August 19, 1951: Now Batting... Eddie Gaedel

 On August 19, 1951, Bill Veeck, the owner of the St. Louis Browns staged one of the greatest publicity stunts in the history of baseball when he signed a 3 foot 7 inch Eddie Gaedel to pinch hit to lead off the second game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. After the Browns dropped the first game by the score of 5-2, Veeck wheeled a big birthday cake onto the field to commemorate the organization's 50th years in St. Louis. To the delight of the crowd out popped the little man wearing the digits 1/8 on his back. When the little man started to head to the plate to bat, the Tigers catcher Ed Hurley immediately questioned the umpire, before Bill Veeck produced a contract, and the ump chose to let him take the historic at bat. Veeck had instructed Gaedel to crouch as low as he could, so that he could work a walk out of starter Bob Cain. The strategy worked, as Cain sailed four high ones that sent Gaedel trotting to first He was lifted for a pinch runner, and ultimately the Tigers knocked off the Browns 6-2, but the day would be a day that would not be forgotten.

     The article I included with the picture was featured in The Florence Times out of Florence, Alabama. It came out just a couple days after the historic game. I got a kick out of how Gaedel talked about dreaming of the day when he could induce a bases loaded walk. The powers that be squashed those dreams citing the best interests of baseball. However, he did appear in other promotional stunts, before passing away in 1961. If you would like to read more about Eddie Gaedel give this a look: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/fa5574c8

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLA/SLA195108192.shtml
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An On This Day In Cardinal Nation Update

     I just wanted those of you who follow the blog to know that I am skipping some days while I attend college. For those of you who don't know me, I am on the cusp of my 38th birthday, and have decided to chase a dream that will be caught. I am actually pursuing a degree that will help me help others. It is a degree in Social Work. My long term goal is to help those who are struggling with addiction win their battle. I thought about majoring in history, but my heart kept telling me to go that direction, and I believe in following the heart.

     I am very close to finishing the first leg of the race with the Associate's, but I have a ways to go to get to where I want to be. At minimum it will be a Bachelor's, and hopefully it is a Master's. I tell you this because many of you have been loyal readers of mine, so I would like you to know who I am and what's going on.

     I realized last semester that I was putting the blog before schoolwork. Therefore, I have to prioritize, and my education has to come first. I work full time and I am going to school full time, so I hope you can understand. I enjoy writing these blogs, and will continue to do so when time permits. I do believe I will be able to squeeze in a few new facts every week, and there are more than 500 on here in the archives.

     I'll leave you with this, do not be afraid to pursue your dreams. If someone tells you that you can't, show them that you can. Always believe in yourself. The only way you will hit a home run is if you step in the box and take a swing. If you swing and miss, step back in, and take another cut. You will get a hold of one. I plan on knocking it out of the park.

I thank each and every person who has ever read one of these blogs. They have been fun, and I can guarantee you this, I am far from done when it comes to writing them.

I will be posting what I call reruns on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OnThisDayInCardinalNation and my Twitter page as well: @CardinalHistory.

Go Cards!!!

August 16, 1964: The Floodgates Open In L.A.

     On August 16, 1964, Curt Flood picked up eight consecutive hits during a doubleheader split against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

     Unfortunately, the Dodgers sent this guy by the name of Sandy Koufax to the mound in the first game, and Koufax was able to work his way around Flood's four hits in a row by striking out 13 men. Other than Flood, the only men who could scratch out a hit against Koufax were Bill White, Dick Groat, and Julian Javier. Those three men picked up one hit off the hurler who ended the game as a 19 game winner. It would prove to be the last win of '64 for Koufax, as he ran into elbow trouble, which derailed a shot at a 20 win campaign.

     Back to the man of the hour, Flood went out in the second game and rapped out four more hits in a row, knocked in two, and scored a run, as he helped the Cards take the second game by the score of 4-0 behind the stellar pitching of Curt Simmons, who scattered nine hits, and struck out four. The papers of the day focused on Flood falling short of the major league record for consecutive hits in a doubleheader with nine. The record had been set in by Joe Kelley of the Baltimore Orioles in 1894. Flood struck out in his last at bat against reliever Perranoski, which was a rough way to end a great day, but when that day went in the books it was great nonetheless, and that is something that Curt Flood knew very well.

     Mark over at RetroSimba wrote about this game last year. His piece includes some quotes by the star of the day, as well as a play-by-play of each of the hits. You can read that here: http://retrosimba.com/2014/08/11/the-day-curt-flood-drilled-8-straight-hits-against-dodgers/

By the way, Mark is a fantastic follow on twitter. If you do not already follow him, I urge you to do so. You can find him @retrosimba You can find me at @CardinalHistory

Here's a pair of box scores for you as well

Game 1: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196408161.shtml

Game 2: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196408162.shtml

August 15, 1968: The Moon Man Slams The Cubbies

     On August 15, 1968, a Mike Shannon grand slam highlighted an 8-0 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The big blast off of Bill Stoneman came in the second inning, with the Redbirds already leading 4-0. One swing of the Moon Man's stick made it 8-0, and there was no looking back. While the Cubs burned up their bullpen, the Cardinals starter Nelson Briles pitched a gem, scattering seven hits, while striking out five. The grand slam was the first grand slam in Mike Shannon's career, and it was also the last. He hit a total of 68 home runs, and it is safe to say that big fly at Wrigley was a memorable one.

     This series was a wild one. It was a four game set that saw the Cubs take the first two, before the Cardinals bounced back and took the last two. The Cardinals' outfielders were harassed to no end by the "bleacher bums" at Wrigley. An article that appeared in the Chicago Tribune  proclaimed  the Cardinals outfielders" had been jeered, pelted with everything from flashlight batteries to crumpled beer cups and they still smiled and praised the raucous bleacherites." Lou Brock told reporters after the game he thought those fans were great for baseball, and it was nothing more than good clean fun. In the end the Redbirds outfielders got the last laugh, Brock and Curt Flood spread a sign across the outfield in the ninth inning that read "We're still  No. 1." And they were, as they left Wrigelyville 14 games up in the standings.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN196808150.shtml

August 14, 1967: The Birds Rally To Beat The Cubs In The Ninth

     On August 14, 1967, the Cardinals came back from a 5-3 deficit with three run ninth to beat the Cubs 6-5 at Busch. The Redbirds came into the inning having just watched a Ron Santo home run sail over the wall in the top of the ninth to give the Baby Bears a little insurance. Apparently, it was not enough insurance though, as the Cardinals surged back into the contest.

     The winning rally started with Bob Tolan working a walk out of Cubs reliever Bob Shaw, who got a quick hook. Chuck Hartenstein took over on the bump and got Alex Johnson to groundout. It was a productive out though, as Tolan took second in the process, then was knocked in by Lou Brock who singled. The heat was on. Curt Flood ripped a single that pushed Brock to third, then came Roger Maris who singled to right. When the ball came off of Maris' bat it looked like the game would be tied, but the right fielder Ted Savage fumbled the ball, and Flood only stopped running once he touched the dish with the game winning run.

     The win put the Cardinals 9 1/2 games up in the standings. It was the 72nd win of the season for the club that was en route to 101 wins. They took the flag by 10 1/2 games, then brought home another World Series title by beating the Boston Red Sox in a seven game classic.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196708140.shtml

August 13, 1977: Mike Anderson Knocks In the Winner In the Tenth

     On August 13, 1977, right fielder Mike Anderson came through with a bases loaded single in the bottom of the tenth to beat the Montreal Expos 1-0 in front of more than 34,000 fans at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

     John Urrea got the start for the Redbirds, while Wayne Twitchell got the call for the Expos. Urrea worked seven innings, struck out six, walked one, and allowed just four hits. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh, in hopes of sparking the offense, but that did not come to fruition. The man who took the ball for the Birds, Butch Metzger picked up right where Urrea left off, pitching three near perfect innings, allowing just one hit, as he set the table for the walk off win. Twitchell pitched through the ninth. He was lifted in the tenth for a pinch hitter, after allowing just five hits, and striking out four.

     Don Stanhouse took the ball for the Expos in the tenth, and quickly got into trouble when Roger Freed was sent into pinch hit for Metzger. Freed ripped a single, was lifted for a pinch runner, then Lou Brock came up with a single that put a man at first and third. The Expos skipper Dick Williams then called for Garry Templeton to be put on intentionally, to set up the double play. The move backfired, when the man who hit just .221 that season ripped one into center to win it. The game is a game full of unlikely heroes, and on that day Mike Anderson played the role quite well. Anderson spent just two seasons with the Redbirds, with the '77 campaign being his last. During that time he hit .261 and knocked in 29 runs. The run he knocked in that day was one to remember and today we do exactly that.

This was also the day a friend of mine was born, which is why I picked the date. With that said, Merry Birthmas to Chris Petit. You started off with a winner.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN197708130.shtml

August 12, 1927: Sunny Jim Wins It In Extras

     On August 12, 1927, Jim Bottomley ended a pitching duel in the bottom of the eleventh with a walk off blast to beat the Pirates by the score of 2-1 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The duel had Carmen Hill on the bump for the Bucs, while ole Jesse Haines toed the rubber for the defending World Series Champion Redbirds. Both hurlers were looked at as staff aces, and on that fine day they both fit the bill. Hill ran into trouble in the fifth when player/manager Bob O'Farrell  picked up a one out double, before Haines came through with a huge two out RBI to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. That lead didn't last long, as the Pittsburgh club made the most of an error that brought Lloyd Waner into score the tying run in the sixth. From there the duel was on. Both pitchers worked their way into extras. Haines allowed just four hits in the contest, while Hill allowed six. It was the sixth and final hit off of the Pirates hurler that mattered the most, as Bottomley walked to the dish to lead things off in the eleventh, and with one swing of the stick he sent the Bucco's packin'.

     Sunny Jim led the club with 19 home runs that season, for a club that won 92 games. 24 of those wins were credited to the day's starting pitcher Jesse Haines. Unfortunately, those Pirates who hit a minor skid in early August would go onto win the National League Flag with 94 wins. They would run into the famed Murderer's Row in the 1927 Yankees in the Fall Classic, and quite frankly they were murdered.

     Despite the Cardinals failing to repeat as Champions in the National League the team had turned a corner in the previous season. They were legit contenders and the best was yet to come. A foundation had been laid. The Cardinal Way was born. The farm system grew talent, and the club would be a true contender for the better parts of the next two decades. They did more than contend during that time. They won titles. They became the best of the best in the National League, and at times they were the best club in all of baseball. It was new era in Cardinal Nation.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN192708120.shtml

A special thanks goes out to Retrosheet for putting together a play-by-play from that contest. You can look it over here: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1927/B08120SLN1927.htm