On May 21, 1985, the rookie outfielder hit his first career homer, Willie McGee stole three bases, and Ricky Horton threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to lift the Cardinals to a 6-3 win over the Braves.

The Cardinals had gotten off to a slow start to the season, and their 14-0 March 20 win over the Braves in the series opener only improved their record to 17-19. Though the Cardinals were intrigued by what Coleman could bring to their offense, they didn’t bring him up to the major league club to start the season, instead opting to send him to Louisville to get playing time.

When McGee and Tito Landrum both went down with injuries just seven games into the season, however, Coleman was called up and immediately made an impact. By the time he and the Cardinals faced the Braves on May 21 in a matchup that pitted the Cardinals’ 6-foot-4, 235-pound right-hander Danny Cox against the Braves’ 6-foot-5, 225-pound Len Barker, Coleman already had stolen 28 bases, including two in his major-league debut and two more in the first game of the Braves series.

This time, however, though the Cardinals stole four bases in the game, Coleman made his impact with the bat.

After Coleman led off the game with a walk, McGee scored him on a groundout and Jack Clark added a sacrifice fly to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

In the second, Atlanta first baseman Bob Horner turned on a high fastball and hit it 20 rows into the left-field seats[1] to cut the Cardinals’ lead in half.

One inning later, with the Braves shading him the opposite way, Coleman pulled a drive off the right-field wall. Atlanta right fielder Claudell Washington leaped for the ball but missed, and by the time he recovered, Coleman had raced around the bases. He crossed the plate standing up.

“I was surprised. I thought it was going to be caught at the warning track,” Coleman said. “Then I thought I was just going to get a triple, but I watched (third base coach Hal Lanier), and he was waving me home. I’ve got some pop. I didn’t know I had that much power.”[2]

It was just Coleman’s fourth home run in 1,382 previous professional at-bats, and his first inside-the-park homer.[3]

“I thought if the ball came off the wall and headed towards (Dale) Murphy that he had a chance,” Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog said, “but as soon as it hit the ball and rolled, I knew he had one inside the park.”[4]

Catcher Tom Nieto hit an RBI single in the fourth, but Horner hit a two-run homer approximately 450 feet off a screen protecting the left-center field scoreboard,[5] reducing the Cardinals’ lead to 4-3.

“I hit them pretty good, didn’t I?” Horner said. “Those were two fastballs. I hit them hard, and that’s what I’m supposed to do.”[6]

After Cox allowed a single to Terry Harper and walked Glenn Hubbard, Herzog turned to Horton to record the final two outs of the sixth inning. When Horton struck out Albert Hall and got Washington to ground out with the bases loaded, he had inherited 14 baserunners that season without allowing any to score.

Horton followed with a scoreless seventh inning before the Cardinals added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the frame. With Andy Van Slyke coming to the plate with the bases loaded, Braves manager Eddie Haas inserted left-handed pitcher Terry Forster.

Herzog countered with Tom Herr, who was out of the starting lineup with a mild hamstring injury. In his first pinch-hit appearance of the season, Herr came through with a two-run single that gave the Cardinals a 6-3 lead.

“I was very nervous up there,” Herr said. “I’m usually in the flow of the game. You don’t have much time to get ready as a pinch-hitter.”[7]

From there, the game was in Horton’s hands. After retiring the side in order in the eighth, Horton worked around a two-out single by Gerald Perry to earn the save. With the scoreless appearance, Horton’s ERA fell to 0.45. As St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter Rick Hummel helpfully noted, Horton’s ERA was now lower than his career batting average of .058.

“If my ERA is under my batting average, I’ll be happy for the rest of my life,” Horton said. “I don’t think I’ll be a .200 or .300 hitter.”[8]

Horton, who started 18 games in 1984, said he enjoyed pitching in relief.

“It’s kind of a new challenge,” he said. “It’s taken some adjustments, but everybody in the bullpen has helped me as far as when to get up and when not to throw. All it can do is increase my value as a pitcher if I can start and relieve.”[9]

Horton went on to post a 2.91 ERA in 89 2/3 innings, helping the Cardinals win the National League pennant.

Coleman was even more impressive, stealing a league-high 110 bases and scoring 107 runs on his way to Rookie of the Year honors. His injury when Busch Stadium’s automated tarp ran over his legs prior to Game 3 of the NLCS was a blow to the Cardinals’ offense. Though St. Louis defeated Los Angeles in the NLCS, the Royals beat the Cardinals in a seven-game World Series.

Coleman was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2018.

Give the gift of Cardinals history! The Trades That Made The St. Louis Cardinals is now available on Amazon.

[1] Rick Hummel, “Horton Slams Door On Braves,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1985.

[2] Rick Hummel, “Horton Slams Door On Braves,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1985.

[3] Gerry Fraley, “Speed of Cardinals beats power of Braves’ Horner, Atlanta Constitution-Journal, May 22, 1985.

[4] Joe Mueller, “Familiar heroes spark Cards,” Belleville News-Democrat, May 22, 1985.

[5] Rick Hummel, “Horton Slams Door On Braves,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1985.

[6] Rick Hummel, “Horton Slams Door On Braves,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1985.

[7] Rick Hummel, “Horton Slams Door On Braves,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1985.

[8] Rick Hummel, “Horton Slams Door On Braves,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1985.

[9] Rick Hummel, “Horton Slams Door On Braves,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1985.

The post Vince Coleman hits his first career home run: May 21, 1985 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

He had no idea that day would come just 8 ½ months later.

“You talk about a man with a future,” Herzog said following a March spring training game in which Coleman had two hits, including a two-run triple. “If the circumstances were right, we could take him and put him out there and he’d probably be Rookie of the Year.”^[1]

Two years earlier, Coleman had set a new professional baseball stolen base record with 145 thefts in the South Atlantic League. In 1984, he stole 101 bases at Triple-A Louisville, inspiring director of player personnel Lee Thomas^[2] and then-general manager Joe McDonald^[3] to compare him to Lou Brock.

Despite Herzog’s prediction, Coleman didn’t make the Cardinals’ opening-day roster. With Lonnie Smith, Willie McGee, and Tito Landrum in the starting lineup, the Cardinals deemed it best for Coleman to continue to develop in Triple-A.

Just a few days into the season, however, Landrum suffered a pulled abdominal muscle. Then McGee was pulled from the lineup with a strained left thigh muscle. Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill called Coleman up to St. Louis, then called him into his office.

“Look Vince,” he said. “You’ve had a nice spring, but I want you to realize, right now, that you’re only going to be with us for about a week and then you’ll be sent to Louisville.”

“Yes, Mr. Maxvill, I understand,” Coleman replied politely, “but I want you to know that I’m going to be here the whole year.”

Maxvill smiled and praised Coleman’s confidence before pointing out once again that once McGee returned from injury, Coleman would be back in the minors.

“Yes, Mr. Maxvill, I understand,” Coleman said again, “but I want you to know I’m going to be here the whole year.”^[4]

In his major-league debut on April 18, Coleman singled, walked, and stole the first two bases of his career. He was off to the races.

In 151 games, Coleman batted .267 and stole a rookie record 110 bases. His 107 runs scored were the most by a National League rookie since Richie Allen scored 125 in 1964.^[5]

“Things just seemed to click when we brought Vince Coleman up,” said Tom Herr, who drove in a career-high 110 runs that season. “Before, we were kind of experimenting. With a natural leadoff hitter like Vince, and a guy like Willie McGee hitting behind him, it was like a smorgasbord for me all year long.”^[6]

With Coleman in the leadoff spot, the Cardinals won 101 games to claim the National League East crown. In the National League Championship Series, Coleman went 2-for-5 in Game 2, then added two more hits, two runs scored, and a stolen base in Game 3.

Prior to Game 4, however, Coleman’s postseason came to an abrupt halt when Busch Stadium’s automated tarp ran over his legs. Though the Cardinals initially were optimistic, a series of tests taken the day after St. Louis won Game 2 of the World Series showed a “bone flake” that had been torn from the rest of the bone. Coleman’s season was over.[7]

Without their star leadoff hitter, the Cardinals lost the Series in seven games.

“He was the catalyst of this team,” Herzog said. “Nobody saw the real St. Louis Cardinals in this series. We didn’t get into our game plan at all.”^[8]

 “It would have been different just because I would have been playing,” Coleman said. “Our team had become accustomed to me leading off all season. Then Willie had to lead off, and he wasn’t used to it. Then Ozzie (Smith) did it, and he wasn’t used to it. I can’t say whether we would have won or not if I had played, but I think we’ll bounce back next year. We’ll have the same personnel.”^[9]

On November 27, the Baseball Writers Association of America made Coleman the first unanimous rookie of the year since the Giants’ Willie McCovey in 1959. Coleman was the fourth unanimous rookie of the year in National League history, following the Reds’ Frank Robinson in 1956 and the Giants’ Orlando Cepeda in 1958.

Coleman also was the fourth Cardinal to win rookie of the year honors, joining Wally Moon (1954), Bill Virdon (1955), and Bake McBride (1974).

“This will be something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” Coleman said. “At the end of my career, I’ll be able to look back at my rookie year and remember that I began the season at Louisville and worked hard to get to St. Louis and then won Rookie of the Year. That can only happen once for you, so I’ll cherish it forever.”^[10]

Reds pitcher Tom Browning received all 24 second-place votes, while Dodgers shortstop Mariano Duncan placed third.

“Vince is deserving,” Herzog said. “He’s one of the great all-time rookies, with his 110 stolen bases and the way he played in the outfield and the impact he had on our club.”[11]

Coleman said he was due to run again just a few days after winning the award.

“My leg is in great shape. I’m ready to race,” he said.[12]

Over six seasons, Coleman stole 549 bases for the Cardinals. Across his 13-year major league career, Coleman stole 752 bases. He retired with a .264 career batting average and .324 on-base percentage. In 2018, he was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame.

“You don’t know how happy I am to be inducted to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame,” Coleman said. “It’s a great organization. It’s a great city, and once you have worn a Cardinal uniform, you feel like royalty. I never knew what it was like to be loved by a city until I played here in St. Louis.”[13]

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[1] Rick Hummel, “Kepshire Optimistic On Cards’ Pitchers,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 13, 1985: E4.

[2] Rick Hummel, “Redbirds High On Coleman,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 4, 1984.

[3] Rick Hummel, “Birds Complete Hendrick-Tudor Deal With Bucs,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 13, 1984.

[4] Doug Feldmann, Fleeter Than Birds: The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals and Small Ball’s Last Hurrah, Jefferson, N.C.; McFarland & Company, Inc., 44-45.

[5] John Sonderegger, “ConVincing,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 28, 1985.

[6] John Sonderegger, “ConVincing,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 28, 1985.

[7] Rick Hummel, “Coleman Sidelined For Series,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 22, 1985.

[8] John Sonderegger, “ConVincing,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 28, 1985.

[9] John Sonderegger, “ConVincing,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 28, 1985.

[10] John Sonderegger, “ConVincing,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 28, 1985.

[11] John Sonderegger, “ConVincing,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 28, 1985.

[12] John Sonderegger, “ConVincing,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 28, 1985.

[13] Jennifer Langosch, “Trio inducted into Cardinals Hall of Fame,” https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-induct-three-into-hall-of-fame-c290895094, August 18, 2018.

The post Vince Coleman is named 1985 Rookie of the Year first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

McGee’s penchant for avoiding the spotlight never wavered, even after he was voted the National League MVP on November 18, 1985.

“I’m not going to look at it as making me a better person or another person,” said McGee, whose father Hurdice spent four decades as a machinist at the Oakland Naval Yard and worked additional jobs to make ends meet, including stints as a janitor.^[2] “I’m going to come out next year and just try to do better. Hopefully, I’m not going to let it affect my life.”^[3]

McGee’s .353 batting average that season won the National League batting title, easily eclipsing the .320 average shared by the Dodgers’ Pedro Guerrero and the Expos’ Tim Raines. He also posted league highs in hits (216) and triples (18) while adding 10 homers, 82 RBIs, and 56 stolen bases. Along the way, McGee went on two 11-game hit streaks and combined with Vince Coleman to set a record for the most stolen bases in a season by two teammates (166).

His breakout season – and 17 game-winning RBIs – were a big reason why the Cardinals won the National League pennant that season.

McGee’s batting average was the highest by a switch hitter in National League history, beating the .348 averages posted by Frankie Frisch with the Giants in 1923 and Pete Rose with the Reds in 1969. He became the fourth switch hitter to win the NL MVP, joining Rose, Maury Wills, and Frisch. ^[4]

“I don’t know what I’m capable of doing, but this gives me an idea,” McGee said. “If someone asked me at the start of the year if this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have thought I was at that stage yet.”^[5]

McGee’s accolade marked the 17^th time a Cardinal had won the MVP Award. Previous award winners included Rogers Hornsby, 1925; Bob O’Farrell, 1926; Jim Bottomley, 1928; Frisch, 1931; Dizzy Dean, 1934; Joe Medwick, 1937; Mort Cooper, 1942; Stan Musial in 1946, 1946, and 1948; Marty Marion, 1948; Ken Boyer, 1964; Orlando Cepeda, 1967; Bob Gibson, 1968; Joe Torre, 1971; and Keith Hernandez, 1979.

“The award shows that I put everything together,” McGee said. “Everything I did worked.”^[6]

McGee received 14 of 24 first-place votes to finish with 280 points. The Reds’ Dave Parker placed second with six first-place votes and 220 points. The Cardinals’ Tom Herr placed fifth, John Tudor finished ninth, Jack Clark was 10^th, and Vince Coleman was 11^th. Ozzie Smith also received five points in the voting.

“It would be interesting to me, if the St. Louis Cardinals took a 25-man vote, who they would pick as their most valuable player – Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, Tommy Herr, or Jack Clark,” said Rose, Parker’s manager in Cincinnati. “Not to take anything away from Willie McGee because he had a great year, but I think the Cardinals still would have done well without him in the lineup. But we could not have done the job we did if Dave Parker would have been out for any length of time.”

Parker finished the year with a .312 batting average, 34 homers, and 125 RBIs. Guerrero, who placed third in the voting, hit .320 with 33 homers and 87 RBIs and Dwight Gooden placed fourth after going 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA and 268 strikeouts over 276 2/3 innings.

“With the type of year he had, Willie should have been a unanimous choice for MVP,” Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog said. “He keeps working at it. He’s never satisfied. He’s a very humble young man and he wants to do better.”^[7]

With Coleman batting leadoff and stealing 110 bases, McGee batting second, Herr batting third and driving in 110 runs, and Clark batting cleanup and hitting 22 home runs, the Cardinals’ first four hitters each finished in the top 11 in the MVP voting.

“He was definitely a plus,” McGee said of batting behind Coleman. “Just like Vince helped me, I helped Tommy Herr and Tommy helped Jack Clark. But also I helped Vince Coleman a lot too. I think I put myself in the hole a lot by taking a lot of first pitches.”^[8]

McGee also gave credit to Smith, who welcomed McGee into his home when McGee first came up to the big leagues.

“He led me right,” McGee said of Smith. “He made my transition to the big leagues a lot easier. I wasn’t going into anything blind. Ozzie definitely was the biggest contributor in my career.”^[9]

“I told you in spring training that he was ready to blossom,” Smith said. “I knew the only thing that would hold him back were injuries.”^[10]

McGee’s 1985 season proved to be the best of his career, as he posted highs in batting average, hits, runs, triples, and stolen bases. In 1990, he won a second batting title, hitting .335 with the Cardinals before he was traded to the Athletics.

“Willie should hit for a high average most of his life,” Herzog said after McGee was named MVP. “I would say that for the next five, six, seven years that he should hit .330 all the time. If you put him in another ballpark, he’d probably hit 15 home runs, but I’d rather have him hit 10 home runs and 20 triples.”^[11]

“I’d rather be known as an all-around player who can help a team win in several different ways, not just a one-dimensional player like a home run hitter,” McGee said.^[12]

As McGee played through his age-40 season, he remained a multi-dimensional player. Through 18 seasons, he compiled 2,254 hits, a .295 batting average, and 352 stolen bases. Along the way, he was selected for four all-star games and won three Gold Glove Awards.

“He could do everything,” Bob Forsch said, “and he never said anything boastful. It was like he was surprised he was that good.”[13]

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[1] Gregorian, Vahe. “The Humble Hero.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 16 Aug. 1998.

[2] Gregorian, Vahe. “The Humble Hero.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 16 Aug. 1998.

[3] Rick Hummel, “McGee is 17^th MVP For Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 1985.

[4] Rick Hummel, “McGee is 17^th MVP For Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 1985.

[5] Ross McKeon, “McGee takes it in stride,” San Francisco Examiner, November 19, 1985.

[6] Rick Hummel, “McGee is 17^th MVP For Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 1985.

[7] Rick Hummel, “McGee is 17^th MVP For Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 1985.

[8] Rick Hummel, “McGee is 17^th MVP For Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 1985.

[9] Rick Hummel, “McGee is 17^th MVP For Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 1985.

[10] Rick Hummel, “McGee is 17^th MVP For Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 1985.

[11] Rick Hummel, “McGee is 17^th MVP For Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 19, 1985.

[12] Ross McKeon, “McGee takes it in stride,” San Francisco Examiner, November 19, 1985.

[13] Rob Rains and Alvin A. Reid (2002), Whitey’s Boys: A Celebration of the ’82 Cards World Championship, Chicago; Triumph Books, 76.

The post How Willie McGee was named 1985 National League MVP first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Unfortunately, the same rule didn’t apply to the Busch Stadium tarp.

The Cardinals initially didn’t plan for Coleman to break their starting lineup in 1985. Coleman went just 4-for-29 in spring training[1] and was optioned to Triple-A Louisville to open the season. However, outfielders Willie McGee and Tito Landrum each suffered injuries that month, prompting the Cardinals to call the speedster up to the majors.

Upon Coleman’s arrival, general manager Dal Maxvill met with Coleman to be sure the rookie had realistic expectations about his role.

“Look, Vince, you’ve had a nice spring, but I want you to realize, right now, that you’re only going to be with us for about a week, and then you’ll be sent to Louisville,” Maxvill began.

Coleman nodded. “Yes, Mr. Maxvill, I understand, but I want you to know that I’m going to be here the whole year.”

Maxvill smiled. “That’s great, Vince. I want you to have all the confidence in the world, but you have to understand that once McGee is healthy, you’ll be sent back down to Louisville.”

Once again, Coleman nodded. “Yes, Mr. Maxvill,” he said. “I understand, but I want you to know I’m going to be here the whole year.”[2]

Coleman proved to be right. In his major-league debut on April 18, Coleman went 1-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases. That proved just the beginning of a season in which Coleman stole 110 bases, breaking Juan Samuel’s rookie record of 72.

With Coleman setting the basepaths on fire, the Cardinals won 101 games on their way to the National League East championship.

“Things just seemed to click when we brought Vince Coleman up,” said Tom Herr, who posted a career-high 110 RBIs that season. “Before, we were kind of experimenting. With a natural leadoff hitter like Vince, and a guy like Willie McGee hitting behind him, it was like a smorgasbord for me all year long.”[3]

Ahead of the National League Championship Series, Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, whose team went 95-67 en route to the National League West title, was asked how he planned to contain Coleman.

“Fake a throw to second, and then try to catch him going to third,” he joked.[4]

Coleman went 0-for-4 in the first game, a 4-1 Dodgers victory, then went 2-for-5 with an RBI as the Dodgers won Game 2. In Game 3, Coleman again went 2-for-5, this time stealing a base and scoring twice. It proved to be his final game of the season.

Before Game 4, a light rain began to fall. As Coleman and other players gathered their equipment, the grounds crew began to use an electronic machine to unroll the tarp. As Ozzie Smith described the scene in his autobiography:

Vince was standing right at the edge of the tarp. He turned to toss his glove to somebody who was headed into the dugout, and just as he turned, his foot slipped on the wet Astroturf, he fell, and the tarp rolled over his foot and started up his leg. Vince panicked, as anyone in that situation would, and everybody else kind of froze. Finally, we sprang into action and got the guy controlling the tarp, who was down beyond first base, to shut the thing off. But in order to reverse the tarp, he had to go back over Vince’s leg. Vince was in a lot of pain, and nobody really knew what to do.[5]

Cardinals spokesperson Jim Toomey estimated that the tarp and cylinder weighed approximately 1,200 pounds spread out across their 180-foot width.^[6]

“I wouldn’t wish what happened to me on my worst enemy,” Coleman said.

“When I went home, I dreamed about it, and the dream was that the tarp went over my head.”[7]

As the Cardinals’ medical staff assessed Coleman, manager Whitey Herzog called Coleman’s mother at her home in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Are you sure that I don’t need to come up there?” Mrs. Coleman asked.

“No,” Herzog answered. “We’ve got Willie and Ozzie to mother him.”[8]

Dr. Stan London, the Cardinals’ team doctor, initially was optimistic. Preliminary x-rays showed no fractures, and while Coleman’s legs had suffered cuts and were tender, the initial diagnosis was that there was no structural damage.

“He could play if everything checked out tomorrow in the same fashion,” London said. “That would be contingent on how he was feeling.”[9]

Coleman, however, did not feel well enough to play. The Cardinals won each of the NLCS games they played without him to win the series in six games. When Jack Clark hit a three-run, ninth-inning home run to lift the Cardinals to a 7-5 victory in Game 6, Coleman discarded his crutches and was right behind pitcher Joaquin Andujar, the second person to greet Clark at home plate.[10]

The day after the Cardinals won Game 2 of the World Series to take a two-game lead over the Royals, London conducted a new series of tests on Coleman using a more sensitive film.

“It’s really a very small 1- by 3-millimeter bone flake that’s pulled off,” London said. “It’s not a significant injury, except for the extreme pain, but it should heal, and I would not anticipate it causing him any problems.”[11]

Nonetheless, Coleman’s season was over. The Cardinals petitioned Commissioner Peter Ueberroth’s office for a special allowance to replace Coleman on the roster, but Major League Baseball denied the request.[12]

Kansas City won four of the final five games of the World Series to capture the championship. Though Don Denkinger’s missed call in Game 6 drew most of the media attention, questions remained regarding the impact Coleman could have made in the series.

“We were spinning our wheels until Vince got here this year,” Herzog said ahead of Game 6. “Everybody talked about how well our first four (hitters) complemented each other this year, and they’re right.”[13]

First baseman and outfielder Cesar Cedeno, who joined the club in July, grew frustrated with the questions about Coleman’s absence from the lineup.

“You want to talk about the offense, we’ll talk, but don’t bring up Vince,” he said. “Every time we lose a game, you bring up Vince. We won (six of eight games) with him out. I know you’ve got to make news. We obviously miss him. But we’re still winning the Series.”[14]

At the St. Louis chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America annual dinner in February, Herzog pointed out that outside of Game 6, the Cardinals’ losses were too lopsided for Coleman to have made a difference in the outcome.

“The bottom line was that we hit .168 in the Series,” Herzog said. “In the other three games that we lost, we were outscored 23-2. Vince Coleman wasn’t going to drive in 24 runs for us.”[15]

In his book White Rat: A Life in Baseball, published in 1987, Herzog wrote, “My biggest regret was that the people who watched the World Series didn’t see the true St. Louis Cardinals. We just didn’t play our brand of baseball. Coleman’s injury took the flash out of our offense.”[16]

In January, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Coleman’s injury had healed “a week or 10 days after the World Series had ended,” and he was looking forward to the 1986 season.

“Right now it feels like it’s brand new,” Coleman said. “It’s 100% healthy.”[17]

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[1] Rick Hummel, “Coleman Knows His Job’s A Steal,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 30, 1985.

[2] Doug Feldmann (2002), Fleeter Than Birds: The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals and Small Ball’s Last Hurrah, McFarland Publishing, Pages 44-45.

[3] John Sonderegger, “ConVincing,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 28, 1985.

[4] Doug Feldmann (2002), Fleeter Than Birds: The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals and Small Ball’s Last Hurrah, McFarland Publishing, Page 156.

[5] Ozzie Smith and Rob Rains (1988), Wizard, Contemporary Books, Page 128.

[6] Rick Hummel, “Close Call,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 14, 1985.

[7] Rick Hummel, “Nobody At Fault Except Himself, Coleman Says,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 15, 1985.

[8] Doug Feldmann (2002), Fleeter Than Birds: The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals and Small Ball’s Last Hurrah, McFarland Publishing, Page 160.

[9] Rick Hummel, “Close Call,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 14, 1985.

[10] “Coleman Ready To Play In World Series Opener,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 18, 1985.

[11] Rick Hummel, “Coleman Sidelined For Series,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 22, 1985.

[12] Doug Feldmann (2002), Fleeter Than Birds: The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals and Small Ball’s Last Hurrah, McFarland Publishing, Page 177.

[13] Mike Smith, “Royals’ Pitching Stifles Cards’ Bats,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 26, 1985.

[14] Mike Smith, “Royals’ Pitching Stifles Cards’ Bats,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 26, 1985.

[15] Cathie Burnes, “Herzog At Dinner: No Excuses,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 5, 1986.

[16] Whitey Herzog and Kevin Horrigan (1987), White Rat: A Life in Baseball, NY H&R, Page 182.

[17] Rick Hummel, “Coleman On Injured Leg: ‘It Feels Like Brand New,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 25, 1986.

The post Vince Coleman tarp incident ends his 1985 season first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Upon joining the Cardinals’ farm system, the 26^th-round 1968 draft pick played third base and outfield, but failed to rise above Class A. In 1970, the Cardinals converted him to a pitcher, and in 1974 he made his major-league debut.

Heading into the match-up against the last-place Pirates, Forsch already had 11 wins with a 2.62 ERA. Forsch and the Cardinals matched up against Pittsburgh right-hander Mike Bielecki, a former first-round draft pick out of Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. In two previous games against the Cardinals that season, Bielecki held the Cardinals to just two earned runs over 14 innings, though he received no decision in either start.

The Cardinals used their speed to get on the scoreboard in the first inning. Bielecki walked Vince Coleman to lead off the inning. Coleman – who stole four bases on the day – swiped second, then advanced to third when Curt Ford grounded out to second base. Tom Herr’s sacrifice fly to center field scored Coleman and gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

Forsch held the lead through five innings, allowing just a third-inning walk to Bielecki.

“That’s as good as I’ve seen him,” Cardinals catcher Mike LaValliere said. “He had great location on his fastball and he was getting his sinker down and away to the lefthanders. He was outstanding.”[1]

In the bottom of the fifth, Bielecki walked Clint Hurdle and allowed singles to LaValliere and Jose Oquendo. With the bases loaded, Forsch hit the ball into the left-field bleachers, becoming the seventh pitcher in Cardinals history to hit a grand slam.

“Bielecki lost the whole concept of what pitching is about in that inning,” Pirates manager Jim Leyland said. “He had been throwing strike, strike, strike. Then he walks Hurdle … You’d think he was pitching to Babe Ruth.”[2]

With the grand slam, Forsch joined Mike O’Neill (1902), Curt Davis (1938), Bob Gibson (1965 and 1973), Rick Wise (1973), and Joaquin Andujar (1984). It was the ninth home run of Forsch’s career, tops among active National League pitchers and trailing only Boston’s Tom Seaver among major-league hurlers. Seaver had 12 career home runs.[3]

After Forsch returned to the dugout, the crowd of 36,286 continued to cheer until their hero climbed back up the dugout steps for a curtain call.

“I understand what the fans wanted me to do, but I didn’t want it to look like I was showing up the pitcher,” Forsch said. “I’ve seen hitters do that kind of thing, but I’m a pitcher first and I’ve thrown some long balls.”[4]

The Pirates ended Forsch’s no-hit bid in the top of the sixth as Joe Orsulak entered the game as a pinch hitter for Bielecki and doubled to left field. The next batter, U L Washington, singled up the middle to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 5-1.

Forsch retired the side in order in the seventh, but ran into trouble in the eighth as Junior Ortiz and Johnny Ray each singled. Benny Destefano scored Ortiz on a sacrifice fly, and after Forsch walked Washington, Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog turned to left-hander Ricky Horton to face rookie outfielder Bobby Bonilla. Bonilla doubled to left field, scoring Ray and Washington. Suddenly, the Cardinals led just 5-4. Forsch was credited with all four runs.

“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “All of a sudden I just started missing on my pitches, and the Pirates are tough. They keep coming at you.”[5]

With no room for error, Herzog inserted rookie closer Todd Worrell. After a passed ball allowed Bonilla to advance to third, Worrell retired the next two batters to end the inning.

Worrell worked around a one-out double by Jim Morrison to throw a scoreless ninth inning and record his 24^th save of the season, a new rookie record.

“I had to work for it but I’m getting these saves because of the defense this team plays,” said Worrell, who had a bottle of champagne sitting next to his locker when reporters arrived. “Tommy Herr made a great play up the middle today and that really saved the game.”[6]

The win was Forsch’s 12^th of the season and marked the first time in his career he had won six consecutive starts. He finished the year with 14 wins and a 3.25 ERA. The following year, Forsch earned the Silver Slugger Award as the National League’s top-hitting pitcher. He retired after the 1989 season with 168 wins over his 16-year career.

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[1] John Sonderegger, “Forsch-ful,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 11, 1986.

[2] Charley Feeney, “St. Louis pitchers batter Pirates, 5-4,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 11, 1986.

[3] John Sonderegger, “Forsch-ful,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 11, 1986.

[4] Charley Feeney, “St. Louis pitchers batter Pirates, 5-4,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 11, 1986.

[5] John Sonderegger, “Forsch-ful,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 11, 1986.

[6] John Sonderegger, “Forsch-ful,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 11, 1986.

The post Bob Forsch hits a grand slam: August 10, 1986 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Coleman had been attracting headlines for two years, ever since setting a new professional baseball record for stolen bases with 145 in the South Atlantic League in 1983. He added 101 more stolen bases for the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate in Louisville in 1984, and impressed the Cardinals so much that director of player personnel Lee Thomas[1] and then-general manager Joe McDonald[2] each compared Coleman to Lou Brock before he ever stepped foot in a major league game.

“You talk about a man with a future,” Herzog said following a spring training game in which Coleman had two hits, including a two-run triple. “If the circumstances were right, we could take him and put him out there, and he’d probably be Rookie of the Year.”[3]

Just a few days into the 1985 season, the circumstances were right. When Landrum pulled an abdominal muscle, Herzog planned to go with just 24 players until relief pitcher Jeff Lahti could return from the disabled list.[4] However, after McGee went down with a strained muscle in his left thigh, Herzog found himself short of outfielders.

Coleman was just 3-for-22 at Louisville, but the Cardinals were in need of a spark after winning two of their first seven games. New Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill called Coleman up to St. Louis and into his office for a meeting. He wanted his speedy new outfielder to understand that once the Cardinals got healthy again, he shouldn’t be disappointed when he returned to the minor leagues for additional seasoning.

“Look Vince,” he said. “You’ve had a nice spring, but I want you to realize, right now, that you’re only going to be with us for about a week and then you’ll be sent to Louisville.”

“Yes, Mr. Maxvill, I understand,” Coleman replied politely, “but I want you to know that I’m going to be here the whole year.”

Maxvill smiled and praised Coleman’s confidence before pointing out once again that once McGee returned from injury, Coleman would be back in the minors.

“Yes, Mr. Maxvill, I understand,” Coleman said again, “but I want you to know I’m going to be here the whole year.”[5]

Coleman arrived in time for the Cardinals’ 2-1 loss to the Expos on April 17, 1985, but Herzog didn’t use him. Instead, Coleman made his debut as the Cardinals’ center fielder and leadoff hitter the following day.

The Expos opened the game playing the same style of baseball that the Cardinals had popularized en route to the 1982 World Series championship. Tim Raines led off with a single, then stole second before Herm Winningham singled him home.

In the Cardinals’ half of the first, Coleman wasted no time, hitting the first pitch he saw to Expos shortstop Hubie Brooks, who threw him out.

“Sure, I was nervous, but only when I batted the first time,” Coleman said after the game. “Once I got that out of the way, I was all right, and I was ready to go.”[6]

An RBI double by Vance Law made it 2-0 Expos by the time Coleman came up in the third. Ozzie Smith led off the inning with a single, and Cardinals pitcher Kurt Kepshire laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance him to second base. Coleman singled into left field to advance Smith to third, then stole second before Terry Pendleton walked. Tom Herr hit a sacrifice fly to Winningham in center field to score Smith and cut the Expos’ lead to 2-1.

That proved to be the closest St. Louis would get. After retiring Dan Driessen for the first out of the fourth inning, Kepshire allowed an RBI single to Law, Mike Fitzgerald broke the game open with a two-run double. With two outs and Ken Dayley now pitching for the Cardinals, Winningham added an RBI single to give the Expos a 6-1 lead.

Steve Rogers held the Cardinals to just five hits in a complete-game effort and even tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning with an RBI single off Andy Hassler.

“I mixed in all of my pitches over the nine innings,” Rogers said. “The last couple of innings, I used the forkball as a change-up.”[7]

Rogers walked four batters in the game, including Coleman in the sixth. Coleman then stole second base before Pendleton struck out and Herr flied out to end the inning.

While the 7-1 loss dropped the Cardinals to 2-6 on the young season, Coleman drew rave reviews for his performance.

“He gets a great jump, and his acceleration is unreal,” Expos coach Russ Nixon said. “He’s faster than Brock, although Lou made base stealing a science. Once Coleman gets it all together, the throw is going to have to be perfect if you’re going to get him at all.”[8]

Said Herzog, “George Kissell has helped with most of the young Cardinal players for over 40 years, and he said that Coleman works harder than any player he has handled. Now that’s a great compliment.”[9]

That hard work paid off for Coleman and the Cardinals in 1985. True to Coleman’s predictions, he stayed in the big leagues the remainder of the season. Herzog’s spring training prediction about Coleman’s potential for winning the Rookie of the Year Award also came true, as Coleman stole 110 bases and captured the prize over Tom Browning of the Reds and Mariano Duncan of the Dodgers. His spark helped the Cardinals reverse their fortunes and capture the National League pennant.

“He’s explosive,” Ozzie Smith said after seeing the rookie’s debut. “He’s going to be a good one.”[10]

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[1] Rick Hummel, “Redbirds High On Coleman,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 4, 1984.

[2] Rick Hummel, “Birds Complete Hendrick-Tudor Deal With Bucs,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 13, 1984.

[3] Rick Hummel, “Kepshire Optimistic On Cards’ Pitchers,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 13, 1985: E4.

[4] Tom Wheatley, “Coleman Express Arrives At Busch,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 18, 1985: D1.

[5] Doug Feldmann, Fleeter Than Birds: The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals and Small Ball’s Last Hurrah, Jefferson, N.C.; McFarland & Company, Inc., 44-45.

[6] Neal Russo, “Expos Give Cards The Business,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 19, 1985: D1.

[7] Brian Kappler, “Rogers goes route as Expos win,” Montreal Gazette, April 19, 1985: D1.

[8] Neal Russo, “Expos Give Cards The Business,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 19, 1985: D1.

[9] Neal Russo, “Expos Give Cards The Business,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 19, 1985: D1.

[10] Neal Russo, “Expos Give Cards The Business,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 19, 1985: D1.

The post Vince Coleman steals two bags in MLB debut: April 18, 1985 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.