillies to add Mike Schmidt to the deal,^[2] and Kennedy later clarified that the Phillies had not offered a package of players but instead offered Luzinski in a one-for-one trade for Sutter.

“We certainly aren’t going to make that deal,” Kennedy said.^[3]

With spring training looming in February 1980, the Cubs and Sutter went to arbitration to determine his salary for the season. Going into the hearing, Sutter asked for $700,000 while the Cubs countered with an offer of $350,000.^[4] The arbitrator, Thomas G. Christenson, could only select one figure or the other. In the end, he sided with Sutter.

“I didn’t want to go to arbitration,” Sutter said. “I was willing to call it off at the last minute, and when I went in and asked for $700,000, I never dreamed I would get it.”^[5]

By the end of March, the Cubs had reportedly received a wide variety of offers for Sutter’s services. According to those reports, the Dodgers had offered third baseman Ron Cey, outfielder/infielder Derrel Thomas, and catcher Joe Ferguson, though Kennedy disputed this report and insisted that Dodgers vice president Al Campanis had called simply to ask for the opportunity to bid on Sutter if a deal became imminent.

The Astros reportedly offered pitcher Joaquin Andujar and outfielder/first baseman Cesar Cedeno, and the Cardinals were believed to have offered Kennedy’s son, catching prospect Terry Kennedy; infielder Ken Oberkfell; and relief pitcher Mark Littell. Kennedy was particularly annoyed by the report regarding the Cardinals’ offer and denied that such an offer had ever been made.^[6]

Ultimately, the Cubs held onto Sutter for the 1980 season, though the shutdown closer, who saved a league-high 28 games with a 2.64 ERA, represented a luxury on a 98-loss Cubs team.

“There’s no doubt Sutter is on the market this fall,” said Expos manager Dick Williams. “Everybody has heard that, everybody knows that. The Cubs are looking for the best offer and, believe me, when it comes to that, there are a lot of teams that are going to have their names up on the wall in the Cub offices.

“From what I hear, the deal isn’t going to involve just Sutter. It will be him and others for several players; it will be a tremendous package. This is one guy who can take a strong team to a pennant. He has one heck of a great pitch. There isn’t anything like it in baseball today. The one thing I’m not sure of, though, is the salary. I wonder if the team that gets him will have to pay him 700 grand or more.”^[7]

In November, Cubs general manager Bob Kennedy said he had heard from several teams inquiring about Sutter’s availability, but a few had been frightened off by Sutter’s salary expectations.

“We need young talent, especially a second baseman and a third baseman, and if we can get young players like that, we’ll trade one of our name guys,” Kennedy said.^[8]

Brewers general manager Harry Dalton, who felt his team was just a few pieces away after finishing third in the American League East in 1980, believed Sutter was destined to become a St. Louis Cardinal.

“We’ve made a good offer to the Cubs,” he said, “but every time we talk to them, it’s like Kennedy’s eyes kind of glaze over and he isn’t hearing what we’re saying. I think it’s just a question of time before they put together the pieces of a Sutter deal with the Cardinals.”^[9]

In St. Louis, Whitey Herzog had just taken over general manager duties and was working quickly to rebuild a roster that had gone 74-88 to finish one spot ahead of the Cubs in the National League East. To transform the Cardinals’ fortunes, he was seeking an elite closer and had two in mind – Sutter and the San Diego Padres’ Rollie Fingers.

Herzog’s desire for Sutter was so well-known that Kennedy was driving into the office on Dec. 3 when a news flash came on the radio to say that a deal between the Cardinals and Cubs was nearly complete. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch was reporting that the Cardinals were sending Leon “Bull” Durham, an infielder (either Ken Reitz or  Oberkfell), and a minor leaguer to the Cubs in exchange for Sutter. When Kennedy got to Wrigley Field, he called Herzog to chastise the Cardinals’ general manager about tampering.

“I didn’t mention Sutter’s name,” Herzog told Kennedy. “I just said we wanted a top relief pitcher and that I hoped to have him by Friday.”^[10]

In Herzog’s autobiography, White Rat: A Life in Baseball, he wrote that Kennedy had been seeking three of the Cardinals’ top prospects: Durham, second baseman Tom Herr, and outfielder Ty Waller. Ultimately, Bob Kennedy and Herzog compromised, with Durham, Reitz, and Waller headed to Chicago in exchange for Sutter.^[11]

The deal would hit a snag, however, when Reitz, who had a no-trade clause, refused to sign off.

“I thought about it and I ain’t going to Chicago,” Reitz said.^[12]

Herzog spoke to Reitz’s agent, Larue Harcourt, regarding the deal and Harcourt recommended to Reitz that he accept the trade. Additionally, the Cardinals gave Bob Kennedy, who had been the Cardinals’ farm director when Reitz was in their minor-league system, permission to speak to Reitz.

“He wants me to be a regular and I’d hit in the heart of their lineup,” Reitz said of his conversations with Kennedy. “It’s a hard decision for me because he’s done a lot for me.”^[13]

As the Cardinals and Cubs worked to convince Reitz to accept the trade, the Brewers continued to lurk in the background. According to reports, they had offered third baseman Jim Gantner and left-handed pitcher Mike Caldwell, but the Cubs wanted second baseman Paul Molitor included in any deal.^[14]

When Kennedy arrived in Dallas for the winter meetings, he told reporters he was optimistic that Reitz would change his mind regarding the trade.

“Don’t count us out on getting Reitz,” he said. “I think it was a matter of his pride being hurt by the fact the Cardinals wanted to trade him, but he didn’t sound anywhere near that negative Saturday.”^[15]

Herzog wasn’t about to allow Reitz’s indecision to delay his rebuild. On December 7, he signed Darrell Porter, his former catcher with the Kansas City Royals, as a free agent. The following day, he traded Terry Kennedy, John Littlefield, Al Olmsted, Mike Phillips, Kim Seaman, Steve Swisher, and John Urrea to the Padres for Fingers, Bob Shirley, Gene Tenace, and a player to be named later (Bob Geren).

On December 9, the Cubs and Cardinals finally completed the Sutter deal when Reitz agreed to a $150,000 payment to approve the trade, with $75,000 coming from each team.^[16] At the time the trade was completed, Sutter was out hunting and staying in a cabin with no telephone. Reached at the family home, Sutter’s wife Jayme had just one question for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter who called for a comment regarding the trade: “Are they going to keep Rollie Fingers too?”^[17]

Herzog admitted that he was unlikely to keep both future Hall of Famers in his bullpen. When asked which he would keep, his answer was simple.

“In my eight years of managing, I’ve never had a reliever like Sutter,” he said.^[18]

In Chicago, the loss of Sutter was softened by the acquisition of Durham, who hit eight homers and drove in 42 RBIs in 330 plate appearances in St. Louis in 1980. Durham would go on to play eight seasons in Chicago, eclipsing 20 home runs five times and making two all-star appearances.

“The Cardinals have a chance to win the pennant with Bruce, but we have to rebuild and he couldn’t win the pennant for us,” Kennedy said.^[19]

Nonetheless, the Cubs’ optimism regarding Durham’s future couldn’t match St. Louis’s excitement for Sutter. A few days after the trade was completed, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch declared that, “St. Louis has the Arch, the zoo, and the Muny Opera, assets of incalculable worth, but now it’s got something really valuable. It’s got Bruce Sutter’s game-saving arm.”^[20]

“I didn’t come here for recognition,” Sutter said. “I didn’t come here to be the highest-paid player. I came here to help the team and to win.”^[21]

In another interview, he said, “The ballclub I’m going to is going to be a winner and that matters more than anything. All the other stuff, you can have. I’ll get just as many saves in St. Louis as I did in Chicago. Only difference is they’ll mean more.”^[22]

With his time in Chicago at an end, Sutter had mixed feelings about the experience. On the one hand, he had spent the past eight years with the organization, transforming himself from a low-level fastball/curveball pitcher with dim prospects for a major league future into the game’s top relief pitcher. Along the way, he’d met Fred Martin, who had made the single greatest impact on his career of any coach he would ever work with, and spent four seasons working with pitching coach Mike Roarke, who would prove more effective than anyone in assisting Sutter with his mechanics.

On the other hand, Sutter found himself questioning Chicago’s commitment to excellence.

“It was getting depressing,” he said. “I never felt like they wanted to win. The salary negotiations and some of the things they did … I never got the real sense that they were trying to win … and I’m an optimist. There were a lot of problems, a lot of griping, a lot of excuses last year. Guys would never admit to making mistakes. They always would blame someone else.”^[23]

While Sutter credited the Cubs for making a good trade, he was left with a bad taste in his mouth regarding how the team handled the news after the deal was finalized.

“Bob Kennedy didn’t talk to me until a week after I got traded,” he said. “He had my phone number. I missed a whole day of hunting waiting for him to call, and then the first thing that came out (in the media) was he said they wanted to get rid of my salary. That made me mad. They gave me a little slap in the face as a going-away present and I didn’t appreciate that. That’s all Mr. Wrigley needs is another $100,000. What are they going to do, put $100 bills out there at second base and in center field?”^[24]

On December 12, Herzog traded Fingers, Ted Simmons, and Pete Vuckovich to the Brewers for David Green, Dave LaPoint, Sixto Lezcano, and Lary Sorensen. With Fingers in Milwaukee, Herzog sent a clear signal that Sutter was his closer.

Now all that remained was to complete the step that had created such animosity between Sutter and the Cubs – his contract. However, whereas the Cubs were hesitant to sign Sutter to a long-term deal, Herzog and the Cardinals were eager to lock the big right-hander down.

In January 1981, Sutter and the Cardinals agreed to a four-year, $3.5 million contract. Per the agreement, Sutter would earn $975,000 the first two years and $1.55 million each of the last two years. In addition, Sutter would receive a $125,000 bonus for winning the Rolaids Fireman of the Year Award, an $82,000 bonus for placing second, or a $41,000 bonus for placing third.^[25]

“I never thought I’d make that kind of money,” Sutter said. “When you’re growing up, the money wasn’t the same as it is now. The money is just unbelievable.”^[26]

For Herzog, the cost was worth having the man he considered to be the best reliever in baseball residing in his bullpen.

“This signing gives our bullpen the kind of quality and stability we need,” he said. “We know what kind of job Bruce can do.”^[27]

Sutter went on to save 127 games for the Cardinals, leading the league in three of his four seasons with the birds on the bat. While he helped St. Louis win the World Series in 1982, his best season may have been his final season with the Cardinals in 1984, when he saved 45 games with a 1.54 ERA. He placed third in the Cy Young and sixth in the National League MVP voting that season.

After the 1984 season, Sutter signed a six-year contract with the Braves that paid him $4.5 million and placed another $4.8 million into a deferred payment account that would pay him $1.3 million per year for 30 years after the contract expired. Sutter pitched two seasons in Atlanta, saving 26 games to give him an even 300 for his career before a torn rotator cuff ended his career.

In 2006, Sutter was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. That September, his number 42 was retired by the Cardinals.

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[1] Dozer, Richard. “Cubs sign Krukow; Foote Next?” Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 1980.

[2] Dozer, Richard. “Cubs reject Luzinski, 2 Phillie pitchers for Sutter,” Chicago Tribune, 7 Dec. 1979.

[3] Edes, Gordon. “Cost of Sutter.” Chicago Tribune, 11 Dec. 1979.

[4] Nidetz, Steve. “Sutter victory worth $700,000.” Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 1980.

[5] Nightingale, Dave. “Sutter relieved to escape pressure of Cub ‘stupidity.’” Chicago Tribune, 27 July 1980.

[6] Dozer, Richard. “Cubs hear a clamor for Sutter.” Chicago Tribune, 28 March 1980.

[7] Nightingale, Dave. “Sutter and his pitch probably will split,” Chicago Tribune, 10 Oct. 1980.

[8] Nightingale, Dave. “Cub stars on block: Kennedy,” Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 1980.

[9] Nightingale, Dave. “Cub stars on block: Kennedy,” Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 1980.

[10] Jones, Dave. “A Sutter suitor,” Chicago Tribune, 4 Dec. 1980.

[11] Herzog, Whitey & Horrigan, Kevin (1987). White Rat: A Life in Baseball. New York, N.Y.; Harper & Row Publishers, Inc., 127-128.

[12] “Cardinals’ Reitz refuses to go to Cubs in Sutter deal,” Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 1980.

[13] “Cardinals’ Reitz refuses to go to Cubs in Sutter deal,” Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 1980.

[14] “Cardinals’ Reitz refuses to go to Cubs in Sutter deal,” Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 1980.

[15] Nightingale, Dave. “Kennedy still pursuing Sutter deal with Cards,” Chicago Tribune, 7 Dec. 1980.

[16] Nightingale, Dave. “Getting Durham in Sutter deal has Kennedy gloating,” Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 1980.

[17] Hummel, Rick. “Reitz Harbors No Resentment,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 10 Dec. 1980.

[18] Nightingale, Dave. “Getting Durham in Sutter deal has Kennedy gloating,” Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 1980.

[19] Nightingale, Dave. “Getting Durham in Sutter deal has Kennedy gloating,” Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 1980.

[20] Barnidge, Tom. “‘I Came Here To Win’ – Sutter,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 14 Jan. 1981.

[21] Barnidge, Tom. “‘I Came Here To Win’ – Sutter,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, 14 Jan. 1981.

[22] Verdi, Bob. “Penny-pinching Cubs make Sutter sad,” Chicago Tribune, 16 Dec. 1980.

[23] Hummel, Rick. “Bruce Sutter,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 18 March 1981.

[24] Hummel, Rick. “Bruce Sutter,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 18 March 1981.

[25] Hummel, Rick. “Sutter Near $1 Million A Year,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 27 Jan. 1981.

[26] Hummel, Rick. “Sutter Near $1 Million A Year,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 27 Jan. 1981.

[27] Hummel, Rick. “Sutter Near $1 Million A Year,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 27 Jan. 1981.

The post How Bruce Sutter was traded to the Cardinals first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

After hitting an eighth-inning triple to move within a single of the cycle, Torre asked Schoendienst to remove him from the game. Sensing that Torre – slated to bat fifth in the ninth inning – still had an opportunity at history, Schoendienst kept his first baseman in the lineup.

“I told him he might get another shot,” Schoendienst said. “I told him to stay in there.”[1]

It proved to be the right decision.

“You have to give Red an assist,” Torre said. “I’m glad he ignored me this time.”[2]

Torre’s cycle paced a 22-hit offensive attack in the Cardinals’ 15-4 victory over the defending National League champion Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium.

The first Pittsburgh pitcher to fall victim to the St. Louis bats was 30-year-old left-hander Jim Rooker, who was making his first start of the season after thriving in a relief role. Rooker went on to win 10 games that season, the first of five consecutive campaigns with double-digit win totals. This game, however, would not count toward the win column.

The first four Cardinals batters each pounded hits as Lou Brock and Ted Sizemore singled, Torre hit an RBI double off the wall, and Ted Simmons followed with a two-run double to give St. Louis a 3-0 lead.

Willie Stargell hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first off Cardinals starting pitcher Reggie Cleveland to cut the lead to 3-1, but the Cardinals broke the game open in the third as Torre and Simmons each hit solo home runs. After Ken Reitz singled and Bill Stein doubled, the Pirates inserted another left-hander, Luke Walker.

Walker didn’t fare any better. Jose Cruz and Mike Tyson greeted him with consecutive RBI singles. Another run scored on a Pirates error, and Tyson scored on a wild pitch before the inning ended with the Cardinals ahead 9-1.

With a double and a home run under his belt, Torre opened the fourth inning with a triple off Pittsburgh right-hander Bob Johnson. Batting next, Simmons drove Torre home with a sacrifice fly to right field.

“I didn’t think I’d ever hit for the cycle because I’m not a triples hitter,” Torre said.[3]

Brock added an RBI single in the seventh before Torre came up again in the eighth. Facing Steve Blass, Torre walked on five pitches, and it looked as though he might fall short in his bid for the cycle.

However, after Blass retired the first two batters he faced in the ninth, he walked Cleveland and Bernie Carbo to bring Torre to the plate. On a 3-1 pitch, Torre rose to the occasion with a single up the middle to score Carbo and complete the cycle. He clapped his hands in celebration on his way to first base.[4]

“I was pressing like crazy for the single,” he said.[5]

Simmons followed with an RBI double, and Reitz added a two-run single to make the final score 15-4.

In addition to Torre’s four hits, three RBIs, and four runs scored, Reitz finished the day with four hits and two RBIs. Simmons went 3-for-4 with two doubles and five RBIs, and Brock and Cruz each had three hits. Every player in the starting lineup had a hit, and the Cardinals finished with nine extra-base hits – six doubles, Torre’s triple, and two home runs.

“The trick tonight was figuring out who hit the game-winning RBI,” said Tim McCarver, who sat while Simmons handled the catching duties. “That’d take a mathematician, wouldn’t it?”[6]

With the loss, the last-place Pirates fell to 31-39 on the season.

“If it has been unfair before now to refer to Pirate pitching as a travesty, the ban is henceforth lifted,” Jeff Samuels wrote in The Pittsburgh Press.[7]

“Do I have any ideas how to straighten things out?” Pirates manager Bill Virdon asked in response to a reporter’s question. “I don’t know what the hell they would be. What do you do with pitching like this? You just keep running ’em out there.”[8]

Cleveland pitched all nine innings for the Cardinals, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five.

Torre was named to his ninth and final All-Star Game that summer and finished the year with a .287 batting average, 13 homers, and 69 RBIs. Following the 1974 season, the Brooklyn native was traded to the Mets for Tommy Moore and Ray Sadecki and played his final three seasons in New York. Torre retired with a career .297 batting average, totaling 252 home runs, 996 runs scored, and 1,185 RBIs before embarking on a managerial career that brought him back to St. Louis from 1990 until 1995.

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[1] Jeff Samuels, “Bucs Lambasted, 15-4,” The Pittsburgh Press, June 28, 1973.

[2] Neal Russo, “Torre’s Cycle Powers Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 28, 1973.

[3] Neal Russo, “Torre’s Cycle Powers Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 28, 1973.

[4] Jeff Samuels, “Bucs Lambasted, 15-4,” The Pittsburgh Press, June 28, 1973.

[5] Neal Russo, “Torre’s Cycle Powers Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 28, 1973.

[6] Charley Feeney, “Cards Stagger Limp Bucs, 15-4,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 28, 1973.

[7] Jeff Samuels, “Bucs Lambasted, 15-4,” The Pittsburgh Press, June 28, 1973.

[8] Jeff Samuels, “Bucs Lambasted, 15-4,” The Pittsburgh Press, June 28, 1973.

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