The rivalry between the St. Louis and Chicago baseball teams may never have been more heated than on September 22, 1974, when a Cardinals-Cubs brawl added heat to the National League East pennant race. One inning after punching Bill Madlock in the face and sparking the bench-clearing brawl, Cardinals catcher Ted Simmons capped off his […]
The 1974 Cardinals-Cubs brawl sparked by Simmons, Hrabosky Read More »
On November 3, 1970, the Baseball Writers Association of America named Bob Gibson the National League Cy Young Award winner for the second time in three years. With the recognition, Gibson became just the third pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, joining Sandy Koufax and Denny McLain. Gibson previously had won the award in
How Bob Gibson won his second Cy Young Award in 1970 Read More »
Steve Carlton made sure his final start for the St. Louis Cardinals was a milestone game in more ways than one. The Cardinals’ September 28, 1971, win over the New York Mets marked not only Carlton’s final appearance wearing the birds on the bat, but also clinched the first 20-win season of his career. Coincidentally, it
Steve Carlton reaches 20 wins in final game with the Cardinals: 9/8/1971 Read More »
After the first three batters of the ninth inning reached, putting the go-ahead run on third base, Al Hrabosky knew he needed to tap into something primal to escape the jam against the defending World Series champion Cincinnati Reds. “I talk to the gypsy war gods,” he explained afterward. “I work myself into a controlled
Al Hrabosky and the gypsy war gods stifle Reds: May 9, 1977 Read More »
Ironically, in a 25-inning game that lasted seven hours and four minutes and didn’t end until 3:12 a.m., Bake McBride and the St. Louis Cardinals finally captured the 4-3 victory with their speed. The game was the longest night game in Major League Baseball history, exceeding a 24-inning, 1-0 Astros victory over the Mets in
Cardinals, Mets play 25-inning game: September 11, 1974 Read More »
Philadelphia Phillies general manager Quinn answered the phone on Wednesday, February 25, 1972, to discover his Cardinals counterpart, Bing Devine, on the other end. “Has Rick Wise signed?” Devine asked, referring to the 26-year-old right-hander who had led the Phillies in wins each of the past three seasons. Quinn answered that no, he had not
Why the Cardinals traded Steve Carlton to the Phillies Read More »
More than 43 years after he helped the St. Louis Cardinals win their first World Series championship, Jesse Haines was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee at age 76. It wasn’t a bad achievement for a pitcher whose former minor-league manager with the Tulsa Oilers expected him back in
How Jesse Haines was elected to the Hall of Fame Read More »
A little less than four years before John Stuper won Game 6 of the 1982 World Series, the Cardinals obtained him in a minor-league trade that wasn’t even mentioned in either the St. Louis Post-Dispatch or the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In the deal, the Cardinals sent infielder Tommy Sandt to the Pirates in exchange for Stuper,
How John Stuper was traded to St. Louis and became a World Series hero Read More »
Bake McBride may have been the most unlikely Rookie of the Year in baseball history. Growing up, McBride believed he was more likely to make his living playing basketball or football than playing baseball. In high school, he didn’t even play baseball, as his school didn’t have a team. Instead, he played football and basketball.[1]
How Bake McBride won the 1974 Rookie of the Year Award Read More »
It’s hard enough to break a modern-day Major League Baseball record when you’re healthy. In 1974, injuries to both his hands may actually have helped Lou Brock break Maury Wills’ single-season stolen base record. Due to a right thumb injury, Brock had wrapped the digit in tape most of the season. On his left hand,
September 10, 1974: Lou Brock breaks Maury Wills’ single-season stolen base record Read More »