June 10, 1967: Roger Maris Wins It With an 11th Inning Walk Off at Busch

     On June 10, 1967, tied 2-2, with two on, and one out in the bottom of the eleventh at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Roger Maris sent the crowd of more than 30,000 home happy with a walk off shot that led to a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The bomb was the 264th of his career, as well as the third and final walk off of his career. The man who had broken Babe Ruth's home run record with 61 in '61, only hit nine home runs with the Birds on the Bat across his chest, however, he was a key contributor in winning the National League Pennant, then in the World Series. Maris hit .385, with a home run, and seven RBIs, as he helped the Cardinals win their second title of the decade. He played one more season with the Birds before calling it a career, and helped the club win the National League crown once again. One year to the day of the walk off shot, the Cardinals were tied 2-2 in Atlanta when Maris connected on a two run bomb in the third inning. The home run proved to be the difference maker as the Birds hung onto win 4-3. Maris finished his career with 275 big blasts.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196706100.shtml

June 9, 1963: McCarver Belts an Inside The Park Grand Slam

     On June 9, 1963, after dropping the first game of a doubleheader to the Mets 8-7, the Cardinals bounce back with a 10-4 victory over the Mets at the Polo Grounds in New York. The bounce back winner was highlighted by an eighth inning inside the park grand slam off the bat of Tim McCarver that put the Birds up 10-2. The ball that McCarver hit looked to be a routine out to center until Ron Kanehl slipped and fell, which ended up with the ball going deep into the vast centerfield that the Polo Grounds held. An alert McCarver never did turn on the brakes until he was well past the dish.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN196306092.shtml

June 8, 1945: Buster Adams Goes 5 for 6 as He Leads The Birds To Victory

     On June 8, 1945, Buster Adams picked up five hits in six trips to the plate, as he led the way to a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Redbirds centerfielder knocked in the tying run in the ninth, then came through again in the thirteenth with a single to left that scored Red Schoendienst from third.

     The Pirates starter Al Gerheauser pitched all thirteen innings for his club, and took the loss on the chin, while Blix Donnelly got the call for the Cards, and pitched nine full innings. Donnelly was victimized by an error that led to two runs before his day on the bump ended after nine full innings.

     With the score tied 2-2, Billy Southworth put the ball in the hands of Ken Burkhart, and Burkhart looked to be getting the job done, until a hiccup gave the Buccos a 3-2 lead in the top of the thirteenth. The lead was short lived as Debs Garms picked up a one out pinch hit double, that turned into a run as Red Schoendienst knocked him in moments later. Johnny Hopp followed the Redhead with a single of his own, and by the time he was settled onto the bag at first, Red was standing on third. Then came the hot bat of Buster Adams to win it. A reported 3,695 souls walked through the gate at Sportsman's Park that day. It took 2 hours and 46 minutes to put it into the books, and those who stayed throughout witnessed a great finish to a hard fought battle.

     Buster Adams' career began with the Cardinals in 1939, although it was just a two game cup of coffee. He did not taste coffee in the big leagues again until 1943 when he was recalled by the Cardinals. The stay in St. Louis ended just eight games later when he was shipped to the Phillies. It took Adams a year of settling in at the big league level to find his footing, as he batted just .256 for the Philadelphia squad. However, he found some pop in his bat in '44 by hitting 17 home runs, and raising his average to .283. Eight games into the '45 season he was traded to the Birds for John Antonelli and Glen Crawford.

     Adams was plugged into center where the Cardinals had been shuffling the deck since Terry Moore left to fight for the country after the '42 season. The Phillie most likely looked back and wished they had not made the deal, as the '45 campaign turned out to be a career year for 30-year-old who hit .292, with 101 ribbies, and 20 home runs for the club who went onto win the National League Pennant. Moore returned to the team in '46, and after playing in 140 games in '45, Adams played in just 81 games or the Birds during the Championship campaign of 1946. Although, he did not get to bat in the World Series. With that said, he did hit .312 during those 81 games, and when he was on the field I would imagine he gave it his all.

    The Cardinals sold Adams back to the Phillies before the '47 campaign began. That season would mark his last season at  the big league level, as he moved onto the Pacific Coast League, where he spent four seasons before hanging up the cleats for good. Buster Adams' time in Cardinal Nation might have been short, but once you're a member, you're always a member, and today is a fine example of that as we look back on that great 5 for 6 performance that happened oh so long ago.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN194506080.shtml

Interesting fact about the Phillies: in 1944, the team's new owner Bob Carpenter Jr. tried to rebrand the team by changing their nickname to the Blue Jays. The new nickname was picked by the fans in Philly through a poll, but those same fans never did adopt it. Before the 1950 season began it was announced that the nickname was headed to the scrap heap.

June 7, 1970: Simba's First Home Run Sparks A Cardinals Rally

     On June 7, 1970, down 7-1 to the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium after four innings, the Cardinals began an epic comeback that ended with the Birds on top by the score of 10-7. The comeback began in the sixth inning when a 20-year-old catcher by the name of Ted Simmons belted the first home run of his career. The two run shot off of Roberto Rodriguez closed the gap to 7-3, but the San Diego hurler looked to settle down quickly as retired the next three men. However, the seventh inning proved to be the difference maker, as the Cardinals exploded for seven runs in the frame to turn the tables on the team from the West Coast.

     Pinch hitting for Bob Gibson, Vic Davalillo led the frame off with a single. Lou Brock followed him with a single to right, that moved Davalillo over to third, before Jose Cardenal picked up the third single in a row. The single by Cardenal scored Davalillo, moved Brock to third, and ended the day for Roberto Rodriguez. With the score sitting at 7-4 San Diego, Ron Herbal took over pitching duties for the Friars, and he would end up being charged with the loss, as he walked the bases full, gave up a two RBI double to Joe Torre, then watched Ted Simmons knock in the game tying run.

     That all came before there was even an out recorded in the inning, which came in the form of a double play ball. With the score knotted at seven all the visitors needed was one out to get out of the frame tied, but that one out did not come soon enough to the delight of the crowd at Busch. Herbal put Julian Javier on with an intentional pass before hitting the showers, and handing the ball off to Dave Roberts. Red Schoendienst called his shortstop Dal Maxvill back from the batters box, and sent Leron Lee into hit for him . The move paid off as he broke the deadlock with a two RBI double to give the Birds a 9-7 lead. One of the runs scored off of that double was charged to Herbal, which led to him adding a loss to his stats totals. Although, no Padres pitcher could get the job done in that frame.

     Before the seventh run outburst concluded the Cardinals batting order had come full circle, and Davalillo had another chance to inflict damage to the efforts of the opponent. And that he did, by rapping a single that scored Lee and gave the Cardinals a three run cushion. Roberts gave up another single to Lou Brock, before handing it over to the fourth Padres pitcher of the inning, Al Santorini who was able to pick up the third Cardinals out. Frank Linzy took over on the mound for the Cards in the eighth, and got the job done until he put himself into a jam in the ninth with two men on and one out. Ted Abernathy bailed Linzy out by coming in and locking down a save in what was a truly wild game in St. Louis.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN197006070.shtml

June 6, 1933: Another Riot In The Grand Ole Tale of Dizzy Dean

     On June 6, 1933, the Cardinals and the Reds celebrated "Ladies Day" in Cincinnati with a near riot before the ballgame, which included a fight with none other than good ole Dizzy Dean. The Cardinals hurler apparently got under the skin of Reds pitcher Paul Derringer so much that fists began to fly. One of the funnier accounts of the story said "The big Cincinnati pitcher then uncorked a right hand swing that may or may not have landed on Dean's eye." Before the game was in the books there were ejections, bottles flying, and police escorts for the umpires who were calling what turned out to be a 6-2 victory for the boys who wore the Birds on the Bat.

     Derringer had worn those same Birds on the Bat on Opening Day, but was shipped to Cincy as part of a package deal that brought Leo Durocher to the club. Before that trade was made, he had an outstanding 18-8 rookie season in '31, and was a huge part of the club that won a the National League Pennant, before winning the World Series. Dizzy Dean arrived in '32, and put together an 18 win season of his own, while Derringer's record fell to 11-14. It was said that the two players never did get along, and after the trade happened it that became very evident, as the two clubs were set to meet on that day in early June.  Derringer had said that Dean had been "riding the life out of me," and he could not take it anymore. The two players met midfield as the  two teams practiced before the game where Derringer asked Dean if he meant everything he was saying about him, and when Dean said he meant every word, Derringer swung. As mentioned before some said a fist landed on Dean's eye, while Dean himself refuted the claim, and he even asked the reporters if they seen any damage. The two pitchers were ejected before the game began, as the show went on, and quite a show it was.

     Wild Bill Hallahan, and Sylvester Johnson allowed just four hits to the Reds batters, while the Cardinals offense exploded for 16 hits as they rolled to victory. The offensive outburst was led by Ducky Medwick who went 4 for 5, with a home run, and three ribbies. With that said, the game was hardly the news of the day, as "Ladies Day" turned into an absolute raucous blast. The Cardinals rightfielder George Watkins was tossed in the fifth after arguing a call, then things seemed to settle down until the ninth when the acting manager of the Reds, Jewel Ens was tossed for arguing a call. Once he was tossed, bottles began to be tossed. One bottle hit Cardinals second baseman Burgess Whitehead, and fans in the stands began to duck for cover as they came pouring out of the upper deck at Redland Field. After Johnson recorded the last out that locked down a Cardinals win, the crowd continued to throw things, and berate the umpires as police escorted them off the field. Ladies Day had been a complete success.

Check out the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN193306060.shtml

June 5, 1962: Home Run 450 Turns Out To Be One More Walk Off For The Man

     On  June 5, 1962,  Stan Musial blasted the 450th home run of his career with a walk off bomb in the bottom of the eleventh inning at Busch to lead the Cardinals to 10-9 comeback win over the visiting Reds. It was quite the week for the future Hall of Famer, as he watched his daughter Gerry graduate from Villa Duchesne High School, his son Dick graduating from Notre Dame, and he also received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Monmouth College in Illinois. The game was an up and down battle that had every emotion in it from anger to jubilation as the Cardinals found their way to the win column.

     The club was in the midst of an eight game losing streak coming into this contest, and it looked like it was going to be a nine game streak before the day was over. They had fell in a 9-1 hole before they were set to bat in the bottom of the sixth. That is when the tide turned, as the team cut the lead to 9-4 before the inning was over. The comeback continued in the bottom of the seventh, as Bill White rocked a three run shot to cut the lead to 9-7. Musial followed White with a single, moved over to second on a wild pitch, then watched his teammate Ken Boyer hit a game tying home run. It was a whole new ballgame.

     Before the comeback began reliever Ray Sadecki got under the skin of the Cardinals skipper Johnny Keane by virtually imploding on the mound in what turned out to be a five run frame for the Reds. Sadecki began the inning by serving up a long ball, then committed two errors, before serving up his second long ball of the inning, which was a three run bomb by Frank Robinson. Keane called it the poorest performance he had ever seen on a major league diamond, and because of that he levied what was considered a heavy fine of $250 on the hurler. By today's standards that would be nearly $2,000, and this was long before the big paydays that would come to players years later. Sadecki asked to to be traded after the incident, but cooler heads would prevail, and he would be a key piece to the 1964 Championship club.

     After the Birds made it a new ballgame, Lindy McDaniel took over on the bump for the Birds in the eighth, and held court through the eleventh to give the club a chance to win. It was a chance that would not be wasted, as Musial watched Bill White groundout to start the bottom of the inning, before he stepped to the dish and connected with the walk off shot.

     The 450th bomb of Stan Musial's career was not only a walk off game winner. It was the last walk off in the career of  The Man. Musial hit a total of 12 walk off shots in the career that covered three different decades. His first walk off bomb came on July 14, 1942, and more than 20 years later when the Hall of Fame resume had been written he was doing it again. There is nothing like watching your team win a ballgame with a walk off bomb. As someone who never got to watch "The Man" play, I can only imagine how great it was to watch him do it.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196206050.shtml

If you would like to check out some of Stan's home run stats check this out:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.cgi?id=musiast01&t=b

June 4,1924: Howard Freigau Lights Up The Phillies

     On June 4, 1924, Howard Freigau led the way in a 12-5 Cardinals win over the  Phillies at the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. The Redbirds third baseman rapped out 4 hits in 5 trips to the plate, stole four bases, and knocked in five of the Cardinals runs, while crossing the dish once himself. The '24 season is not a celebrated season, as the club posted a 65-89 record. However, there were days like this one when the sun shined bright for the boys who wore the Birds on the Bat.

      Freigau made his debut with the Birds in September of 1922. He played in just three games that season, before taking over at shortstop in 1923. He hit .269 that season, then flirted with .300 in '24, as he fell just one point short of the mark. Freigau was traded to the Cubs after just appearing in nine games in 1925. That '25 season proved to be his best as he hit .307 and knocked in 71 runs. However, what the Cardinals got in return for the young utility player was a 30 year old catcher by the name of Bob O'Farrell who put together an MVP season in 1926 and was key in bringing St. Louis its first World Series title in the modern era.

     Freigau could play any of the infield positions, which made him a valuable member of a major league roster. After three seasons in The Windy City, Freigau spent time in a  Brooklyn Robins uniform, as well as the uniform of the Boston Braves. The last time he held a bat at the major league level was for the Braves at the end of the '28 season. That did not mean his days on the diamond were over though. He spent time in the American Association, as well as the Southern Association where he was able to play the game until he was tragically killed in 1932.

     The incident that took Freigau's life was one that will make you shake your head in disbelief. According to Bury My Heart at Cooperstown, Salacious, Sad,  and Surreal Deaths in The History of Baseball by Frank Russo and Gene Racz, Freigau was was playing for the Knoxville Smokies in '32, and after a long hot day he decided to take a late night swim. It was a decision that would cost him his life, as he unknowingly dove into the shallow end of a pool head first and broke his neck and drowned. He was only 29 at the time.

     Before that fateful day came Freigau had hit .272 in a big league career that stretched over seven seasons, and before that part of his life as a professional baseball player began he had been an all around athlete that excelled in basketball at Ohio State. The way is life ended is unfortunate, but everything that came before it is what matters the most, and 90 years ago today was a great day in the life of Howard Freigau. In the end, it is much more important to remember how a person lived their life, rather than how their life came to a close.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI192406040.shtml

You can look at Friegau's numbers here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/freigho01.shtml