April 8, 1970: Gibby and Allen Lift The Birds On Opening Day

     On April 8, 1970, the Redbirds opened up the season with a comeback win over the Expos in Montreal. The heroes of the day were Bob Gibson, who struck out nine through eight, and Dick Allen, who in his regular season debut with the club went 3 for 5, with a home run and two doubles.

     It was a cold and blustery day north of the border, as an early morning snow threatened to blanket the field at Jarry Park. By 7:30 a.m. the snow had turned to rain, and shortly thereafter the skies cleared, as a crowd of more than 20,000 prepared for a day at the ole ballgame. That crowd in Montreal knew their team would have their hands full with Gibby standing on the mound for the Redbirds. However, they had hope that Bill Stoneman would be able to get the job done, and Stoneman delivered with a nine pitch first inning to start things off. Gibson stumbled early, falling behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first, despite striking out the side. The first man he faced, Marv Staehle, reached on a single, then he walked Rusty Staub, before watching Ron Fairly knock in the first run of the day with a single. Gibson then picked up his first strikeout, before Coco LaBoy singled to bring Staub around to score. Down 2-0, Gibson struck out the next two men in succession, which was a sign of things to come for the home team.

    Gibson and company watched the tide turn in the fourth, as Dick Allen ripped a double to open the inning. Allen would come around to score on a two out single by Joe Hague, and just like that the score sat at 2-1. Stoneman proved to be a formidable foe, as he pitched his way into the eighth before serving one up to Allen that landed 420 feet from where it started. The score was 2-2, as the Redbirds began to march toward victory.

      The Expos were trying to salvage the contest with Stoneman still on the bump in the ninth, It just was not happening on that day. He gave up a single to Leron Lee to start things off, Hague moved him over with a bunt, before Julian Javier punched a single into left that brought in the go ahead run. Moments later the phone rang in the Montreal bullpen and Stoneman handed the ball off to Carroll Sembera. That is when the floodgates opened. Sembera gave up a double to every other batter he faced, starting with Dal Maxvill, followed by Lou Brock, then capped off by none other than Dick Allen. Quite the Cardinals debut for Allen. By the time Senbera handed the ball to Dan McGinn the score was 7-2. McGinn picked up the final out of that fateful ninth, before watching St. Louis' Chuck Taylor pitch a scoreless ninth. The Redbirds were victorious.

      Allen would spend just one season with the Birds, hitting .279 with 34 home runs. As a huge fan of the man, I wish his time in the Lou was much longer. Gibson was poised for another great season right out of the gate that season, and he ended up with 23 wins, which was not only a career high, he also led the league in wins. Unfortunately, no other pitcher on that staff in 1970 got the job done like Gibby did. In fact, only one other hurler cracked double digits in wins, which was Steve Carlton who posted a 10-19 record. Another aspect that hurt that club in 1970 was a shaky lineup,full of question mark, which the famous artist Amadee poked a little bit of fun at with the illustration to the right. In the end the club went 76-86. With that said, the year did have its great moments, and that opening day had quite a few great moments as well. It was one to remember.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MON/MON197004080.shtml

April 5, 1989: DeLeon and McGee Lead the Way To Victory In New york

     On April 5, 1989, Jose DeLeon hurled the Redbirds to a 3-1 win over the Mets at Shea Stadium in New York with the help of a two RBI day from Willie McGee. The win was a much needed one for that Cardinals club, as they had not won a game at Shea in their last 11 appearances at the stadium. On top of that, DeLeon had not won a game there in his last nine appearances. However it all changed that day, as the hurler gave the club a strong eight, while McGee parked a long ball in the seats in the fourth to tie the game 1-1. Pedro Guerrero brought Willie into score on a groundout in the sixth, then McGee came through again with an RBI in the seventh to give the team a little insurance. Meanwhile, DeLeon got the job done, as he sailed though the eighth inning. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the ninth, then watched Ken Dayley and Todd Worrell close the contest out.

     That '89 season ended with the Cardinals third in the National League East. They finished with an 89-76 record. DeLeon claimed 16 of those wins. Only Joe Magrane had more with 18 wins. With that said, the tide was turning against the club as the end of the Herzog era was on the horizon. However, the 1980's as a whole were something else. I grew up during that time, and those teams that Whitey managed got me hooked to that great sport that is played on a diamond. Those teams like many of the other great Cardinals teams that took to the field in St. Louis will be revered as long as the sun rises and sets over ballparks across this great land.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN198904050.shtml

April 4, 1998, Big Mac Makes History Right Out Of The Gate

     On April 4, 1998, Mark McGwire became just the second player in the history of Major League Baseball to homer in the first four games of the season. The sixth inning three-run blast was a difference maker in the contest, as it led the way to an 8-6 victory over the Padres at Busch. The man they called Big Mac joined elite company on that April day, by matching the feat that Willie Mays had accomplished in 1971. He was setting the pace early for what would be a historic season that ended with McGwire as the king of swing, as he belted a record 70 home runs by season's end. While the records that were broken and the home runs that were hit by McGwire have been questioned because of the use of performance enhancers, I do believe that season was something to be remembered. St. Louis and the entire nation alike were electrified, as we sat and watched Mark McGwire chase history. I personally remember those days fondly, and always will.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN199804040.shtml

April 3, 2006: The Cardinals Thrash The Phillies In Philly

     On April 3, 2006, the road to a championship began with a 13-5 Cardinals season opening win over the Phillies in Philadelphia. The game featured Chris Carpenter on the bump from the start, as well as two home runs by Albert Pujols. Jim Edmonds drove in the first run of the contest with an RBI double in the first, then sat and watched Albert lift his first long ball into the seats with a big blast in the third. The Birds then exploded with eight runs in the fourth, which began with an Aaron Miles triple, and ended with a grand slam off the bat of Scott Rolen to make the score 10-0.  Miles was making his regular season debut with the club, and he along with the rest of the Birds were flyin' towards victory. And little did they know, they were also flyin' towards a Championship.

     The Fightin' Phils finally got to Carpenter in the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot by Pat Burrell, however, the Redbirds were in the driver's seat in this one. David Eckstein got the run back with a sac fly in the fifth, before Albert connected with his second big fly of the day. The three run shot made the score 13-1, and the Cardinals were well on their way to victory. With that said, the Phillies would not just lay down. Chase Utley drove in a run in the bottom of the fifth, then Ryan Howard did his best Pujols imitation by taking on deep to lead off the sixth. Carp walked the next man, then handed the ball off to Randy Flores who watched another run cross the plate before the sixth was in the books.

     Flores handed the ball off to Josh Hancock after allowing a one out single in the seventh, before Burrell knocked in the fourth and final Phillies run of the day with a double. Hancock settled quickly, picked up the next two outs, then watched Adam Wainwright toss the eighth, before Brad Thompson finished things off in the ninth. Win number one of what would turn out to be an 83 win team was in the books.

     This club like each club on opening day had questions that would be answered, as well as adversity that would be faced. They would go through valleys and peaks. The peaks seems to have come early in that '06 season, as they were on fire from the start, then seemed to be drowning near the end. They had to overcome injuries, as well as players that did not perform up to expectations. In the end they took advantage of what was a weak Central Division and took first by 1 1/2 games over the Astros. With just 83 wins most probably did not believe in the team. However, the men in the locker room believed in themselves, and once the playoffs began the regular season was a thing of the past. It was time to make a run, and make a run they did. For the first time since 1982, the St. Louis Cardinals would be World Champions.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI200604030.shtml

December 23, 2004: Eckstein Becomes a Cardinal

     On December 23, 2004, David Eckstein signed a three year deal that made him a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. The club was in need of a shortstop after the Boston Red Sox had lured Edgar Renteria to Beantown, which opened the door for the scraptastic player who had spent his first four years in Anaheim with the Angels and helped them win the World Series in 2002. By the end of 2006, Eckstein would celebrate as a champion once again. He was part of an 83 win team that made and unlikely run as a wildcard contender. By the time it was wrapped up Eckstein was the World Series MVP. David moved on after the 2007 season, however, he will forever be revered in St. Louis, and when his name comes up in Cardinal Nation a smile will cross the face of the fans as they remember the days he wore the Birds on the Bat.

Thank you for the memories David.



   

December 8, 1966: Maris Joins The Birds

     On December 8, 1966, Cardinals GM Bob Howsam made a deal with Yankees GM Lee McPhail that put the Birds on the Bat across the front of Roger Maris' uniform, while a third baseman by the name of Charlie Smith would be wearing the pinstripes in New York. Maris would become a big part of a Championship club with the Redbirds in 1967, and he helped them take home the National League pennant in 1968 as well. He retired following the '68 campaign, calling his time in St. Louis the best two years of his career.

     Maris had broken Babe Ruth's longstanding home run record during in '61 with 61 big blasts. However, that historic campaign was not easy for him. He was in a head-to-head battle with fan favorite Mickey Mantle who too had visions of catching the Great Bambino in the history books. In the end Maris won the battle. however, the toll it took on him was great. The stress Maris suffered during that home run race caused him to lose his hair and sleep as well. He broke the record on the final day of the season, However, what should have been a celebrated feat ended up being something that ended with the media and fans turning on the outfielder in the years to come.

      The home run total dropped to 33 in 1962. In 1963 his home run total ended up at 23 and he was only able to play in 90 games due to injury. He bounced back with a solid season in '64. With that said, his Yankee squad ran into a team of destiny in the Cardinals who capitalized on an epic collapse by the Philadelphia Phillies, then put the Bronx Bombers to bed in the Fall Classic. The 1965 season was the worst year for Maris in New York. He played in a career low 46 games due to a misdiagnosed broken hand, and the press and fans alike turned on him completely. The team had finished in sixth place, and by Yankees standards this was not acceptable and he happened to be a scapegoat, despite the fact that other teammates also missed a great deal of time due to injury. Even Mickey Mantle missed significant time, but that did not matter because Mantle was held in much higher regard. The 1966 season was not as bad, however, Maris did play in just 119 games and hit just 13 homers. he had become a whipping boy in The Big Apple, and once that season came to a close he was ready to hang up the cleats.

     When Maris got word of the trade he was not surprised. He even said he thought the club would have moved him back in 1962. While he did intend on leaving baseball after the '66 season. He had even informed the Yankees of his intentions. With that said, once the deal went down he decided to go ahead and play another year because he did not want the same writers who raked him over the coals to say the trade was why he retired. The reason he wanted out was in large part due to a great deal of those men who put print in the newspapers daily.

     It turned out to be a great deal for Maris. He found new life in St. Louis. He found fans that appreciated him, a manager in Red Schoendienst that embraced him as a veteran who would produce when called upon, and a much more forgiving press corp who were about to enjoy a year that would end with a parade in Downtown St. Louis. In his two seasons in St. Louis Maris hit .258 with 9 homers, and 100 RBI's. Perhaps his greatest run in the Gateway City came during the run to glory in 1967 when he hit .385 and knocked in seven runs during the World Series. Unfortunately for Maris Father Time knocked at his door the next year, and he answered. However, he did put his name in the history books with the Cardinals, and right next to it says World Champion. In my view Roger Maris will forever be a Cardinal.
   
If you would like to read more about the life and times of Roger Maris you can read his SABR biography here: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bf4690e9

October 9, 1934: Dizzy Dominates, Ducky Causes a Riot, The Cardinals Win The World Series In Detroit

     On October 9, 1934, with Dizzy Dean leading the way on the mound, the Cardinals were crowned World Champions after beating the Detroit Tigers 11-0 in Game 7 of the Fall Classic at Navin Field in Detroit. The game was marred with controversy, as Ducky Medwick spiked the Tigers third baseman Marv Owen in the sixth inning, which nearly caused a riot. The commissioner of baseball Kennesaw Mountain Landis ordered Medwick be lifted from the game to regain order. While the incident was splashed across the headlines, the series was a great one that will forever be remembered, as the Gashouse Gang slammed the door in Detroit with a convincing victory that sent them home as Champions of the World.

     While researching this game I ran across an article that was written by the very well known Grantland Rice. It was a little too large to clip, so I am going to bring it to you in its entirety here. Such a great piece, I just had to share it. I hope you enjoy.

                                           Dizzy Wins From Six Pitchers in Shutout Final
                                                           
                                                                   By Grantland Rice

In the wake of the western dust, blown up by the two cyclonic Deans, the St. Louis Cardinals take their place on the top plateau of baseball as the new champions of the world.

Riding along on the rubbery, loose-jointed arm of the dazzling Dizzy they cut their way to the front through six Tiger pitchers and a wild and savage barrage of beer bottles, oranges and other hurtling implements, composed of fruit, wood, iron and glass, thrown from the left field bleachers, that fir 20 minutes turned the seventh game into a wooly riotthat looked like two battles of the Marne, with Verndun and Tennenburg thrown in.

                                                          Slaughters Six Pitchers

Sling-shot Dizzy slaughtered six Tiger pitchers, 11-0, in this final foray of flying spikes, as he held the enemy to six scattered hits for the closing triumph of the dukedom of the Deans. 

But it remained for Ducky-Wucky Medwick, the Cardinal Cossack, to seal a big part of the show and start one of the neatest young riots that any world series has ever known.

The Vesuvian explosion that came near blowing up the ball game took place in the sixth inning. Ducky-Wucky had just tripled and driven Pepper Martin over with the eighth Cardinal run. 

                      17,000 Lay Down Barrage

For 30 minutes, the enraged bleachers laid down a barrage that would have stopped the charge of the First division  or the Prussian Guard. The sunny autumn air was whiling mass of missiles fired from a 300-yard front, and the blue autumn skyline was almost hidden by the mass of fruit and glass, hurled by the mighty indignant arms.

After a delay of 20 minutes, Judge Landis, the mandarin of the game, heard all evidence and sent Medwick from the park under a police guard. The judge agreed with the Messrs. Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin that the day of the Cossack was over. So Medwick was shipped to the iron mines of Siberia after he had hammered out 11 hits and had been a hard rider most of the week.  

                                                       

                                                      Spotlight on Deans 

 But, after all, riot or what not, it was the two country kids from Oklahoma, aged 21 and 23, who took charge of this seven-game show with all the mastery of a Booth or a Barrett, a George M. Cohan or a Walter Huston, a Mansfield or an Arliss. 

These two friendly, likable country kids from Holdenville, Oklahoma, and border lines of Arkansas first carried the Cardinals from a second division berth to the top of the pile. 

In spite of the fines and suspensions and brother strikes, they carved their way to 49 victories. On top of this, the same two kinds from the brush and the bush, from the dust and the sage of the southwest,won all four Cardinal victories, four winning charges in five starts, for one of the most dramatic drives beneath the great white spotlight that sport has ever known and you can go back 4,000 years if you have the energy and the time. 

                                                          Dizzy Keeps Even

"I've got to keep up with Paul." Dizzy said before the game. "I'd like to win anyhow, I always like to win, but I can't let Paul down. He carried us to the seventh game. It's my time now  and, if I have to, I'll just throw my arm off to show the two Deans still move together. I wouldn't let Paul down for anything in the would. A great pitcher? Sure, I know that. But he's a great kid on the side. I wish you knew him better. They don't come along like Paul. He's the finest kid toy ever met in every way you can figure him out."

As the bulky figure of Babe Ruth fades out of the picture from the playing side, and old-fashioned three-massed schooner fading into the fog, two kids from the dust of the western trail take his place as the greatest sensations baseball has known, matching the glamour of Mathewson, Hans Wagner, Ty Cobb, and Babe Ruth. 

                                                         A Sudden Blaze 

But these two country kids have come along with a sudden blaze and flame that surpasses in its dramatic flourish the leaders of the old parade.

In one brief six months, from the dogwoods of April to the crimson and orange tints of October, they were called upon two strong right arms to write one of the greatest of all time sporting classics.

                                                   Pepper Martin's Come-Back

And, in the midst of the  Dean triumph, don't overlook Pepper Martin, who came back with a rushing, rowdy, ripping attack to regain the place he held a few years ago as one of the best ball player that ever carved and slashed and ripped his way from goat-dom to the purple toga. Except that the Pepper's interest in a purple toga would be less than nothing, with his baggy trousers, his open shirt and a front-piece that has only casual interest in a razor.

What a ball player!

And, in spite of his banishment, I'll say the same about Ducky-Wucky Medwick, the Cardinal Cossack, who plays the game up the hilt. Did Detroit ever see Ty Cobb along the two paths?

                                                           Blows Up In Third 

This  seventh game blew up with the roar of a heavy artillery and sappers at work in the third inning. 

Dizzy Dean was facing Auker, the Tiger starter at the time. In this cataleptic inning, the Cardinals ripped apart Auker, Rowe, Hogsett and Bridges fr seven hits, three passes and seven runs.

It was Dizzy Dean who started this Tiger massacre with a double to left. Not content with shutting the Tigers out, he led the big attack of the day with a double and a single in one round, two deadly thrusts that came along like a pair of poisoned harpoons. 

                                                              Others Do Part

 After this, Martin, Frisch, Collins, Delancey and others all took good aim at a parade of Tigers pitchers, who were all wild and ineffective, on the border of collapse as they marched by in order, each in turn set up before a firing squad aiming for the forehead or the heart. 

I caught the picture of Kipling's "grave of the hundred dead," where the young subaltern fell with " a big blue hole in his forehead, and the back blown out of his head." 

The backs were blown out of the heads of the last game. The Cardinals added two more in the sixth on Martin's hit and Medwick's triple. They ran up two more in the seventh on Durocher's triple, Gehringer's error, Martin's second steal and Rothrock's double. That made 11 runs. And all this while, the great Dizzy was plowing that fast one through with speed, curves, control and a change of pace that removed stripe after stripe from the Tiger hide. 

                                                   Cochrane Fights to Last 

 The game and wounded Mickey Cochrane, one of the heroes of the series, fought to the ultimate ditch. He gave everything he had, including blood, brains and heart, but he was in the road of the two Deans, and he might as well tried t break down the charge of an elephant herd, running amuck along the congo trail. 

Close to 300,000 spectators paid in more than a million dollars to see the two Deans move to greater fame amid flying spikes, blocking backs, stranglehold, head locks, riding off, smashing tackles and all the more rugged elements that make upa half dozen sports.

                                                          Drama and Color 

It was a rough and rowdy series, full of spilt blood and ragged errors, full of fine pitching and hard hitting. A series as seamy as they ball they played with, but it had fire and action, raw drama and more flaming color than any series has known in years. 

 And, down the final stretch, the better team in the series won out, the rwam that had the daredevil, smashing attack of a Martin and a Medwick and a Collins and, above all, the team happened to have the sling-shot arms, the cool heads and stout hears of Paul and Dizzy Dean, who now can take their two places among baseball's unforgotten stars, just a pair of country kids born to the greatness of a game they happened to love. 

The Tigers today know how Bill Terry's Giants and the rest of the National League must of suffered. The twin poisons of sport carried their venom to the final out.  

     Quite the tale that Mr. Rice told the day after that classic ballgame. The series did forever immortalize both Dizzy and Paul, and the rest of the gang as well. One of the most colorful teams to ever step on a St. Louis diamond, the Gashouse Gang will have their story told time and time again. They put together a special season, then topped it off by celebrating as the Champions of the World. A great celebration was had in St. Louis in the days that followed, and in the years that have passed since the celebration of their accomplishments continues.