RetroSimba

In 1954, Cardinals center fielder Wally Moon batted .304 with 18 stolen bases, had an on-base percentage of .371 and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

A left-handed batter, Moon had most of his at-bats from the leadoff or No. 2 spots in the order.

He was part of a 1954 Cardinals team that led the National League in steals (with 63) after having just 18 as a team in 1953.

At 24, Moon took over for Enos Slaughter, who was traded to the Yankees just before the start of the 1954 season. Moon played center field and was flanked by Stan Musial in right and Rip Repulski in left.

Cardinals manager Eddie Stanky, looking for speed and a more aggressive style of play, promised to buy a suit for every St. Louis player who would steal 10 or more bases in 1954.

(According to The Sporting News, National League president Warren Giles later ordered Stanky to stop offering incentives to players for individual performances. Replied Stanky: “I respect authority and I’ll respect Mr. Giles’ wishes, though … I do feel I must live up to the promise to give the prizes for 10 or more stolen bases.”)

Moon was the only Cardinal to reach the goal. With nine steals, third baseman Ray Jablonski fell one short.

On May 25, 1954, Moon swiped four bases in the Cardinals’ 9-4 victory over the Cubs at St. Louis. The National League single-game record at the time was five by first baseman Dan McGann of the 1904 Giants.

With ex-Cardinal Walker Cooper, 39, catching for the Cubs, Moon stole second in the first inning, second in the fourth, and second and third in the fifth. Jim Willis’ pitch on Moon’s steal of third was wild and Moon continued home. Willis was so steamed that he plunked the next batter, Alex Grammas, with a pitch.

In the seventh, Moon flied out. If he had reached base, Stanky said, Moon would have gotten the signal to attempt to steal because Stanky was aware of the record. Boxscore

“I would have given Moon every chance to get that fifth steal,” Stanky told The Sporting News. “He’s a nervy youngster and when he says he’ll have another go at it, I’m sure that he will.”

Moon told reporters he expected to “take another crack one of these days” at the record, but the most steals he ever got in a game after that was two.

Two weeks after his four-steal performance, Moon displayed recklessness rather than savvy on the basepaths in a game against the Phillies at St. Louis on June 6, 1954.

With the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the sixth, the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs and Jablonski at the plate. Moon tried to steal home, but pitcher Bob Miller’s delivery to catcher Smoky Burgess was on time to retire Moon and end the inning.

Stanky, coaching at third, was booed. The fired-up Phillies scored five in the seventh and went on to win, 11-8. Boxscore

Afterward, Stanky told St. Louis writer Bob Broeg, “When things go wrong on the field, it’s my fault. I gave the sign,” but Moon told Broeg he had run on his own.

Moon’s 18 steals in 1954 were the single-season high of his 12-year major-league career. He finished with 89 career steals in the big leagues.

With 17 of 24 votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America, Moon won the Rookie of the Year Award against top-flight competition. The Cubs’ Ernie Banks placed second in the voting (four votes) and the Braves’ Hank Aaron finished fourth (one vote).

Moon had 193 hits in 151 games for the 1954 Cardinals, with 12 home runs, 29 doubles, 71 walks, 76 RBI and 106 runs scored.