St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals National League AAA Memphis Redbirds AA Springfield Cardinals A Palm Beach Cardinals R Johnson City Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are a Major League Baseball team based in Saint Louis, Missouri. They are in the Central Division of the National League. They are the defending champions of the National League.
* In 2001, the Cardinals finished the season with a record of 93-69. The Houston Astros, in the same division as the Cardinals finished with the same record. Since the two teams finished tied in the standings, the league went to a tie breaker to determine who would be the division champion and who would be the National League Wild-Card winner. Since Houston won the season series against the Cardinals, Houston was declared the division champion and St. Louis received a wild card berth. Many St. Louisians were unhappy with this decision and refer to the 2001 Cardinals as "co-division champions," along with Houston. Franchise historyEarly YearsThe team was formed as part of the American Association in 1882 where they enjoyed a four-year dynasty under flamboyant owner Chris von der Ahe. Initially they were known as the "Brown Stockings", which was quickly shortened to "Browns". The Browns squared off against the National League's Chicago White Stockings twice in the early version of the World Series. The Series of 1885 ended in dispute and with no resolution. St. Louis won the 1886 Series outright. The vigorous Chicago-St. Louis rivalry continues to this day. During the mid-1880s, the National League also had a St. Louis entry, the Maroons, which had come in from the Union Association. The Maroons had the misfortune of arriving at the time when the Browns were in their glory, and they soon folded. The Browns joined the National League in 1892 following the bankruptcy of the American Association. They were briefly called the Perfectos in 1899 before settling on their present name, a name reportedly inspired by switching their uniform colors from brown to red. The Cardinals languished for some 40 years after their mid-1880s triumphs, while their crosstown rivals, the American League's version of the Browns, were competitive, though not victorious. The Cardinals became the Browns' tenants in 1920. By the mid-1920s, the Cardinals began to turn their fortunes around, and soon they would become the city's favorite team once again. 1930s and 1940sHighlights from Cardinal history include the 1930s era "Gas House Gang" featuring Dizzy Dean, Joe Medwick, Pepper Martin, and Enos Slaughter. In 1934, Dean and his younger brother, Paul, combined to win 49 games - still a single season record for brothers. Dizzy, whose real name was Jerome Herman Dean, won 30 of them, with Paul (nicknamed "Daffy") contributing 19 wins. Dean's country humor made him a popular favorite, particularly in the rural south and midwest where Cardinals fans were numerous. In the 1940s, the Cardinals dominated the National League, and in 1944 they posted the best record in team history at 105-49. In the World Series they met their crosstown rivals, the St. Louis Browns, in the "trolley car Series". The Cardinals beat the Browns 4 games to 2 to win the 1944 World Series. Outfielder Stan "The Man" Musial led the ’44 team. Known to loyal fans as "Ol' Number 6", Musial spent 23 years in a Cardinal uniform. In 1968, a statue of Musial was constructed outside Busch Stadium. In 1947, the Cardinals (who were effectively the South's only major league team until the 1960s) gained notoriety by attempting to boycott games against the Brooklyn Dodgers to protest the Dodgers' signing of a black player, Jackie Robinson. The alleged ringleader of the boycott was Enos Slaughter. National League president Ford Frick threatened to ban any players who boycotted any games, and the boycott never happened. The Cardinals did not sign a black regular until Curt Flood in 1958. 1960sThe 1960s brought three National League pennants to St. Louis. Hall of Famers such as Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, and Orlando Cepeda led the "Redbirds" to World Series titles in 1964 over the Yankees and in 1967 over the Boston Red Sox. The Cards then lost to the Detroit Tigers in a closely contested 7 game affair in 1968, the last series before baseball adopted a divisional format. 1980sAfter a less-than-successful 1970s, new Cardinal manager Whitey Herzog revived the winning tradition at Busch Stadium. Herzog's brand of baseball, known in St. Louis as "Whiteyball", featured speed on the base paths, sparkling defense, and unconventional roster moves. In his 11 years as Cardinal manager, Herzog won three National League pennants, and a 1982 World Series title. The 1980s era Cardinals included stars Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee (who won two batting titles in a Cardinal uniform), John Tudor, Tom Herr, Jack Clark, Bruce Sutter, Keith Hernandez, Terry Pendleton, and Joaquín Andujar. The 1985 World Series, christened the "I-70 Series" because it featured in-state rival Kansas City, is perhaps the most controversial in Cardinal history. Game 6 of that series featured "The Call". In the 9th inning, umpire Don Denkinger called Royals batter Jorge Orta safe at first base - a call later refuted by instant replay. The Cardinals, leading 1-0 at the time of the play and needing that victory to clinch the title, went on to lose Game 6 and ultimately Game 7 by the score of 11-0 the following night. The Cardinals again won the National League in 1987, losing to Minnesota 4 games to 3 in the World Series. 1990s and beyondThe Cards reached the playoffs 1996, but the Atlanta Braves defeated them for the National League pennant. Mark McGwire broke the single-season home run record while playing with St. Louis in 1998 In 1998 Cardinals' first baseman Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs battled to set the record for most home runs in one season. McGwire broke Roger Maris's 37 year-old record of 61 on September 8 with a low line drive over Busch Stadium's left field fence. McGwire went on to finish with 70, a record that stood until Barry Bonds hit 73 in 2001. In 2000, the Cardinals lost to the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series. In 2001, the Cardinals advanced to the post-season as a "Wild Card" team after posting the second-best record in the National League, but losing the division to the Houston Astros. The eventual World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Cardinals in a five-game playoff series. In 2001, the Cardinals finished the season with a 93-69 record. The Houston Astros, also in the National League Central, finished with an identical record. Since the two teams finished tied in the standings, the league went to a tie breaker to determine the division champion. Since Houston won the season series against the Cardinals, Houston was declared the division champion and St. Louis received a wild card berth. Many St. Louisians were unhappy with this decision and refer to the 2001 Cardinals as "co-division champions," along with Houston. In 2002, the Cardinals won the Central Division and this time defeated the Diamondbacks 3 games to none to reach the NLCS, but lost 4 games to 1 to the San Francisco Giants. The year was also marred with tragedy for the Cardinal family. On June 18, beloved broadcaster Jack Buck passed away at the age of 77. Just ten months earlier, Buck stirred emotions when he addressed the crowd at Busch Stadium when Major League Baseball resumed after the September 11th terrorist attacks. The biggest shock of all came just four days after Buck's passing when ace pitcher Darryl Kile died suddenly of heart failure while in Chicago for a series against the Cubs. In 2004, St. Louis posted the best record in the National League, tallying their most wins since the 1940s and earning home advantage for the NLDS and NLCS. In the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cardinals rolled, winning the series 3-1. Facing off against rival Houston in the NLCS, the Cards took a 2-0 lead, then lost three straight in Houston. Coming home for Game 6, the Cardinals took a 4-3 lead into the 9th inning, but blew it. Jim Edmonds hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 12th to win the game. The next night, Albert Pujols helped St. Louis win Game 7 to clinch the series, and was named MVP. The Cardinals then played the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 World Series, the third time the teams have faced each other in the Fall Classic. However, the spirit and zest of the Cardinals seemed to elude them in this championship series, as the Red Sox retained a leading position through the entire series. The Cardinals also had the misfortune of meeting a Red Sox team that had just made baseball history by taking 4 straight against their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees after losing the first 3 in their ALCS matchup, and the BoSox had major momentum. As TV announcer (and former Cardinal) Tim McCarver said, "They are playing with a world of confidence". And the Cardinals apparently were not. The best demonstration of St. Louis' troubles in the Series: Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds, the normally fearsome 3-4-5 hitters for the Cards, were a dismal 6-for-45 with 1 RBI. The Cardinals were unceremoniously swept by the Sox in four games, with the Sox winning their first World Series championship since 1918 and burying the so-called "Curse of the Bambino." Ironically the last out of the World Series came off of the bat of Edgar Renteria, wearing the number three jersey, the same number worn by Babe Ruth, a.k.a. "The Bambino". Other historical notesFor much of the last half of the 20th century, the legendary broadcaster, Jack Buck, was the voice of the Cardinals, calling play-by-play on St. Louis' KMOX radio. His son Joe Buck took over for Jack as the radio and television announcer for the Cardinals in 1991. Between 1960 and 1987, St. Louis was home to two big-league Cardinals teams, baseball and football. Sports fans and local news coverage got into the habit of saying "the St. Louis Baseball Cardinals" or "the St. Louis Football Cardinals" to distinguish the two. Locals also got into the habit of using "Redbirds" to refer specifically to the baseball team. This nickname had been commonly used decades before the football team came to town. Baseball Hall of Famers
Current 25–man roster (updated on June 12, 2005)
Players of note19th Century
20th Century
Other contributors
Retired numbers
Single Season Records
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Louis Baseball Cardinals" or "the St. While Williams kept writing plays and fiction into the 1980s, none of his later works lived up to the critical reputation of his first hits. Sports fans and local news coverage got into the habit of saying "the St. Streetcar came shortly after Williams's first big success, The Glass Menagerie of 1945. Louis was home to two big-league Cardinals teams, baseball and football. It was also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Marlon Brando), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, Best Director, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, Best Picture, Best Sound, Recording and Best Writing, Screenplay. Between 1960 and 1987, St. The movie won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Karl Malden), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Vivien Leigh), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Kim Hunter), and Best Art Direction -- Set Decoration, Black-and-White. Louis' KMOX radio. His son Joe Buck took over for Jack as the radio and television announcer for the Cardinals in 1991. The actual play's ending is far more ambiguous with a distraught Stella (at having sent off her sister Blanche) mutely allowing herself to be fondled by Stanley. For much of the last half of the 20th century, the legendary broadcaster, Jack Buck, was the voice of the Cardinals, calling play-by-play on St. Censorship of the time called for the end of the film involving Stella's renunciation of Stanley's rape, perhaps to the point of leaving the household. "The Bambino". In 1999 the film, widely regarded a classic, was deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The Cardinals were unceremoniously swept by the Sox in four games, with the Sox winning their first World Series championship since 1918 and burying the so-called "Curse of the Bambino." Ironically the last out of the World Series came off of the bat of Edgar Renteria, wearing the number three jersey, the same number worn by Babe Ruth, a.k.a. In 1951, Elia Kazan directed a movie based on the play; Vivien Leigh replaced Tandy but the other three main characters remained the same. Louis' troubles in the Series: Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds, the normally fearsome 3-4-5 hitters for the Cards, were a dismal 6-for-45 with 1 RBI. Still, she cannot return on the streetcar named Desire because she has only a one-way ticket. The best demonstration of St. It does not give her security. And the Cardinals apparently were not. Her sorrow is that the pleasure brought from desire is only short, just like the streetcar journey. As TV announcer (and former Cardinal) Tim McCarver said, "They are playing with a world of confidence". Blanche has to travel on it to reach Stella's home, the idea being that she has already indulged in desire before she arrives. The Cardinals also had the misfortune of meeting a Red Sox team that had just made baseball history by taking 4 straight against their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees after losing the first 3 in their ALCS matchup, and the BoSox had major momentum. The reference to the streetcar (tram) called Desire is ironic, as well as an accurate piece of New Orleans geography. However, the spirit and zest of the Cardinals seemed to elude them in this championship series, as the Red Sox retained a leading position through the entire series. Blanche and Stanley, together with Arthur Miller's Willy Loman, are among the most recognizable characters in American drama. The Cardinals then played the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 World Series, the third time the teams have faced each other in the Fall Classic. (Of course, she doesn't put it in quite those simple terms -- but this was racy stuff in the 1940s.). Louis win Game 7 to clinch the series, and was named MVP. Stella, the sister, is just as addicted to sex as Blanche and is willing to put up with Stanley's crudity and lack of culture because he is great in bed. The next night, Albert Pujols helped St. After her ancestral southern plantation is "lost" (due to the "epic fornications" of her ancestors), Blanche arrives at her sister's house in the French Quarter of New Orleans where the multicultural setting is a shock to her nerves. Jim Edmonds hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 12th to win the game. Blanche DuBois is a fading Southern belle whose pretensions to virtue and culture only thinly mask her nymphomania and alcoholism. Coming home for Game 6, the Cardinals took a 4-3 lead into the 9th inning, but blew it. Brando's magnetic performance tricked audiences into rooting for Stanley in the opening scenes of the play, effectively implicating them in Stanley's eventual brutality towards Blanche. In the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cardinals rolled, winning the series 3-1. Facing off against rival Houston in the NLCS, the Cards took a 2-0 lead, then lost three straight in Houston. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. Louis posted the best record in the National League, tallying their most wins since the 1940s and earning home advantage for the NLDS and NLCS. The play opened on Broadway on December 3, 1947. In 2004, St. Brando portrayed Stanley with an overt sexuality that made Brando, Stanley, and Tennessee Williams into cultural touchstones. The biggest shock of all came just four days after Buck's passing when ace pitcher Darryl Kile died suddenly of heart failure while in Chicago for a series against the Cubs. The first stage version was produced by Irene Mayer Selznick with Marlon Brando starring as Stanley, Jessica Tandy as Blanche, Kim Hunter as Stella, and Karl Malden as Mitch. Just ten months earlier, Buck stirred emotions when he addressed the crowd at Busch Stadium when Major League Baseball resumed after the September 11th terrorist attacks. A Streetcar Named Desire is a play by Tennessee Williams describing a culture clash between Blanche DuBois—a pretentious, fading relic of the Old South—and Stanley Kowalski, a rising member of the industrial, inner-city immigrant class. On June 18, beloved broadcaster Jack Buck passed away at the age of 77. Tennessee Williams. The year was also marred with tragedy for the Cardinal family. Streetcar. In 2002, the Cardinals won the Central Division and this time defeated the Diamondbacks 3 games to none to reach the NLCS, but lost 4 games to 1 to the San Francisco Giants. Many St. Louisians were unhappy with this decision and refer to the 2001 Cardinals as "co-division champions," along with Houston. Louis received a wild card berth. Since Houston won the season series against the Cardinals, Houston was declared the division champion and St. Since the two teams finished tied in the standings, the league went to a tie breaker to determine the division champion. The Houston Astros, also in the National League Central, finished with an identical record. In 2001, the Cardinals finished the season with a 93-69 record. The eventual World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Cardinals in a five-game playoff series. In 2001, the Cardinals advanced to the post-season as a "Wild Card" team after posting the second-best record in the National League, but losing the division to the Houston Astros. In 2000, the Cardinals lost to the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series. McGwire went on to finish with 70, a record that stood until Barry Bonds hit 73 in 2001. McGwire broke Roger Maris's 37 year-old record of 61 on September 8 with a low line drive over Busch Stadium's left field fence. In 1998 Cardinals' first baseman Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs battled to set the record for most home runs in one season. Louis in 1998. Mark McGwire broke the single-season home run record while playing with St. The Cards reached the playoffs 1996, but the Atlanta Braves defeated them for the National League pennant. The Cardinals again won the National League in 1987, losing to Minnesota 4 games to 3 in the World Series. In the 9th inning, umpire Don Denkinger called Royals batter Jorge Orta safe at first base - a call later refuted by instant replay. The Cardinals, leading 1-0 at the time of the play and needing that victory to clinch the title, went on to lose Game 6 and ultimately Game 7 by the score of 11-0 the following night. The 1985 World Series, christened the "I-70 Series" because it featured in-state rival Kansas City, is perhaps the most controversial in Cardinal history. Game 6 of that series featured "The Call". The 1980s era Cardinals included stars Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee (who won two batting titles in a Cardinal uniform), John Tudor, Tom Herr, Jack Clark, Bruce Sutter, Keith Hernandez, Terry Pendleton, and Joaquín Andujar. In his 11 years as Cardinal manager, Herzog won three National League pennants, and a 1982 World Series title. Herzog's brand of baseball, known in St. Louis as "Whiteyball", featured speed on the base paths, sparkling defense, and unconventional roster moves. After a less-than-successful 1970s, new Cardinal manager Whitey Herzog revived the winning tradition at Busch Stadium. The Cards then lost to the Detroit Tigers in a closely contested 7 game affair in 1968, the last series before baseball adopted a divisional format. Hall of Famers such as Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, and Orlando Cepeda led the "Redbirds" to World Series titles in 1964 over the Yankees and in 1967 over the Boston Red Sox. Louis. The 1960s brought three National League pennants to St. The Cardinals did not sign a black regular until Curt Flood in 1958. National League president Ford Frick threatened to ban any players who boycotted any games, and the boycott never happened. The alleged ringleader of the boycott was Enos Slaughter. In 1947, the Cardinals (who were effectively the South's only major league team until the 1960s) gained notoriety by attempting to boycott games against the Brooklyn Dodgers to protest the Dodgers' signing of a black player, Jackie Robinson. In 1968, a statue of Musial was constructed outside Busch Stadium. Known to loyal fans as "Ol' Number 6", Musial spent 23 years in a Cardinal uniform. Outfielder Stan "The Man" Musial led the ’44 team. The Cardinals beat the Browns 4 games to 2 to win the 1944 World Series. Louis Browns, in the "trolley car Series". In the World Series they met their crosstown rivals, the St. In the 1940s, the Cardinals dominated the National League, and in 1944 they posted the best record in team history at 105-49. Dean's country humor made him a popular favorite, particularly in the rural south and midwest where Cardinals fans were numerous. Dizzy, whose real name was Jerome Herman Dean, won 30 of them, with Paul (nicknamed "Daffy") contributing 19 wins. In 1934, Dean and his younger brother, Paul, combined to win 49 games - still a single season record for brothers. Highlights from Cardinal history include the 1930s era "Gas House Gang" featuring Dizzy Dean, Joe Medwick, Pepper Martin, and Enos Slaughter. By the mid-1920s, the Cardinals began to turn their fortunes around, and soon they would become the city's favorite team once again. The Cardinals became the Browns' tenants in 1920. The Cardinals languished for some 40 years after their mid-1880s triumphs, while their crosstown rivals, the American League's version of the Browns, were competitive, though not victorious. They were briefly called the Perfectos in 1899 before settling on their present name, a name reportedly inspired by switching their uniform colors from brown to red. The Browns joined the National League in 1892 following the bankruptcy of the American Association. The Maroons had the misfortune of arriving at the time when the Browns were in their glory, and they soon folded. Louis entry, the Maroons, which had come in from the Union Association. During the mid-1880s, the National League also had a St. Louis rivalry continues to this day. The vigorous Chicago-St. Louis won the 1886 Series outright. St. The Series of 1885
ended in dispute and with no resolution. The Browns squared off against the
National League's Chicago White Stockings twice in the early version of the
World Series. The team was formed as part of the American Association in 1882 where they enjoyed a
four-year dynasty under flamboyant owner Chris von der Ahe.
Initially they were known as the "Brown Stockings", which was quickly shortened to "Browns". Louisians were unhappy with this decision and refer to the 2001 Cardinals as "co-division champions," along with Houston. Many St. Louis received a wild card berth. Since Houston won the season series against the Cardinals, Houston was declared the division champion and St. Since the two teams finished tied in the standings, the league went to a tie breaker to determine who would be the division champion and who would be the National League Wild-Card winner. The Houston Astros, in the same division as the Cardinals finished with the same record. * In 2001, the Cardinals finished the season with a record of 93-69. They are the defending champions of the National League. They are in the Central Division of the National League. Louis Cardinals are a Major League Baseball team based in Saint Louis, Missouri. The St. Johnson City Cardinals. Palm Beach Cardinals Pitching ERA: 1.12 Bob Gibson (1968). Pitching Strikeouts: 274 Bob Gibson (1970). Pitching Wins: 30 Dizzy Dean (1934). Walks: 162 Mark McGwire (1998). Strikeouts: 167 Jim Edmonds (2000). Hitting Streak: 33 games - Rogers Hornsby (1922). Stolen Bases: 118 Lou Brock (1974). Triples: 25 Tom Long (1915). Doubles: 64 Joe Medwick (1936). Runs: 141 Rogers Hornsby (1922). Hits: 250 Rogers Hornsby (1922). Batting Average: .424 Rogers Hornsby (1924) (Major League Record). Runs Batted In: 154 Joe Medwick (1937). Home Runs: 70 Mark McGwire (1998). 85 August "Gussie" Busch (owner). 45 Bob Gibson. 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball). 20 Lou Brock. 17 Dizzy Dean. 14 Ken Boyer. 9 Enos Slaughter. 6 "Stan the Man" Musial. 2 Red Schoendienst. 1 Ozzie Smith. Rogers Hornsby (has retirement honors, as he played in the era prior to uniform numbers). Branch Rickey. Tony La Russa. Walt Jocketty. Whitey Herzog. August "Gussie" Busch. Sam Breadon. Todd Worrell. Tony Womack. Bill White. John Tudor. Joe Torre. Fernando Tatis. Bruce Sutter. Lee Smith. Ted Simmons. Edgar Rentería. Wally Moon. Mark McGwire. Willie McGee. Tim McCarver. Tino Martinez. Pepper Martin. Marty Marion. Arlie Latham. Darryl Kile. Jim Kaat. Keith Hernández. Joe Garagiola. Curt Flood. Drew. J.D. Charles Comiskey. Vince Coleman. Bob Caruthers. Nelson Briles. Harry Brecheen. Oyster Burns (RF). Curt Welch (CF). Tip O'Neill (LF). Arlie Latham (3B). Bill Gleason (SS). Yank Robinson (2B). Charlie Comiskey (1B and manager). Doc Bushong (C). Adonis Terry (SP). Silver King (SP). Dave Foutz (SP). Bob Caruthers (SP). 24 Joe Pettini (bench). 11 José Oquendo (third base). Hal McRae (hitting). 39 Dave McKay (first base). 38 Marty Mason (bullpen). 18 Dave Duncan (pitching). Coaches
10 Tony La Russa. Manager
Hoyt Wilhelm. Bobby Wallace. Dazzy Vance. Ozzie Smith. Enos Slaughter. Red Schoendienst. Wilbert Robinson. Kid Nichols. Stan Musial. Johnny Mize. Joe Medwick. John McGraw. Rabbit Maranville. Miller Huggins. Rogers Hornsby. Jesse Haines. Chick Hafey. Burleigh Grimes. Bob Gibson. Pud Galvin. Frankie Frisch. Dennis Eckersley. Leo Durocher. Dizzy Dean. Roger Connor. Orlando Cepeda. Steve Carlton. Jesse Burkett. Mordecai Brown. Lou Brock. Roger Bresnahan. "Sunny" Jim Bottomley. Jake Beckley. Walter Alston. Pete Alexander. |