May 3, 1931: The Birds Win With an Extra-Inning Squeeze Play

      On May 3, 1931, Cardinals shortstop Charlie Gelbert squeezed in the winning run with a bunt in the bottom of 11th in a 5-4 win over the Cubs at Sportsman's Park. The winning run was the first Redbird run since they had scored four in the first and ran the Cubs starting pitcher Donie Busch before he even recorded an out. Jakie May took over for the Baby Bears and did an admirable job by going six innings while allowing just two hits, before lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh. Sheriff Blake took over for May and did not skip a beat, as he only allowed one hit until what the Chicago Tribune called "a fatal rally in the eleventh." Before that fatal rally took place Gabby Hartnett took the Cardinals starter Flint Rhem deep in the fifth with a two-run shot, then in the seventh the Cubs capitalized on an error and a key hit to plate two more and tie the ballgame. That only set the stage for the fatal rally. The rally began with Frankie Frisch singling to open the 11th. Frisch moved over to third on a Jim Bottomley single, and moments later Gelbert executed the bunt perfectly to win it. The 35,892 on hand had broke an attendance record as they witnessed the red hot Cards sweep the Cubs right out of town.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN193105030.shtml

May 2, 1882: The Organization Starts Things Off With a Winner

     On May 2, 1882, the first game in the history of the Cardinals organization was played. The club was then known as the St. Louis Brown Stockings, and those Brown Stockings started things off right with a 9-7 victory over the Louisville Eclipse in front of a home crowd. While an actual game account is hard to come by, I did locate a blurb in The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette that had an inning-by-inning box score, which at the very least painted a picture of that game. The Brown Stocking surged out the gate, scoring six runs in the first four innings, and found themselves with a comfortable 9-2 lead before the Louisville club began a comeback by scoring a run in the seventh, then two more in the eighth, and two more in the ninth, before the Brown Stockings held on for victory #1.

     The 1882 club went 37-43.  Here is what the first lineup looked like: Jack Gleason 3B, Bill Gleason SS, Oscar Walker CF, Charlie Comiskey 1B, Bill Smiley 2B, Sleeper Sullivan C, Ned Cuthbert LF, Jumbo McGinnis P, George Seward RF. McGinnis was the club's first 20 game winner, as he posted a 25-18 record on the season. The man they called Jumbo started 45 of the Brown Stockings and completed 43 of them. Bill Gleason led the team with a .288 average, as well as 11 doubles, and 6 triples. The club's first home run hitter was Oscar Walker who hit 7 in that inaugural season.

     Regardless of personal stats, every man on that roster was a part of something special. They laid the foundation. It was the foundation for the team we know and love, and it was the foundation for a nation: Cardinal Nation. I'm glad I'm a member.

The game was played by a far different set of rules in 1882. I have looked into 19th century baseball and it is interesting to say the least. This is an absolutely great website that can give you insight into the game and how it all began: http://www.19cbaseball.com/

Take a look at the first club's stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/1882.shtml

May 1, 1934: Ripper Comes Through In The Clutch

     On May 1, 1934, Ripper Collins powered the Cardinals past the Reds with two late inning blasts that led the club to a 3-2 victory in St. Louis. If anyone ever tells you there is no such thing as clutch tell them to take a look at this game. The Birds had their backs against the wall down 1-0 in the ninth when Collins finally got to and parked one in the seats to tie it up and send it to extras. The wind was taken out of the Cardinals sails in the top of the 11th, as the Reds pushed a run in. Once again their backs were against the wall, and once again Collins would come through with a long ball to tie it up. He was followed by a double by Bill Delancey, then Burgess Whitehead knocked him in with a game winning single.

     Collins hit 35 home runs for the Cardinals in that Championship season, which led the National League. He provided a punch to a lineup that would forever be immortalized as the Gashouse Gang. Collins spent six years in the Mound City, and was a part of two World Championship winners with his first coming in his rookie year in 1931. At the end of his six seasons in St. Louis, Collins had carried a .297 average, hit 106 home runs, and knocked in 516 runs. Following the '36 season he was dealt to Chicago in a package deal that brought the club Lon Warneke.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN193405010.shtml

April 30, 1887: Tip O'Neill Hits For The Cycle

     On April 30, 1887, the St. Louis Browns pounded the Cleveland Blues into submission with a 28-11 beatdown that was ended after eight due to the setting sun. The game featured a historic feat, as the Browns left fielder Tip O'Neill became just the second member of what would be known as the Cardinals organization to hit for the cycle. O'Neill's seven trips to the plate included two home runs for the day. Eight days later O'Neill did it again against the Louisville Colonels. Although, he did only put one over the wall in that contest that saw the Browns prevail by the score of 12-7. The articles in the picture were both featured in the Baltimore American the day after the ballgames.

     O'Neill was one of the great players of his day. He spent 10 years in the big leagues, with seven of those years being played in St. Louis. During that time the Browns wowed the crowds with pennant winning baseball by winning consecutive American Association titles in 1885, 1886, 1887, and 1888. The 1887 season was something special for O'Neill, as he earned triple crown honors with a .435 average, 123 RBI, and 14 home runs. He also led the league with hits doubles, and triples. He hit 52 doubles that season, which was the first time a major leaguer had recorded 50 or more in a season.

     The Triple Crown performance of 1887 was just the second time a player had achieved the feat. Most historians are quick to point out the game was played under a different set of rules and walks counted as hits, so he it did have inflated numbers, however, none of them would dare to say he was not a great player from his day, and after all O'Neill did not make the rules, he simply played by them. Just think, if that game on April 30, 1887 was not called due to darkness, he may have gotten one more at bat, and could have hit another home run. A cycle with two home runs is pretty crazy. A cycle with three home runs would be insane.

Check out Tip's career numbers here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/o%27neiti01.shtml

Here is the complete list of men who have hit for the cycle as a member of the National League club that call St. Louis home. *Note: the club joined the National League in 1892. To date, only Ken Boyer has equaled the feat twice as a member of the club. 

• Fred Dunlap, 5/24/1886
• Tip O'Neill, 4/30/1887
• Tip O'Neill, 5/7/1887
• Tommy Dowd, 8/16/1895
• Cliff Heathcote, 6/13/1918
• Jim Bottomley, 7/15/1927 
• Chick Hafey, 8/21/1930
• Pepper Martin, 5/5/1933
• Ducky Medwick, 6/29/35
• Johnny Mize, 7/13/1940
• Stan Musial, 7/24/1949
• Bill White, 8/14/1960
• Ken Boyer, 9/14/1961
• Ken Boyer, 6/16/1964
• Joe Torre, 6/27/1973
• Lou Brock, 5/27/1975
• Willie McGee, 6/23/1984
• Ray Lankford, 9/15/1991
• John Mabry, 5/18/1996
• Mark Grudzielanek, 4/27/2005 

April 29, 1936: Tarzan Beats King Carl In 17

     On April 29, 1936, the Cardinals beat the New York Giants 2-1 in 17 innings at Sportsman's Park. What makes this game absolutely remarkable is both starting pitchers stood on the bump from start to finish. The Cardinals had sent Leroy Parmalee to the bump,while the Giants countered with a future Hall of Famer by the name of Carl Hubbell. King Carl pitched like a Hall of Famer, and while Parmalee does not have a plaque in Cooperstown, he was magnificent throughout as well, allowing just six hits in the 17 innings, while striking out nine. Hubbell's line featured 11 hits given up, and six strikeouts. Hit number 11 was a double by the Cardinals catcher Spud Davis. Two errors later Parmalee and the Redbirds were winners, as the gaffes pushed Davis across the plate three hours and forty one minutes after the contest began.

     Parmalee had been dealt from the Giants to the Cardinals in December of 1935. He had spent seven seasons in the Big Apple. During that time he posted a 40-30 record. At the time of the deal he was coming off his best season in the big leagues, as he had just posted a 14-10 record. He ended up going 11-11 in 28 starts with the Birds, and carried a 4.56 earned run average. He had always struggled with control and was even nicknamed Tarzan, which seems to be why he may not have had better results throughout his career. When the '36 season came to an end Parmalee and Ripper Collins were shipped to the Cubs in exchange for Lon Warneke. It proved to be a great deal for the Redbirds, as Parmalee fell to a 7-8 record in Chicago, then fell off the map in '38 before attempting a comeback in '39. Meanwhile, Warneke gave the Cardinals five full seasons of double-digit wins, and he even sprinkled in a no-hitter.

 Some Called Him Tarzan by Eugene Murdock, Parmalee reminisced briefly of his days in St. Louis. He said Dizzy had come up with a new jingle: "Paul and me and Parmalee" proclaiming the trio would lead the Cardinals to winning the National League Pennant. It did not quite work out that way, but it was not because of a lack of effort, as the Cardinals just five games back at season's end. While Parmalee's time in Cardinal Nation was brief, it too is a time to be remembered. In

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN193604290.shtml

Here is a link to the piece by Eugene Murdock:
http://research.sabr.org/journals/some-called-him-tarzan

April 28, 1976: Clarey Goes Yard in The 16th

     On April 28, 1976, Doug Clarey put the Birds in the win column with a 16th inning two-run blast that propelled the Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the Giants at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The big blast was the first and last home run of Clarey's short major league career that lasted just nine games. However, that home run has forever linked him to yet another great tale from baseball's past, as Clarey's moment in the sun came just 40 minutes from where he grew up.

     Being so close to The City by the Bay, Clarey was a fan of the Giants throughout his youth. He blossomed into a star baseball player in high school, then ended up with the Minnesota Twins organization after graduating. In 1974, the Cardinals were able to pick him up through the Rule 5 draft, then he toiled in the minors a bit. He never could get his bat going in the minors, and was in Class A ball when he got the call. Some strange coincidences ended up with Clarey being placed on the roster, which came in the form of an injury to second baseman Mike Tyson. The team was faced with dilemma after the injury, with both of their best options being out of options. That would mean they would have to clear waivers if they were called up then sent back down when Tyson was good to go. So the move for Clarey simply made sense from a business standpoint.

     Clarey understood his time in the bigs was going to be short from day one, because Tyson would be back much sooner than later. That hardly mattered. He was in the big leagues. For the most part he was relegated to a late inning defensive replacement role, until that marathon game in San Francisco. Then he got his chance, in the sixteenth with Don Kessinger standing on first. Mike Caldwell was on the mound for the Giants, and when the pitcher served him one up, Clarey took a swing that put him in the history books, as it sailed over the wall. Danny Frisella retired the side in the bottom of the inning, and Clarey was a hero. It was said when he walked into the clubhouse pandemonium ensued around him, and he called it the greatest experience of his life. He had lived a dream.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN197604280.shtml

     Clarey played professional baseball until 1978. After hanging up the cleats he moved back to California where he worked in realty, before opening a pizza place by the name of Cheech's in 1993. A great deal of this information came from a SABR bio that was done about Doug Clarey. Although, I condensed it down quite a bit. If you would like to read more about him you can find that here: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/5ec7d4e5

April 27, 2005: Grudzielanek Hits For The Cycle On Carp's Birthday

     On April 27, 2005, Cardinals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek joined an exclusive list of men by hitting for the cycle as he led the way to a 6-3 victory over the Brewers. The history making performance came on Chris Carpenter's birthday, who also started the game, and struck out 12 men through seven and two thirds.

     Grudzielanek started things off with a leadoff home run, then singled and scored in the second, before knocking in a run with a double in the fourth. By the time the sixth rolled around Milwaukee's starter Victor Santos had been sent to the showers, and Jorge De La Rosa had taken over. Grudzielanek was cheered on by Albert Pujols in the dugout moments before he went to the dish, but hardly believed he would get the triple. Then came the pitch the pitch that turned into a scorching line drive into right. Grudzielanek flew out of the box, and rounded the bases until he was standing on third. History had been made. To date, he is the last Cardinals player to achieve the feat.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN200504270.shtml

Happy Birthday Chris Carpenter!!!

     Since 1918, the cycle has been accomplished 16 times by 15 different ballplayers who had the Birds on the Bat across their chests.  Outfielder Cliff Heathcote was the first man to do it, while Ken Boyer is the only man who accomplished the feat twice. It was accomplished four times pre 1900 by the club who would become known as the Cardinals when the club called themselves the Browns. In 1887, long before Boyer hit for his second cycle, Tip O'Neill picked up his second cycle, just eight days after he did it for the first time. 

Here is the complete list of men who have hit for the cycle as a member of the National League club that call St. Louis home. *Note: the club joined the National League in 1892, and before that they were a member of the American Association.

• Fred Dunlap, 5/24/1886
• Tip O'Neill, 4/30/1887
• Tip O'Neill, 5/7/1887
• Tommy Dowd, 8/16/1895
• Cliff Heathcote, 6/13/1918
• Jim Bottomley, 7/15/1927 
• Chick Hafey, 8/21/1930
• Pepper Martin, 5/5/1933
• Ducky Medwick, 6/29/35
• Johnny Mize, 7/13/1940
• Stan Musial, 7/24/1949
• Bill White, 8/14/1960
• Ken Boyer, 9/14/1961
• Ken Boyer, 6/16/1964
• Joe Torre, 6/27/1973
• Lou Brock, 5/27/1975
• Willie McGee, 6/23/1984
• Ray Lankford, 9/15/1991
• John Mabry, 5/18/1996
• Mark Grudzielanek, 4/27/2005