’70s

1974 Cardinals-Cubs Brawl

The 1974 Cardinals-Cubs brawl sparked by Simmons, Hrabosky

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 […]

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Bob Gibson

How Bob Gibson won his second Cy Young Award in 1970

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

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Steve Carlton

Steve Carlton reaches 20 wins in final game with the Cardinals: 9/8/1971

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

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Al Hrabosky

Al Hrabosky and the gypsy war gods stifle Reds: May 9, 1977

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

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Ken Reitz Bake McBride Bob Forsch

Cardinals, Mets play 25-inning game: September 11, 1974

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

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Steve Carlton

Why the Cardinals traded Steve Carlton to the Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies general manager John Quinn answered the phone on 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

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Jesse Haines

How Jesse Haines was elected to the Hall of Fame

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

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John Stuper

How John Stuper was traded to St. Louis and became a World Series hero

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,

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Bake McBride

How Bake McBride won the 1974 Rookie of the Year Award

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]

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Lou Brock

September 10, 1974: Lou Brock breaks Maury Wills’ single-season stolen base record

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,

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