RetroSimba

(Updated Aug. 3, 2022)

On the brink of being sent to the minor leagues for the third time in four seasons, Chuck Diering delivered on a make-or-break opportunity and soon found himself playing regularly in a Cardinals outfield with Stan Musial and Enos Slaughter.

A St. Louis native, Diering played five seasons for the Cardinals.

In 1949, Diering began the season with the Cardinals but seldom was used, going hitless with a walk in three plate appearances. The Cardinals were planning to send him back to Class AAA Rochester by May 20. Diering had played there in 1946 and most of 1948 after breaking into the majors with the Cardinals in 1947.

Diering’s fortunes changed on May 8, 1949, as the Cardinals prepared to face left-hander Joe Hatten of the Dodgers at Brooklyn. Cardinals manager Eddie Dyer had opened the season with Stan Musial as his center fielder. But, wrote Bob Broeg in The Sporting News, “Dyer didn’t like the idea of subjecting Musial to the daily wear and tear of center field, and the valuable slugger made it plain he would prefer not playing there game after game.”

So Dyer was looking for a right-handed batter to play center against left-handed pitching, with the thought he could move Musial to right and keep Slaughter in left. Dyer decided to give Diering a chance against Hatten and the Dodgers.

Batting leadoff and playing center field, Diering responded with a 2-for-4 performance, with two RBI and a walk that Sunday at Brooklyn. Boxscore

Impressed, the Cardinals opted to keep Diering. By June, Diering regularly was starting in center field. On June 16, his seventh-inning single off Hatten snapped a 2-2 tie and propelled the Cardinals to a 6-2 victory over the Dodgers at St. Louis. Boxscore Three days later, against the Phillies, Diering’s fifth-inning single off Ken Heintzelman tied the score 2-2 and his two-out single off Robin Roberts in the ninth drove in the winning run in the Cardinals’ 6-5 victory at St. Louis. Boxscore

“Six weeks have brought a happy change in the career of Chuck Diering, who expected to eat Rochester restaurant food again this summer and instead has been enjoying home cooking as much as St. Louis fans have liked his clutch hitting and sensational center fielding,” Broeg wrote.

Diering continued his stellar play throughout the summer. On Aug. 19, his batting average was .281. He also impressed with his ability to chase down drives to the gaps. A headline in The Sporting News referred to him as “Deerfoot Diering.” Broeg reported that Diering “almost has made the fans forget Terry Moore with his brilliant center field play.”

Moore, a four-time all-star and starting center fielder for the Cardinals’ World Series championship clubs of 1942 and 1946, was a coach for the 1949 Cardinals. Diering credited Dyer and his coaching staff for his transformation into a Cardinals starter in 1949.

“I’ve had a lot of help,” Diering told The Sporting News. “Dyer persuaded me to choke my grip at bat. Tony Kaufmann made me lay off high pitches. Buzzy Wares encouraged me to try a preliminary swing or two to loosen my tense shoulder muscles and Terry Moore goes over the pitchers with me every day, showing how each is different and how they’ll try to pitch to me.”

Said Dyer: “We want to handle him just right because the kid really has done a job of helping solve a big problem. He has become a valuable man in this club’s success.”

The 1949 National League pennant race went down to the last day of the season, with the Dodgers (97-57) winning the title by a game over the Cardinals (96-58).

Diering finished the year with a .263 batting average, 21 doubles and eight triples in 131 games. His fielding percentage of .987 led all National League center fielders. He also ranked in the top five among NL center fielders in putouts (295) and assists (seven).

At spring training in 1950, Diering impressed Yankees center fielder Joe DiMaggio, who told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Pretty good kid they got out there in center field.”

Yankees manager Casey Stengel said Diering “gets a fast jump on a ball, all right.”

Diering split playing time in center with Bill Howerton and Harry Walker in 1950. He primarily was a bench player for the Cardinals in 1951.

On Dec. 11, 1951, the Cardinals traded Diering and pitcher Max Lanier to the Giants for Eddie Stanky, who became player-manager.

Diering completed his big-league career with the Orioles in 1956. The Cardinals signed him to play for their minor-league club at Omaha, managed by Johnny Keane, in 1957.

After the season, he returned to St. Louis and purchased an automobile dealership in nearby Alton, Ill.

Diering batted .252 in five seasons with the Cardinals and .249 overall in a nine-year major-league career.

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(Updated Aug. 6, 2019)

Lou Brock stole home twice in his major-league career. Both occurred on the front end of double steals.

Brock did it first with the Cubs on May 24, 1964, against the Reds at Cincinnati. He repeated the feat with the Cardinals on Aug. 6, 1970, against the Mets at St. Louis.

Mets pitcher Tom Seaver had won nine consecutive decisions entering his Aug. 6, 1970, start against the Cardinals at Busch Memorial Stadium. Brock led off the Cardinals’ first inning with a double and moved to third on an infield out. Joe Hague walked and Richie Allen struck out.

When Hague took off from first on a steal attempt, catcher Jerry Grote threw to second. Second baseman Wayne Garrett took Grote’s throw and Hague stopped. Garrett fired the ball to first baseman Art Shamsky. As Shamsky moved toward Hague, Brock broke for home. Shamsky, a left-handed thrower, turned around and made a high toss to Grote. Brock easily beat the throw and Hague went on to second base on a successful double steal.

“Once (Shamsky) makes a total commitment for the other runner (Hague), there’s no way he can make the play home,” Brock said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. ‘It’s too tough to throw accurately with something on the ball when you’re running in another direction.”

The thefts came against a battery that was good at guarding against steals. Grote threw out 39 percent of the baserunners attempting to steal against him in 1970. Seaver pitched in 37 games in 1970 and yielded only 14 stolen bases.

Brock’s steal of home gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead and propelled them to a 3-0 victory.

Asked about the play, Mets manager Gil Hodges told the Associated Press, “When you can’t execute properly, that’s what costs you.” Boxscore

Less than a month before he was traded by the Cubs to the Cardinals, Brock stole home for the first time in the big leagues. In the opener of a doubleheader on May 24, 1964, at Crosley Field, Brock singled against Reds starter Jim O’Toole with one out in the first. A single by Billy Williams advanced Brock to third. Brock and Williams then executed a double steal. The thefts were two of only 10 allowed by O’Toole in 30 games for the Reds in 1964. The catcher, Hal Smith, a former Cardinal, threw out five of 12 baserunners (42 percent) attempting to steal in 1964. Boxscore

Brock is the all-time National League leader in steals and ranks second in major-league history to Rickey Henderson. Brock had 50 steals with the Cubs and 888 with the Cardinals. In 1974, when Brock swiped a career-high 118 for the Cardinals, he had 112 steals of second and six of third.

He only once attempted to steal home in 1974. On Sept. 6, 1974, after Brock drove in a run with a fifth-inning triple, Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman, attempting a pickoff, threw to third baseman Wayne Garrett, catching Brock with too big a lead. Brock broke for home and Garrett’s peg to catcher Duffy Dyer was in time to nail Brock.

“I didn’t think Koosman would throw over there,” Brock said.

Three innings later, Brock singled against former teammate Harry Parker and stole second and third on successive pitches. The steals were Brock’s 100th and 101st of the season.

Said Parker: “It’s like trying to keep water from going over the dam. You know what’s coming, but you’re powerless.” Boxscore

Previously: Hot leadoff hitting helped Lou Brock earn steals record

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Stan Musial achieved many remarkable feats in his Cardinals career. One of the most unheralded was his success at stealing home. Musial did it four times within four years.

Musial had 78 stolen bases in a 22-year Cardinals career. His single-season high was nine in 1943, his second full year in the big leagues.

In the book “Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man,” author James N. Giglio said Musial “became a terror in taking the extra base or in flustering the pitcher by threatening to steal.”

Giglio described how, in a 1942 game at Pittsburgh, Musial tripled and scored the tying run when he faked a steal of home, causing the pitcher, Luke Hamlin, to balk.

That alertness and hustle paid off for Musial and the Cardinals on May 24, 1950, at the Polo Grounds in New York. In the eighth inning, with the Cardinals ahead, 1-0, Musial singled and advanced to second when Johnny Lindell reached on an error.

With Enos Slaughter at the plate, pitcher Monty Kennedy unleashed a wild pitch. The ball “dropped right in front of the plate but the daring Musial made it to third,” United Press reported, while Lindell held at first.

Slaughter popped out and Marty Marion came to the plate. When Kennedy made a pickoff throw to first, Musial broke from third and streaked home with a steal, extending the Cardinals’ lead to 2-0.

An Associated Press photo of the play shows Giants catcher Wes Westrum straddling the plate, his arms extended as he awaits the throw from first baseman Tookie Gilbert, while Musial slides toward the dish.

“It’s that old Cardinal Gashouse spirit,” St. Louis manager Eddie Dyer said. “You can laugh all you want to, boys, but it still wins ballgames.” Boxscore

Musial stole home again on Sept. 18, 1951, at St. Louis. Musial was on third and Slaughter on first with two outs in the sixth when they executed a double steal, with Musial racing home with the final run of a 7-1 Cardinals victory over the Dodgers. Boxscore

In 1953, Musial had a season total of three stolen bases _ two were steals of home and both came against the Phillies.

On July 24, 1953, at Philadelphia, Bob Miller issued a walk to Musial, who advanced to second on an error and to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Musial took off for the plate. An Associated Press photo shows catcher Stan Lopata tagging Musial on his right knee while Musial’s left foot is across the plate. Phillies manager Steve O’Neill protested, but the photo is evidence umpire Bill Jackowski made the correct call.

The sixth-inning steal of home tied the score 1-1, but the Phillies scored in the ninth and won, 2-1. Boxscore

Two months later, Sept. 13, 1953, at St. Louis, Musial stole home again versus the Phillies. In the first inning, Musial was on third and Ray Jablonski on first when the pair executed a double steal, igniting the offense in a 17-3 Cardinals triumph. Boxscore

Previously: No one hit more triples and as many home runs as Stan Musial

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(Updated Dec. 27, 2015)

If Marty Marion is elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, it will be because he was perhaps the finest-fielding shortstop of the 1940s, a starter on Cardinals teams that won four pennants and three World Series titles and a winner of the 1944 National League Most Valuable Player Award.

Marion wasn’t known for his hitting _ he usually batted in the seventh and eighth spots in the order during a 13-year big-league career _ but much like another Cardinals standout shortstop, Ozzie Smith, Marion worked to enhance his value at the plate.

Marion, a Cardinals shortstop from 1940-50, twice has been one of 10 candidates on the Pre-Integration Era ballot being considered for election to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. The ballot is for players, managers, umpires and executives whose most significant achievements came before 1946.

To be elected, a candidate must receive votes from at least 12 of the 16 voters. Marion didn’t receive enough support when voting was done in 2012 and again in 2015.

With a .263 career batting average and 1,448 hits in 11 seasons with the Cardinals and two with the Browns, offensive numbers alone won’t qualify Marion for the Hall of Fame, but his batting shouldn’t disqualify him either.

In 1942, his third season with the Cardinals, Marion, a right-handed batter, initially struggled at the plate so badly that some wondered whether he could remain in the big leagues. Though he was the everyday shortstop, he was hitting .188 on May 31 that season.

Years later, Marion explained to St. Louis writer Bob Broeg how he improved as a hitter. “I began studying hitting on my own, changing my batting stance, observing the pitchers, laying off bad pitches and hitting more to right field,” Marion said.

Marion finished the 1942 season with a .276 batting mark and helped the Cardinals win the pennant and the World Series championship that year.

Perhaps Marion’s most productive game for the Cardinals occurred on June 3, 1945, in the opener of a doubleheader against the Giants at St. Louis. Marion had a career-high six RBI with a triple, double and two flyouts in an 11-3 Cardinals victory. Boxscore

Five years later, in 1950, Marion’s last season as a Cardinals player before becoming their manager in 1951, the shortstop hit a home run in each of four consecutive games he started. Those were his only homers of the season and his last of 34 as a Cardinal.

The unexpected power supply began May 30, 1950, when Marion went 3-for-6, including a three-run home run off Vic Lombardi, in the Cardinals’ 17-13 victory over the Pirates in the opener of a Memorial Day doubleheader at Pittsburgh. Boxscore

After a pinch-hit appearance in the second game of the doubleheader, Marion made his next start June 1 against the Dodgers at St. Louis. Facing Preacher Roe, Marion hit a grand slam with two outs in the sixth inning, erasing a 2-0 Brooklyn lead and lifting the Cardinals into a first-place tie with the Dodgers with a 5-2 victory. Boxscore

The New York Times described Marion’s only career grand slam as “electrifying”  for the Cardinals and the St. Louis crowd of 32,180.

“For 11 major-league years, Mr. Shortstop went quietly about his business,” wrote the Associated Press. “Never did he hit a home run with the bases loaded. Never, until last night.”

Wrote United Press: “Imagine Marty Marion, of all people, blasting a grand slam to beat the Brooklyn Dodgers and putting the rollicking Redbirds into a first-place tie with the Flatbush boys.”

With the grand slam, Marion had produced eight RBI in back-to-back games started. He didn’t stop there.

In his next game, June 2, Marion hit a solo home run off the Dodgers’ Don Newcombe. Marion followed that with another solo homer in his next game started against the Phillies’ Curt Simmons. The 10 RBI in four consecutive games started accounted for a quarter of Marion’s season total in 1950.

The Sporting News reported Marion’s four-game stretch as “the most memorable week of hitting in his major-league career.”

“Better timing, that’s all,” Marion explained. “But it’s quite a thrill and I hope it happens more often.”

Previously: How Marty Marion won MVP Award by one point

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In 1997, during a 20-game hitting streak for the Cardinals in which he batted .418, John Mabry applied lessons taught to him by St. Louis hitting coach George Hendrick.

Mabry improved his batting average from .240 to .309 during the 20-game streak from May 19 through June 9 in 1997. The left-handed batter had 10 multi-hit games during that stretch. It was the longest hitting streak by a Cardinal since Willie McGee hit safely in 22 consecutive games in 1990.

Hendrick, cleanup batter for the 1982 World Series champion Cardinals, urged Mabry to be aggressive with first-pitch fastballs.

“I’ve tried to do that all the time,” Mabry said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in explaining the streak. “That’s the whole deal, to hit that fastball when they try to get ahead of you. That’s usually the best fastball to hit.”

Told of Mabry’s praise, Hendrick responded, “Credit his success to his understanding of work ethic. It’s got nothing to do with me.”

Mabry had several outstanding games during the hitting streak. The best was on June 3, 1997, when he had three hits and six RBI in the Cardinals’ 15-4 victory over the Rockies at St. Louis. Mabry cracked a three-run home run off Jeff McCurry in the fifth inning. Boxscore

After the game, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said Mabry is “seeing that ball like it’s huge.” Said Mabry: “It doesn’t look huge. It still looks like a mouse running across the floor at times.”

Mabry spent three stints as a Cardinals player: 1994-98, 2001 and 2004-05. He and Matheny were teammates in 2001 and 2004.

Mabry hit .281 overall with the Cardinals. That’s 18 points better than his career average in 14 big-league seasons with eight clubs.

As the everyday first baseman for the 1996 Cardinals, Mabry hit .297 with 161 hits in 151 games. He had 30 doubles, 13 home runs, 74 RBI and a .342 on-base percentage.

Mabry hit for the cycle on May 18, 1996, against the Rockies at Denver. He singled to center in the second, doubled to right in the fourth, tripled off the center-field wall in the fifth and homered 400 feet to right in the seventh.

Mabry became the first Cardinal to hit for the cycle since Ray Lankford in 1991.

Some of the joy from the accomplishment was diminshed by the game’s outcome. Handed an 8-4 lead to protect in the bottom of the ninth, Cardinals closer Dennis Eckerlsey surrendered five runs and Colorado won, 9-8. Boxscore

“This is a really strange feeling,” Mabry said. “You’ve got to win the game. That’s all I know.”

Two months later, July 6, 1996, Mabry was 5-for-5 in a 9-5 Cardinals victory over the Pirates at Pittsburgh. Boxscore

Asked to compare Mabry with other batters, La Russa said, “Guys who hit well into the threes (.300) take every at-bat like it’s their last. (Paul) Molitor, (Wade) Boggs, (Frank) Thomas. They use the whole field, they handle a bunch of different pitches and, most importantly, they don’t throw at-bats away. I don’t think I’ve seen (Mabry) throw one away since spring training.”

The 5-for-5 performace at Pittsburgh was one of 11 times Mabry had four hits in a game for St. Louis during his career.

Mabry hit one grand slam and it occurred for the Cardinals against the Royals’ Zack Greinke on May 20, 2005, at Kansas City. Boxscore

Previously: Braves fans’ behavior recalls Dodgers’ forfeit to Cardinals

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