RetroSimba

(Updated May 19, 2018)

In 1966, Ed Spiezio, hoping to jumpstart his career and contend for the Cardinals’ third base job, hit his first big-league home run for St. Louis. Forty years later, Scott Spiezio, hoping to jumpstart his career and fill a utility role with the Cardinals, hit his first National League home run for St. Louis.

Ed Spiezio and Scott Spiezio were the first father-son duo to hit home runs for the Cardinals. Ed Spiezio played five years (1964-69) for the Cardinals and hit five home runs for them. His son, Scott Spiezio, played two years (2006-07) for the Cardinals and hit 17 home runs for them.

Tony Pena and Francisco Pena became the second father-son duo to hit home runs for the Cardinals. Francisco Pena hit his first Cardinals home run, and his fourth overall in the major leagues, on May 18, 2018, versus the Phillies at St. Louis. His father Tony hit 107 big-league home runs, including 19 in three seasons (1987-89) with the Cardinals

Ed Spiezio, a right-handed batter, played nine big-league seasons (with the Cardinals, Padres and White Sox) and hit 39 regular-season home runs.

Scott Spiezio, a switch-hitter, played 12 big-league seasons (with the Athletics, Angels, Mariners and Cardinals) and hit 119 regular-season home runs. He also hit three postseason home runs, all for the Angels.

Pull hitter

Ed Spiezio hit 18 home runs in 112 games for the Cardinals’ Class AAA Tulsa club in 1966. Spiezio told The Sporting News that Tulsa manager Charlie Metro “wanted me to pull (the ball) because the fences in left are so close in most of the (Pacific Coast League) parks.”

Ed Spiezio said he had been a pull hitter since his youth because “if you tried to hit the ball to right field you were considered a sissy.”

The Cardinals called up Ed Spiezio in September 1966 and gave him a chance to play third base in place of the starter, Charlie Smith.

On Sept. 11, 1966, Ed Spiezio hit his first big-league home run, pulling a Bob Veale pitch over the scoreboard in left field at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The solo shot in the fifth inning helped the Cardinals to a 4-3 triumph over the Pirates. Boxscore

Two weeks later, on Sept. 30, 1966, Ed Spiezio hit a two-run home run off future Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins, producing all the runs in a 2-0 Cardinals victory over the Cubs at St. Louis. Boxscore

Ed Spiezo’s counterpart, Cubs third baseman Ron Santo, was impressed. “I like Spiezio a lot … He just needs a little more experience, like knowing the pitchers better,” Santo said. “I’ve always admired his poise at bat.”

Ed Spiezio was a utilityman with the 1967 and 1968 Cardinals and appeared in the World Series in both years for them. In December 1968, the Cardinals traded Ed Spiezio and three others to the Padres for pitcher Dave Giusti.

Like father, like son

In February 2006, the Cardinals signed Scott Spiezio, a free agent, to a minor-league contract and brought him to spring training to compete for a utility role.

Scott Spiezio had been the starting first baseman for the 2002 World Series champion Angels. His career spiraled, though, after he became a free agent and signed with the Mariners before the 2004 season. The Mariners released him in August 2005.

Scott Spiezio earned a spot on the Opening Day roster of the 2006 Cardinals.

On April 15, 2006, Scott Spiezio got his first Cardinals hit. In the seventh inning, with the Cardinals leading the Reds, 7-2, at St. Louis, Scott Spiezio slugged a two-run homer run off Mike Burns. Boxscore

Scott Spiezio’s teammates pushed him up the dugout steps for a curtain call from appreciative Cardinals fans. Scott told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch his father was at home, watching the game on television.

Ed Spiezio and Scott Spiezio became the third father and son to play for the Cardinals. The others were outfielder Ed Olivares and his son, pitcher Omar Olivares, and pitchers Pedro Borbon and Pedro Borbon Jr.

Among those pairs, only Omar Olivares hit a home run for the Cardinals.

Previously: Scott Spiezio replaced John Mabry as Cardinals utilityman