September 23, 1941: Stan Musial Hits His First Big League Homer

     On September  23, 1941, a crowd of more than 13,000 witnessed Stan Musial hit the first home run of his major league career at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The big blast came during the second game of a doubleheader that had the Cards looking to bounce back from a 4-0 loss, that included an 0 for 4 game by the kid who grew up roughly 30 miles from the ballpark. Bounce back they did. Musial went 3 for 4 with the big blast that came off of Rip Sewell in the fifth. It opened up a 6-0 lead, that was tacked on to in the seventh when Estel Crabtree blasted a three-run homer to cap off the day's scoring.

     A great deal of Stan's family and friends witnessed that historic blast. They had made the trip from Donora. Coincidentally when Musial's ball sailed over the right field wall it landed in the hands of a friend that put it back in the hands of the 20-year-old with the number 6 on his back. Stan swapped him a ball, and told said that the home run ball would be kept in his household. That was 1 of 475. All with the Birds on the Bat across his chest.


     The clipping today was featured in the Pittsburgh Press the following day. Hence the title "Local Boy Makes Good .. With The Cardinals". They were very proud of their native son for making it in the big leagues.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT194109232.shtml

September 22, 1948: Stan Musial Equals Cobb's Mark By Going 5 For 5 In Boston

     On September 22, 1948, the Cardinals stopped an eight game winning streak, and prevented the Braves from clinching the National League Pennant for the first time since 1914 by beating them 8-2 in Boston. The Birds unleashed 17 hits, and Stan "The Man" Musial owned five of them. The 5 for 5 performance included a homer, a double, and three singles, as well as two RBIs, and three runs scored. Many years later when Stan was asked about the best game of his career it was said he did not even have to think about it. It came on that day in Boston.

       He had come into the contest with a pair of sore wrists that resulted from a diving catch in the outfield one day, and beanball on another. The wrists were so bad that the team doctor wanted to tape him up, but Stan took tape off because it hampered his swing. The Cards were set to face Warren Spahn, so Musial decided to try to hit everything to left against the lefty. He just could not snap his wrists enough to pull the ball. Needless to say the strategy worked. His first hit was a looped single to left. He followed it up by knocking a ball over the left fielder's head for a double in the third, and by the fourth the Birds had helped send Spahn to the showers early. Red Barrett was on the mound in the fifth when Musial sailed one into the bullpen in right for his 38th home run of the year. He said he swung from his heel, and that his wrists were tied in knots when he connected on that one, and his wrists were on fire when he was able to shoot a Clyde Shoun pitch through the hole at third and short for his fourth hit of the day in the sixth.

     Stan had come into that game knowing about a record set by Ty Cobb in 1922. That record was the record for most five-hit games during a single season. That was record was four. Stan also knew he was one hit away from tying that record. He had battled, he had worked his way through the pain, and he going to tie that record. The chance to do so came in the eighth. At that point the Braves had Al Lyons on the bump. Described as a righty who lacked control, he lived up to the description by throwing issuing back-to-back balls to Musial. The Cardinals bench chimed in quickly, as they yelled for Lyons to put one over. Stan was not even sure if the next pitch was in the strike zone or not, he just swung at it, and for a fraction of a second he thought it was going to be an out, before it was rolling on the grass in right. He had match Cobb's longstanding record, and he did it in just five swings. His wrists  had hurt him so bad that he decided not to waste swings, so he put the wood on the ball when he took a cut, and each cut he took turned into a hit.

     The game also saw Enos Slaughter get his nose broken when struck by a line drive off the bat of Nippy Jones while on the basepaths in the fourth. It was terrible luck, and with just handful of games left Slaughter's season was done. With that said, Slaughter bounced back from it the next year, and had many more years left on the major league diamond.

      I would bet it is safe to say that Stan hated to see his season end that way, but as we all know the beat goes on after an injury, and "The Man" continued to swing the stick. The moment he tied Ty Cobb's record of four five-hit games in a single season had to be a great moment. Especially knowing how much he went through to get them. That feat has only been accomplished two times since that day: Tony Gwynn (1993) and Ichiro Suzuki (2004).

     Stan enjoyed the finest season of his storied career during that '48 campaign. Musial's led the league with a .376 average, 230 hits, 46 doubles, 18 triples, 429 total bases, and a .702 slugging percentage. Musial would have taken the Triple Crown had it not been for a lost home run due to a rainout. Just think a few clouds spoutin some rain denied Stan of a Triple Crown. Even though that might be the case, Stan was awarded the MVP award for the third time in his career.

     From ownership, to management, down to the players, and the fans alike, there had to be some level of disappointment with that a second place finish. However, after that disappointment subsided they could look back and smile at what the man who wore the number 6 on his back did, and we can smile about it today.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BSN/BSN194809220.shtml

Stats of a legend: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/musiast01.shtml




   

   

September 21, 1934: Dizzy Tosses a Gem; Paul Steals The Show

     On September 21, 1934, Dizzy and Paul Dean put on a show during a doubleheader at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Dizzy took the ball in the first game, and held the Dodgers hitless until the eighth inning of what turned out to be a 13-0 rout that featured a 17 hit attack by the Birds that was highlighted by a 4 for 5 performance by Ripper Collins, which included two doubles, and a home run. Ultimately, Dizzy had to settle for a three hitter in what proved to be his 27th win of the campaign, then he sat and watched his kid brother, a rookie, toss a no-hitter. It was a thing of beauty.

      The Cardinals did not pour it on in the second game like they did in the first, but they did not need to, because brother Paul turned in the no-hit performance that was nearly perfect, as he led the way to a 3-0 victory. The bid for perfection was broken up early, as he walked Len Koenecke with two out in the first, but from there the lights were turned out on the Dodgers lineup. Paul did more than toss a gem, he also picked up two of the seven Cardinals hits in the contest, and scored the first run of the ballgame in the sixth. Ducky Medwick scored the other two runs in the contest. At the end of that day Paul Dean was the just the third man in franchise history to toss a no-hitter, and just the fifth rookie in the history of the game to achieve the feat. It would not be accomplished by another Cardinals rookie until 1999 when Jose Jimenez joined the club. Bud Smith joined the club as well in 2001.

     The league leading Giants won that day against the Braves in Boston, but since the Birds played two they had moved up in the standings by a half a game, and were trailing the New Yorkers by three games. As the season winded down the Cardinals kept gaining on them, and with three days left in the campaign they tied them in the standings, Two days later they won the National League Pennant by two games, and nine days after that they were World Champions.

     The Dean brothers accounted for 49 of the Cardinals 95 wins. Dizzy won 30 of those 49, while Paul locked down 19. Paul's 18th win of that season is one that will never be forgotten, as he had achieved what most pitchers can only dream of; a coveted no-hitter. It has been said that Dizzy joked about it saying if he knew his kid brother was gonna throw one he would have threw one too. He came close, and if he would have achieved the feat they would be the only pair of brothers to do so for the same team on the same day. It's too bad it did not work out that way. However, it was still quite the day in Cardinal Nation.

Check out the box scores here
Dizzy's gem: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BRO/BRO193409211.shtml
Daffy's no-no: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BRO/BRO193409212.shtml

Sidenotes: The three hits allowed in the doubleheader stood as record for fewest hits during a twin bill until 1992, when Matt Young of the Red Sox no-hit the Indians, but still managed to lose the game 2-1. Young's performance was followed up by a two-hit performance by Roger Clemens that had the Sox come out on top 3-0. To date only one pair of brothers have both tossed a no-no. Bob Forsch pitched two with the Cardinals, with the first coming in '78, and the other coming in '83, while his brother Ken tossed one for the Astros in '79.

September 20, 1974: The Lives of Brock and McBride are Threatened

     On September 20, 1974, the Cardinals knocked off the Chicago Cubs 5-2 at Busch. The game was highlighted by a fourth inning three run homer by Ted Simmons that gave the Birds a 4-1 lead, and proved to be key in leading the club to victory. The win was a big one that kept the Birds perched atop the N.L. East. With that said, the game that was played that day and the games played in the days that followed were game that were being played under duress because that morning when the mail was delivered to the Cardinals offices at Busch there were a pair of identical letters in the stack of mail that threatened the lives of outfielders Lou Brock  and Bake McBride.

     Brock had broken Maury Wills' record of 104 stolen bases 10 days before that letter arrived, and looked to be leading the way to a division title. McBride was on the way to winning Rookie of the Year, and had played a huge role in the club's success as well. The fan that sent the letter had claimed he was dying of a brain tumor and had just months to live. He had also claimed he lose $50,000 on bet that was place on the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the East. He thought that Brock and McBride were going to make him lose that bet. It was full of racial slurs that will not be repeated on this page, but I will give you a version of the letter without any of that language. It went as follows:

"By beating out the Pirates this year you're costing me $50,000 in winnings I would have had as a result of a bet at large odds I placed on them to win back in April when they were already counted out even by the oddsmakers. This is no idle threat; If I think so I can assure you that neither of you will live past the 3rd, 4th, or 5th playoff game whether it be in L.A. or Cincy. I have only a month or two to live: I have a brain tumor--- inoperable---and the pain will---my doctor advises me increase to the intolerable stage: I do not intend to go through that agony: I had hoped to leave my wife and children that $50,000, therefore, since you damn Cardinals are taking me, I've decided to take 2---possibly---more with me. I'll have a revolver loaded with six shots and be in the stands close enough to get you both and save the last shot for myself as since I suicide is my only way out---unspeakable agony is not going to be mine. I am going to follow you to St. Louis, Chicago, Montreal, and L.A. and Cincy if I decide to wait until the end meanwhile you 2... can sweat it out wondering if I am going to wait to make my move in St. Louis---wait til Chicago---wait til Montreal---or wait to L.A. or Cin. I'm going to let you sweat it out but I assure you I'm going to kill you both so every time go out to the outfield you can look anxiously towards the stands for I'll be there and be sure to say goodbye to your family each morning for between now and the next two weeks or so you will have said goodbye for the last time. If this was an idle threat why would I go to all this trouble: I ASSURE YOU I AM GOING TO KILL YOU BOTH."

(Signed), Outraged and despondent pain wracked

     The letters that had crossed the borderline of insanity had been postmarked on September 18th. The team tried to keep it quiet, but rumors were flying around, and security had clearly been tightened up. Brock and McBride both had been assigned protection, and on September 29th a press conference was held at the offices at Wrigley Field in Chicago to inform the public why the measures had been implemented.  Brock sat by the side of Bing Devine and helped explain the situation. McBride sat out the press conference, but I believe it is safe to say he had more than baseball on his mind. Brock acknowledged that the threats affected his play on the field, but he did not know to what extent. The book titled "Bob Forsch's Tales From The Cardinals Dugout" makes it seem as if Lou took it in stride, while the rookie McBride had a much harder time dealing with it. The toll it had to take on both players had to be greater than anyone could realize. A variety of parties became involved in trying to find the person who had sent the letters, which included the head of Major League Baseball's security, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, as well as the FBI.  To my knowledge the culprit was not caught.

     The club stumbled over the last week of the season, and eventually lost the division title to the Pirates by just one and a half games. Hard to say if the threats had a hand in that division title being stripped away, but ultimately that hardly matters. What matters more than the numbers in the standings is that the two players were safe and sound. Some speculated it was a cruel joke to rattle the players, however, that was simply speculation, and it is very possible that the person had every intention on hurting both players. I searched and searched without being able to find more information about the case, so I imagine as time moved on it went cold, and Brock and McBride moved on with their lives.

     Through the years there have been well documented cases of athletes being threatened. Hank Aaron received numerous threat as he approached Babe Ruth's coveted home run record, and there have been many more cases of threats in the sports world as well. Even today when someone drops a ball in a big game or an umpire makes a bad call they are subject to death threats. It is my opinion that fans that make those threats are not fans at all. In the end they are cowards hiding behind anonymity.

     There is one well documented case of an obsessed fan shooting a player in 1949. The player's name was Eddie Waitkus. He had played for the Cubs for a number of years, but eventually the was traded to the Phillies. The fan, and obsessed woman who had become infatuated with him while he played in Chicago lured him into a trap and shot him. Waitkus was able to recover, but the incident was something that he carried with him the rest of his life. The reason I bring up Waitkus is because while most cases of people threatening athletes might be looked at as a bad joke, there is a very real possibility that someone could snap, and the worse case scenario could play out. That is why each threat must be taken seriously.

     No player, coach, or umpire deserves to have their life threatened. I can only imagine how bad the nerves of Brock and McBride must have been during that tumultuous time in their lives. It is times like those that sensible people realize it is just a game, and life means so much more than any game. Unfortunately, everyone does not have that sensibility.

If you are interested in knowing more about the aforementioned story about Eddie Waitkus check this out: http://onthisdayinsports.blogspot.com/2014/06/june-14-1949-eddie-waitkus-gunned-down.html
   

September 19, 1922: Hornsby's Hitting Streak Reaches 33

     

     On September 19, 1922, Rogers Hornsby extended a hitting streak that began on August 13th to 33 games during an 8-4 win over the Braves in Boston. Rajah went 1 for 4 on the day, with a seventh inning single that led to a run. He also knocked in a run, as he helped the club sweep the hometown squad. The streak ended the next day in Brooklyn during a 6-1 loss against the Dodgers in the first game of a doubleheader, but Hornsby bounced right back in the second game by parking two home runs in the seats at Ebbets Field. Those big blasts were his 38th and 39th of the season. He would finish with a league leading 42 home runs. He also led the league with 152 RBIs, and a .401 average, which led to the first of two Triple Crown's.  

     The 33 game hitting streak stood as the longest hitting streak by a second baseman until 2002 when Luis Castillo surpassed it with a 35 game streak of his own. Chase Utley equaled Castillo's mark in 2006. While Hornsby's streak has been surpassed by another second baseman, it still stands as the longest hitting streak by a Cardinal. Stan Musial flirted with the mark in 1950, but had his snapped at 30 games, and Albert Pujols equaled Stan's mark in 2003. As you read this today Hornsby's franchise mark has stood for 92 years. I believe that is a testament to how great of an accomplishment it was. 

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BSN/BSN192209190.shtml

 

September 18, 1969: Simba Delivers In The Ninth

     On September 18, 1969, just four games into his major league career Ted Simmons provided the Cardinals with a two run walk off single that gave them an 8-7 victory over the Pirates in St. Louis. The late inning heroics came after the Cardinals blew a 3-0 lead in the seventh that saw them come out of the inning trailing 7-3. They got three of those runs back in the bottom of the inning, on a two out RBI single by Curt Flood, and a home run that came off the bat of Vada Pinson. That big fly was a milestone for the Cardinals rightfielder, as it became hit #2000 the moment it sailed past the fence.

      Pinson's 2000th hit also set the table for the fair haired boy who was just brought up for the farm to win it in the bottom of the ninth. Reliever Sal Campisi did his job by working his way through the eighth, and the top of the ninth without allowing another Pirate to score, then Red Schoendienst lifted the hurler for Phil Gagliano in the bottom of the ninth who rapped out a single to leadoff the inning off of Joe Gibbon, who had come on in relief for the Bucs in the seventh, and even though he had a bit of a rough inning the game was his to win or lose in the ninth.

      Luckily for Cardinals fans it was his to lose. Red made another move as soon as Gagliano reached first by calling on Vic Davalillo to run. Gibbon then struck out Lou Brock, before allowing a single to Curt Flood. The heat was on, but he came close to putting it out with a strikeout that denied Pinson of hit number 2,001. Gibbon needed one more out, but as you and I both know that 27th out of the ballgame is the hardest out to get, and on this day Gibbon would not lock it down. Joe Torre reached on an error that scored Davalillo, and the Cards were within one. Then came the kid with the number 23 on his back and his name last name Simmons above it. The kid laced one into right that brought Flood wheeling around to score, and within  moments the kid was being mobbed by his teammates. He was the hero of the day.

     There would be many more great moments for the kid who became known as "Simba", as he spent parts of 13 seasons with the club. He played in 1,564 games with the Cardinals, and during that time he hit .298, with 1,604 hits, which included 172 home runs, 929 RBIs. He ranks in many of the top offensive categories in franchise history, and it is my opinion that he deserves a spot in Cooperstown.

     Pinson's time in the Gateway City was not long. In fact, it was just one season. He amassed 2,757 hits in his career, and was a 4 time All Star, as well as a Gold Glove winner for the Reds in 1961. While he called St. Louis home for just one season it was a season he would remember, and the day he got his 2,000th hit would be one to remember as well, as he along with the rest of the boys celebrated around the new kid in the ninth.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196909180.shtml

September 17, 1941:The Storybook Begins; Stan Musial

 

   On September 17, 1941, page one was written in the major league career of Stan Musial. The 20-year-old kid from Donora, Pennsylvania sat on the bench for the first game of a doubleheader against the Boston Braves, and he enjoyed watching his club win 6-1, behind a strong pitching performance by Howie Pollet, as well as a big fly off the bat off of Estel Crabtree. When Billy Southworth filled out his lineup card for the next game the name Musial was in the three hole. It was the beginning of what has to be considered the finest era by any individual that has worn the Birds on the Bat.

     The kid that would become known as "The Man" did not disappoint his new skipper, as he picked up a two RBI double in his second plate appearance. The two runs looked like they might be enough for Max Lanier to lock down a win, until he allowed two runs in the seventh that tied it up at 2-2. Lanier got past the misfortune, and kept the Birds in it. He was rewarded with a W because of his efforts in the ninth, as Crabtree hit his second home run of the day. The walk off blast was a solo shot that gave the Cardinals a 3-2 victory, and made Stan's first day on a major league diamond one to remember.

     The Cardinals were hoping to grab the flag as the season winded down in '41, and that kid from Donora gave them everything he had, as he hit .426 in 12 games. They were on the heels of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and Stan's debut win put them just a game back. They would come as close as a half game, but ultimately the Brooklyn squad won the race by 2 1/2 games. With that said the best was yet to come for the man who wore the number 6. Two other players, Harry Walker and Pep Young had worn the number 6 on their backs that '41 season. Once Stan put it on no other Cardinals player would wear it again.

     In 22 seasons Stan topped the .300 mark 17 times, and won seven batting titles with the famous corkscrew stance that produced 3,630 hits. My favorite Stan stat will forever be the fact that 1,815 of those hits came at home, and 1,815 of them came on the road. I often call it the perfect split for baseball's perfect knight. The famous stance also produced 1,951 RBIs, and 475 home home runs. In 1943 he took home his first of three MVP awards. The other two came in 1946 and 1948. He also helped the Cardinals capture three championship titles, and appeared in a record setting 24 All Star games. Only Willie Mays and Hank Aaron have matched that mark. Stan's major league storybook was documented in newspapers all across America during those days on the diamond, and the story featured in the photo was the first page written. This particular story appeared in the Pittsburgh Press.  They loved him there because of the Pennsylvania ties. While the story does not have his name splashed across the headline the Donora boy was mentioned. That page, and the pages that followed were the pages to a Hall of Fame resume. 

Stan's first box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN194109172.shtml

If you enjoy the great tales from the rich history of the Cardinals organization you can follow On This Day In Cardinal Nation on twitter: @CardinalHistory, or catch up with me at on Facebook at: Facebook.com/OnThisDayInCardinalNation I also welcome people to follow on google plus as well. 

If you would like to read more about the life and times of Stan Musial check out his SABR bio here: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/2142e2e5 I would also highly recommend the book: Stan Musial: An American Life by George Vecsey.  It's a personal favorite.

Correction 10/19/2014: With Stan Musial serving his country in 1945, Red Schoendienst actually wore the number 6 during his rookie campaign. I was just looking over some of Red's stats, and noticed the number on his list of numbers worn. The 6 caught my eye pretty quick. When Stan returned his number was returned to him, and Red put on the number 2, and as they say the rest was history. What great history it was.