RetroSimba

The Cardinals played a role in launching Joe DiMaggio into his Hall of Fame career with the Yankees.

On March 17, 1936, DiMaggio played in his first Yankees game _ a spring training exhibition against the Cardinals in St. Petersburg, Fla.

DiMaggio, 21, displayed his greatness right from the start, with four hits in five at-bats, two runs scored and two RBI in the Yankees’ exhibition opener. He also made what the New York Times described as “a glittering catch” of Charlie Gelbert’s drive to deep center in the seventh inning.

The Cardinals won, 8-7, before about 2,000 spectators on a brisk day at Waterfront Park. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, many fans were “wearing overcoats.”

DiMaggio, who joined the Yankees from San Francisco of the Pacific Coast League, started in center field, batted third in the lineup and received rave reviews.

Under the subhead “DiMaggio Has Great Day,” the New York Times reported DiMaggio was “the one shining light” in the game for the Yankees and concluded “if there was any doubt about this newcomer, he dispelled it today.”

The exhibition featured seven future Hall of Famers in the starting lineups: second baseman Frankie Frisch, left fielder Joe Medwick, first baseman Johnny Mize and shortstop Leo Durocher for the Cardinals, and first baseman Lou Gehrig, second baseman Tony Lazzeri and center fielder Joe DiMaggio for the Yankees.

The Cardinals had 14 hits and capitalized on six Yankees errors (none by DiMaggio). Frisch, the Cardinals’ player-manager, had four hits, three RBI and two runs scored.

With National League president Ford Frick in attendance, the game was played in less than ideal conditions. According to the New York Times, spectators wore overcoats to protect them from “a blustery wind that blew out of the north with galelike force.” The game couldn’t begin until “the infield was rendered presentable by burning gasoline.”

DiMaggio’s triple in the first inning off Cardinals starter Mike Ryba was “a mighty blow to the left-field fence,” the New York Times reported. DiMaggio scored on Gehrig’s single.

In the eighth, DiMaggio’s bases-loaded single to right drove in two.

The starting lineups that day:

CARDINALS

Terry Moore, cf

Frankie Frisch, 2b

Pepper Martin, rf

Joe Medwick, lf

Johnny Mize, 1b

Charlie Gelbert, 3b

Leo Durocher, ss

Bruce Ogrodowski, c

Mike Ryba, p

YANKEES

Roy Johnson, lf

Red Rolfe, 3b

Joe DiMaggio, cf

Lou Gehrig, 1b

George Selkirk, rf

Tony Lazzeri, 2b

Frank Crosetti, ss

Joe Glenn, c

Johnny Broaca, p

The next day, March 18, 1936, the Cardinals beat the Yankees again, 6-5. DiMaggio went 2-for-4, with a triple and a single.

DiMaggio’s torrid start to spring training was an indicator of how he would perform as a rookie. In the 1936 season, DiMaggio hit .323 with 29 home runs, 44 doubles, 15 triples and 125 RBI, leading the Yankees to a 102-51 record and the American League pennant.

The Cardinals finished 87-67 _ five games behind the first-place Giants, who were defeated in the World Series by the Yankees in six games.