September 18, 1968: Washburn Returns The Favor

     On September 18, 1968, just 24 hours after being no-hit by the Giants hurler Gaylord Perry in San Francisco, Cardinals hurler Ray Washburn no-hit those same Giants in San Francisco. The Birds got their runs on ribbies by Curt Flood and Bobby Tolan in the seventh and eighth innings. Washburn walked five, and struck out eight as he worked his way into the history books. In the ninth he had his hands full with two future Hall of Famers in Willie Mays and Willie McCovey due up in the inning. He started off the frame by retiring second baseman Ron Hunt with a groundout.   Mays then hit a hotshot to third where Mike Shannon fielded it, then threw him out at first, before McCovey flew out to Flood in center. The no-no was the fifth in franchise history and the first back-to-back no-hitters in the history of the game. It was also the first no-no for the Cardinals since Lon Warneke accomplished the feat in 1941.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN196809180.shtml

Here are some interesting facts about no-hitters: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/3481250//

September 10, 1963: Grandpa Stan Hits It Out

     On September 10, 1963, Stan Musial became the first Grandfather in the history of Major League Baseball to hit a home run. Early that morning, around 4:40 a.m., Musial's son Dick and his wife Sharon welcomed Jeffery Stanton Musial into the world. With the classic smile on his face Musial came to the ballpark, was congratulated by teammates, then got ready to face the  visiting Chicago Cubs. It did not take Stan long to become the first Grandpa to go deep in a ballgame. In fact he did it in his first at bat, in the first inning, and on the first pitch he saw,  which was delivered by Glenn Hobbie. The two-run blast set the tone for the day, as the Cardinals rode the wave to an 8-0 victory. Bob Gibson also got in on the home run action, hitting a three-run shot in the second. Musial followed Gibby's shot with a single and a ribbie in the same inning. The home run that Musial hit that night in September was the 474th of his career. He hit one more before he hung up the cleats. Number 474 was quite special, as The Man welcomed a Little Man into the world in a very unique way.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196309100.shtml

September 5, 1935: Terry Moore Goes 6 For 6

     On September 5, 1935, Terry Moore went 6 for 6 during a Cardinals win over the Boston Braves at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The rookie center fielder's performance was a part of a 19-hit attack that saw the hometown club walk away victorious by the score of 15-3. Moore was only the second Cardinals player to accomplish the feat of picking up six hits in a game, and to date he is the last to do so. The first was "Sunny Jim" Bottomley who did it in 1924 and then again in 1931. A recent inductee into the Cardinals Baseball Hall of Fame in Downtown St. Louis, Moore was one of the best center fielders to ever wear the Birds on the Bat. He just missed out on the Championship season of 1934, however, he would celebrate as a World Champion in 1942 and 1946 with the club. Moore not only held his own at the plate, he was also one of the best defenders in all of baseball, and it is safe to say if the Gold Glove Award existed during his time on the diamond he would have had a shelf full of them.

     When I heard that Terry Moore had made it into the Cardinals Hall of Fame it made me very happy to know that future generations of Cardinals fans will be sure to know his name. He was something special. Hats off to all of the men who have been honored within those walls.

Read more about the life and time of Terry Moore here: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/28c4448c

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN193509050.shtml