March 20, 1917: Branch Rickey Lands In The Cardinals Roost

     On March 20, 1917, the Cardinals hired Branch Rickey to run the franchise. Rickey had been a part of the St. Louis Browns front office, however, when the opportunity came to jump over to the Cardinals it was an opportunity that he would not pass up. The hiring of Rickey is perhaps the most monumental move that the club made during the early 1900's. He built a farm system that revolutionized baseball, and turned the National League club that called St. Louis home into a dynasty that had success stretch across decades.

     The hiring of Rickey came after the team was sold by Helene Britton earlier in the month to James C. Jones, who had worked as Mrs. Britton's lawyer. She had been advised to sell the team because she did not have the financial means to turn them into a contender. World War I, as well as, competition from the Federal League helped force Britton's hand. The Cardinals skipper Miller Huggins also attempted to buy the club. However, Jones and future majority owner Sam Breadon moved fast to insure the team would not be moved out of the city.

    The investment group paid $375,000 for the team, which would be nearly $7 million today. He rounded up 1200 investors in a rather extraordinary way by allowing them to purchase shares for $25 apiece, with a maximum of $10,000 invested. He added an incentive for stockholders, which was the right to give a season pass to underprivileged youths in the city. That was how the knothole gang was born, and it turned many children into fans of the Cardinals for the rest of their lives.

     Jones was not a baseball man, so that led him to asking civic leaders, as well as some local sportswriters who he should hire to run the club. The name that stood above the rest was Branch Rickey. He had played for the Browns and the Yankees from 1905 to 1907. After a bout of tuberculosis knocked him down in 1908, Rickey went onto obtain a degree in law, before returning to St. Louis as an assistant for the Browns in 1912. In 1913, Rickey took over as the Browns manager, and helped the club improve in 1914 by using statistical analysis, as well as forming relationships with his players. The team ended up taking a step back in 1915, which led to him relinquishing his duties as field manager to Fielder Jones. The Browns' new skipper was brought in by the club's new owner Phil Ball, which spelled the beginning of the end Rickey's time with the Browns organization.

     When the Cardinals were sold in 1917, Rickey found a new opportunity. Although, he had just been extended by Ball. The Cardinals making a play for him led to a short legal dispute, which was solved with some dollars passing hands before Rickey could move his things into a new office. Once those dollars passed hands a new era began in Cardinal Nation.

     Rickey did part ways with the club, and headed for Brooklyn in 1942, but even then the groundwork he had laid continued for several more years, which can be seen with those flags that have the numbers 1944 and 1946 on them waving in the wind at the ballpark. During his lengthy tenure Rickey helped bring the Cardinals nine National League Pennants, and six World Championships that came between 1926 and 1946. He did return to the offices of the Cardinals as a senior consultant in 1964. While the Cardinals did go onto win their first championship since 1946 that season he was let go at year's end. A little over a year later Branch Rickey passed away at the age of 83. The man who may be best known for helping break through the color barrier by bringing in Jackie Robinson to play in Brooklyn, is also a man who should forever be remembered in Cardinal Nation. In my humble opinion the "Cardinal Way" started with Branch Rickey.

(The newspaper article in the picture above appeared in the St. Joseph Gazette the following day)

If you would like to read more about the life and times of Branch Rickey check out his SABR bio here: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/6d0ab8f3

     

March 15, 1961: Red Comes Home

     According to http://www.baseball-reference.com/ Red Schoendienst inked a deal with the Cardinals on March 15, 1961. The 38-year-old second baseman had parted ways with the club in the Summer of 1956 after spending more than 10 years with the Birds on the Bat across his chest. While researching the deal that put those birds across his chest once again I found stories that had Red signing with the club on March 7th rather than the 15th, however, the deal could have been held up by physicals and things of that nature, so the ink may have dried completely on the 15th. Regardless, the deal made Red a Cardinal once again, and even at the age of 38 he still had spring in his step. The Redbirds skipper Solly Hemus called him "the youngest looking, youngest acting guy on his squad." The article featured with today's fact was published on March 29, 1961. I chose it because it shows that Red was not in it for the money. He could have taken a far more lucrative deal to play with the Angels, but St. Louis was his home, and home was where he wanted to be.

If you would like to learn more about Red's career that has included more than 50 years in St. Louis, I urge you to read his SABR bio here: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/1dd15231

Stats of a legend: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schoere01.shtml

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March 9, 2005; Rick Ankiel Heads To The Outfield

      On March 9, 2005, Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel announced that his days on the bump were over. However, his days on the diamond were far from it, as the former Rookie of The Year candidate told the media that he would be switching to the outfield.

      The switch was not an easy one. It was coming after a well-documented meltdown that came at the end of his rookie campaign. He had posted an 11-7 record during the regular season, and hopes were high he could pitch well in the playoffs. That hope disappeared fast. The 20-year-old lost his control in what would be considered an epic proportion. It began with a Game 1 start against the Braves in the NLDS. He looked like he was sailing until the third when he threw five wild pitches in a single frame. He was removed from the game with two outs, and before the inning was over there were four runs on the board, It was the first time since 1890 a pitcher had thrown five wild pitches in an inning. Despite those facts the Birds rallied to win the game 7-5, and the hurler looked to bounce back in Game 2 of the NLCS. However, he could not get out of the first inning of that contest, as the ball sailed past Eli Marrero five times before he was sent to the showers. Luckily for him only two of those were considered wild pitches. Otherwise, he would have eclipsed the mark two games in a row. Nobody knew why this happened to him, He appeared to be okay physically. He just lost it. The control that led to 11 wins was gone.

      The following season the control issues persisted, which led to the minor leagues. In the years that followed he struggled with control, and injuries as well. With that said, he did work his way back up to the major league level in 2004, and it looked like he had harnessed his control. He then pitched successfully in Puerto Rico during the offseason, which made the announcement that he wanted to play in the outfield a bit surprising. He had to work his way through Single and Double A affiliates, before getting an invite to Spring Training in 2006, and even then he suffered a seasoning ending injury before the calender turned to April. However, there was no giving up. He worked his way back from the injury, then moved up to the Triple A affiliate in Memphis in 2007. Cracking the Cardinals roster after a World Series run in 2006 would be a tough one, but he would get the call. It just took awhile.

     That call came in August. Scott Spezio had ran into personal issues, which led to an unexpected opportunity for Ankiel. All of the work and perseverance had paid off. The date was of his triumphant return was August 9th. The Birds were hosting the Padres. When Ankiel arrived at the ballpark he found that he was penciled in at number two, and would be playing right field. It was going to be a special one from beginning to end. The crowd of more than 40,000 gave him a standing ovation before he even swung the stick in the first. When he did swing it the ball landed in the glove of the opposition. He followed that up with a strikeout in the third, and another strikeout in the fifth. The tide shifted in the seventh, and it shifted in a big way, as he came to the plate with two on and two out, and the Cards hanging on to a 2-0 lead. He then worked the count to 2-1 before taking a Doug Brocail pitch deep to right. The three-run shot led to a curtain call for the pitcher turned outfielder, and a 5-0 win on what proved to be a very memorable night in the life of Rick Ankiel and in Cardinal Nation as well.

     Rick hit a total of 11 home runs in just 47 game in 2007, then blasted a career high in 2008 with 25, before adding 11 more to his Cardinals totals by putting 11 more in the seats in 2009. All the while he was flashing the leather in the outfield, as  he made spectacular plays with his glove and arm. That was the last season he spent with two birds on a bat across his chest. He would go onto play for the Royals, Braves, Nationals, Astros, and Mets before hanging up the cleats at the end of the 2014 season. After retiring he took a job with the Washington Nationals to help mentor their young prospects as they try to make their way through the world of professional baseball.

     The story of Rick Ankiel is one to be admired. He was knocked down time and time again, and he picked himself up time and time again. Sometimes we as fans take players for granted in many ways. They are often looked at as larger than life figures, and we often forget they have trials and tribulations just like you and me, It is safe to say Ankiel faced his fair share of personal struggle along with the physical struggles that may have affected him when he was trying to make his way. Whether you are an athlete, or an everyday Joe like you and me, one of the keys to life is how we face those trials. Do we give up? Or do we pick ourselves up and get back to work? We all know the answer, and so did Rick.

Don't ever give up.

Check Ankiel's stats out here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/ankieri01.shtml

I dedicate this blog to the memory of my friend and brother James Dennis Hanlon II. I have not written much since he passed away, and by doing so I am picking myself up and getting back to work. Life will knock us down. We must get back up. No matter what. We must get back up.

February 13, 1996: Eckersley Joins The Cards

     On February 13, 1996, Walt Jocketty sent a minor league pitcher by the name of Steve Montgomery to Oakland in exchange for a 41-year-old future Hall of Famer by the name of Dennis Eckersley. The deal reunited Eckersley with Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan who had converted him into a one of the most dominant relievers in all of baseball while they were in Oakland. His resume included a no-hitter, a 20 win season, six All Star appearances, an MVP Award, a Cy Young Award, and he was a World Champion as well. A deal that sent him to Oakland in 1987 was a game changer, as Duncan and LaRussa convinced him to move to the bullpen. The move was one that would pave a road to Cooperstown, New York. While we in St. Louis did not get to see him play in his prime the deal was still a good one as Eckersley locked down 66 saves in two seasons. Montgomery appeared in just 72 games over four seasons, and 53 of those came in 1999 with the Phillies. The Birds definitely won that deal, and the fans won as well because they got to watch another Hall of Famer wear those two birds on the bat.

Stats of a legend: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/eckerde01.shtml

January 29, 1971: Briles Heads To Pittsburgh; Matty Heads To The Lou

     On January 29, 1971, the Cardinals traded pitcher Nelson Briles and outfielder Vic Davalillo to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for outfielder Matty Alou and a lefty reliever by the name of George Brunet.

     The key pieces of this deal were Briles and Alou. The 27-year-old Briles had great deal of success with the Cardinals. He helped the club win the World Series in '67 by posting a 14-5 record in the regular season before locking down a complete game victory in Game 3 of the Fall Classic. The victory was a big one for the series that was destined to go seven games before the Birds celebrated their second title of the decade. Briles returned to the mound in '68 a champion, and he pitched like one by posting a career high 19 wins. After winning 15 more games in '69 things took a turn for the hurler; 1970 was just not his year. He fought through injury, and struggled to the finish line with a 6-7 record. Just like that Briles became expendable. Alou was 32-years-old, and he was a solid veteran hitter who hit .300 or better consistently. The deal seemed to be on that was a good one for both teams.

       To analyze this trade in hindsight I would say that Pittsburgh won the deal. Simply put Briles became part of a championship puzzle, as he helped the Pirates win the National League Crown. He went on to pitch a complete game winner in Game 5 of the Fall Classic that had the Bucs prevail over the Orioles in a hard fought seven game battle. Briles pitched three seasons in the Steel City, before being moved to the Royals in '74. While I do believe the Pirates won the deal, I do not think Cardinals completely lost on it either. Alou lived up to his expectations by cranking out a .315 average in '71. Then in August of '72 he was hitting .314 when he was traded to the A's. The trade that sent him packing amounted to virtually nothing for the Birds, while Matty helped the A's charge toward a title.

     Alou did wear the Birds on the Bat again. Just briefly in 1973 after he was purchased from the Yankees late in that season. On the other hand, Briles did not return to the Gateway City as a player, but he did pitch until 1978, and even though he left he remained one of  many heroes that wore a Cardinals uniform during the late sixties.

Couple sidenotes about the the other players involved in the deal: Davalillo was a platoon type player, and a good bat off the bench. He gave the Bucs two solid seasons before watching his numbers tail off. George Brunet spent 15 years in the big leagues. He made just seven appearances with the Birds before being released in May of that year. Interestingly enough Brunet's career in baseball extended all the way until 1989. His days on the diamond as a professional began in 1953. After the Cardinals released him he bounced around the minors before heading to Mexico where he set multiple records, and pitched until he was 50 years of age.  You can read a great piece about him here: http://www.hardballtimes.com/cooperstown-confidential-the-wild-life-of-george-brunet/

January 28, 1953: Cardinals Owner Fred Saigh Gets Sentenced To Prison

     On January 28, 1953, the owner of the Cardinals, Fred Saigh was convicted of tax evasion, and sentenced to 15 monthes in a Federal Penitentiary. The embattled owner became the talk of baseball. He soon realized that he would have to sell his stock in the team, and men with deep pockets stepped up in both Milwaukee and Houston with thoughts of moving the club. However, Saigh made a last minute deal with August Busch III to purchase the club. While Saigh made some bad choices, which led to the prison sentence, he was also a man who wanted to keep the Cardinals in the City of St. Louis. His time with the team was short, yet significant, and even today it has a continued impact on the club that calls St. Louis home.

     Saigh made a fortune as a lawyer, an investor, and an owner of commercial property as well. In 1947, Saigh along with a well established businessman by the name of Robert Hannegan purchased the club from long time owner Sam Breadon whose health was in decline. Just two years later Hannegan suffered health issues of his own, which led to Saigh purchasing the team outright. Then came the tax trouble. In April of 1952, the 47-year-old Saigh was indicted on five counts of tax evasion. The indictment accused him of avoiding $49,620 between 1946 and 1949. Less than a year later the charges had been reduced to two charges that totaled nearly $20,000. At that point Saigh gave up the idea of fighting it anymore, so he plead no contest.

 

     The wheels were in motion immediately as Saigh had a short period of time to get his affairs in order. The sale would happen with haste. Two days after the conviction Saigh stood in front of Ford C. Frick where he made it be known that he would not embarrass baseball by fighting to keep his club. Busch purchased the club on February 20, 1953. Just two weeks before the announcement that Busch would be the new owner, the team employees had been told that if they wished to move with the club to Milwaukee the organization would pay the expenses. That is how close they were to a deal. Two weeks later the beer baron had saved the day. Fred Saigh had saved the day as well. If Saigh would have taken the higher offer Stan Musial would have had another city's name across his chest. The impact on the history of the club cannot be overstated when it comes to that decision. Just think of all the great games, accomplishments  , milestones, and Game 6 in 2011 moments that have happened since.

      Bill Veeck and the Browns organization had to see this legal battle as a way to take claim of sole proprietorship when it came to baseball in St. Louis. The fact of the matter is the city was not big enough for both teams and one of them would be heading for another city before too long. Once Gussie Busch stepped into the picture Veeck knew he was no match for the money that the brewery owner brought to the table. In 1954, Veeck decided to shift his club to Baltimore and sell the old ballpark to Busch. A new era had begun.

     While the pages were being turned to that next era in Cardinals ownership Saigh served five months of his 15 month sentence before being released. After several years of legal wrangling Saigh settled on some civil suit, and moved on from the tax issues. He was able to gain wealth once again with wise investments, which included a large portion of stock in Anhueser Busch. Saigh had his sites set on purchasing the Washington Senators in 1971 before pulling his name out of the hat due to his past. However, Saigh would go onto amass nearly $500 million before passing away in 1999 at the age of 94. He was one of the wealthiest people in St. Louis at the time. He donated a substantial amount of money to charity in his will, and established The Fred Saigh Foundation. To this day his contributions to his fellow man still go on. When mentioned among those who know their baseball history the first thing that may come up might be the tax case. It may have helped define his legacy, but in this fan's opinion it was unfortunate bump in the road of life. A life that turned out to be great. His character stood tall even after he heard a judgement come down against him in a court of law. If he were here today I would shake his hand before thanking him for helping keep the Birds right where they belong.

You can read a short bio about Saigh's life on here: http://thesaighfoundation.org/flash/saighflash.html   

January 7, 1985: Lou Brock Joins The Immortal Bunch

     On January 7, 1985, the news hit the wires that Lou Brock had been selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It was his first time on the ballot. Brock's illustrious career took off after being traded to the Birds in the Summer of '64, as he quickly became one of the most feared runners in all of baseball.

     Brock's well documented achievements included 3,023 hits, 938 stolen bases, 900 RBI, and two World Championship rings as well. His induction came later that year, and during his speech he spoke of listening to Cardinals games on KMOX as a child in Louisiana. At that time the game was changing, and America was changing as well. Jackie Robinson had broke the color barrier, and Brock had found a dream. His dream became a reality, and that dream led to hallowed halls in Cooperstown, New York.

     Brock was joined by the famed knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, who had not thrown a pitch off a major league diamond until he was 28 years of age. Another legendary player from the Cardinals past would join Brock in the '85 Hall of Fame class would be Enos Slaughter. Slaughter was selected by a Veteran's Committee, who also selected the late Arky Vaughan also. On this day that we remember the day Lou heard the news I would like to congratulate the newest members of baseball's immortal bunch.  So here is a tip of the cap to Randy Johnson, Pedro Martiniez, Craig Biggio, and former Cardinal, John Smoltz. And last, but not least: Louuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!! Go Cards!!!

If you have the time I urge you to listen to Brock's Hall of Fame speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_k_nHvRmxo

Stats of a legend: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brocklo01.shtml