Once a tradition as reliable as fireworks and apple pie, the big-league baseball doubleheader was a staple of Independence Day in the United States.
The Cardinals played a doubleheader on July 4 every year from 1927 through 1950.
Since 1900, the Cardinals have played 59 Independence Day doubleheaders _ but none since 1984.
Played at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park on a Wednesday afternoon, the last Cardinals doubleheader on July 4 featured the major-league debut of one of their starting pitchers, the first career save for one of their relievers and a timely hitting display by a first baseman who would be traded to the Giants after the season.
Riding a six-game winning streak entering the doubleheader, the Giants were stopped in Game 1 by the pitching of Cardinals rookie left-hander Ricky Horton.
Horton allowed the Giants’ leadoff batter to reach base in four of seven innings pitched, but limited San Francisco to two runs. Paced by first baseman David Green’s two-run home run, St. Louis led, 4-2, when manager Whitey Herzog turned to closer Bruce Sutter in the eighth.
Sutter loaded the bases with one out before striking out pinch-hitters Chili Davis and Scot Thompson.
In the ninth, Sutter gave up three hits and a run, but with runners on first and second, one out, he retired Dusty Baker and Joel Youngblood on forceouts, preserving the 4-3 win for Horton and St. Louis. Boxscore
“I really didn’t have a whole lot working for me,” Horton told the Associated Press. “I just made the right pitches at the right time and got a couple of double plays. I was lucky.”
For Game 2, Herzog started Kurt Kepshire, a right-hander who had celebrated his 25th birthday the day before and was making his major-league debut.
Called up from Class AAA Louisville, where he was 7-5 with a 4.60 ERA in 16 starts, Kepshire limited the Giants to a run through eight innings.
In the ninth, with one out, Kepshire walked Thompson and Youngblood. Jeff Lahti relieved and retired Bob Brenly on a flyout and Al Oliver on a groundout, earning his first big-league save. Boxscore
“I had butterflies,” Kepshire said, “but I wasn’t petrified.”
Said Herzog: “If we’re going to win it, they (Horton and Kepshire) are going to have to be a part of it. We’d be buried without Horton. Kepshire isn’t a surprise _ he has a 93 mph fastball.”
David Green drove in the go-ahead run in Game 2 for St. Louis. Seven months later, he would be traded to the Giants as a key part of the deal that brought slugger Jack Clark to the Cardinals.
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