After a dominant season in which he led all of baseball with 22 wins – including 10 shutouts – and paced the National League with a 1.78 ERA, Cardinals right-hander Mort Cooper was named the National League MVP. On a Cardinals team that won the World Series with contributions from most of its roster, Cooper […]
How Mort Cooper won the 1942 NL MVP Award Read More »
In the right-field bleachers, Cardinals fans hung a bedsheet declaring that evening’s starting pitcher, Joaquin Andujar, “one tough Dominican” in honor of the right-hander’s favorite self-description. On October 21, 1982, Andujar proved to be exactly that, pitching seven innings to lead the Cardinals to a 6-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 7 of
1982 World Series Game 7: Andujar, Sutter clinch the title Read More »
When the 1990 season ended, Willie McGee was the National League batting champion for the second time in his career – never mind that he had spent the past month as a member of the American League’s Oakland Athletics. On August 29, 1990, the St. Louis Cardinals traded the former National League MVP and four-time
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When the St. Louis Cardinals named John Mozeliak the 12th general manager in franchise history on October 31, 2007, the 38-year-old made two things clear: first, that everything he did would be about helping the Cardinals win. Secondly, he planned to be aggressive in free agency and the trade market to make that happen. “I
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When August A. Busch Jr. fired general manager Bing Devine in August 1964, it seemed all but certain that Cardinals manager Johnny Keane would soon join his former boss among the unemployed. When Keane and the Cardinals surprised everyone by surging to their first World Series championship in 18 years, Busch decided to keep his
Why Cardinals manager Johnny Keane quit one day after winning the World Series Read More »
In 2001, Tino Martinez was so eager to come to St. Louis that he called Walt Jocketty to be sure the Cardinals’ general manager knew he was available – and interested. “I approached them and asked them to consider me in their plans, if I’d fit in,” Martinez said. “‘My agent will be in Boston.
Why Tino Martinez disappointed in two seasons with the Cardinals Read More »
In a 2022 season that saw Albert Pujols eclipse 700 home runs and the Cardinals win the National League Central Division, nothing surpassed the image of Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Adam Wainwright walking side by side as they left the playing field at Busch Stadium together for the final time in their careers. The Cardinals’
Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina bid farewell: October 2, 2022 Read More »
With his ballclub mired in last place in the National League East and rumors swirling of discontent in the clubhouse, Whitey Herzog called a press conference in San Diego on July 6, 1990, to announce that the St. Louis Cardinals’ Whiteyball era was officially over. Herzog’s resignation came with 2 ½ years remaining on his
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Decades later, Cardinals fans who find video of Tom Lawless’s go-ahead, three-run home run off Frank Viola in Game 4 of the 1987 World Series can be excused for coming away with several misperceptions. Without the benefit of high definition, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound native of Erie, Pennsylvania, looks like a practiced slugger, pulling the ball
The Tom Lawless bat flip: October 21, 1987 Read More »
One day after the Cardinals relieved manager Mike Matheny of his managerial duties on July 14, 2018, ace pitcher Adam Wainwright compared the shakeup to Albert Pujols’ decision to sign with the Angels after the 2011 season. “It was like an organizational transformational moment,” Wainwright said. “The wake-up call to the team arrived today.”[1] Matheny’s
Why Mike Matheny was fired as Cardinals manager Read More »