RetroSimba

The 1919 Cardinals experienced a dreadful season-opening drought.

Managed by Branch Rickey, the 1919 Cardinals scored a total of 10 runs in their first eight games. Their only win in that stretch was by a 1-0 score against the Cubs. Boxscore

Only once in their first eight games did the 1919 Cardinals score as many as three runs.

Only twice in their first 15 games did the 1919 Cardinals score more than two runs. In opening with a 3-12 record, their one outburst was an 8-1 win against the Reds on May 2.  Boxscore

Rogers Hornsby, the Hall of Fame player who some consider the best right-handed hitter of all time, was the third baseman and cleanup hitter for the 1919 Cardinals, but he couldn’t ignite the offense alone.

Hornsby, 23, in his fourth full big-league season and fifth overall, hit .318 with eight home runs and 71 RBI for the 1919 Cardinals. He led the team in all three categories. No other Cardinal hit more than two home runs.

The only other run producer of note for the 1919 Cardinals was second baseman and No. 3 batter Milt Stock. He hit .307 with 52 RBI and no home runs. Hornsby and Stock were the only Cardinals with as many as 50 RBI.

The 1919 Cardinals finished 54-83-1 and in seventh place in the eight-team National League. They scored 463 runs in 138 games and were shut out 11 times. Only the third-place Cubs (with 454) scored fewer. By comparison, the NL champion Reds scored 577 and the second-place Giants led the NL, with 605.