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Del Ennis provided power in Cardinals lineup

Posted in Hitters, Trades on November 11, 2016| Leave a Comment »

In a bid to bolster their offense, the Cardinals acquired one of the top run producers of the 1950s. The move helped them become contenders again.

del_ennisOn Nov. 20, 1956, the Cardinals got outfielder Del Ennis from the Phillies for outfielder Rip Repulski and infielder Bobby Morgan.

At the time, the only active major leaguers with more career RBI than Ennis were Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Mickey Vernon and Enos Slaughter, Cardinals general manager Frank Lane said.

The deal was a steal for the Cardinals.

Placed in a batting order with Musial and Ken Boyer, Ennis hit .286 with 24 home runs and 105 RBI for the 1957 Cardinals.

St. Louis, which had finished in fourth place in the National League at 76-78 in 1956, placed second at 87-67 in 1957. It was the Cardinals’ first finish of second or higher since 1949 and their first winning season since 1953.

Ennis had a lot to do with that turnaround.

High expectations

A Philadelphia native, Ennis played 11 seasons (1946-56) with the Phillies, batting .286 and producing 1,812 hits and 1,124 RBI. He six times had seasons of 100 or more RBI with the Phillies. In 1950, when the Phillies won the pennant, Ennis led the NL in RBI with 126, eight ahead of the Pirates’ Ralph Kiner.

The Cardinals had interest in Ennis for several years. In 1949, Cardinals owner Fred Saigh offered Phillies owner Bob Carpenter $200,000 for Ennis, according to Ed Pollock of the Philadelphia Bulletin.

“We have the fellow you want, but we won’t take money for him,” Carpenter said to Saigh. “You can have Ennis and we’ll take Musial.”

That ended the discussion.

Even with his success, Ennis was “a favorite target of abuse for the Phillies’ bleacher fans,” who expected more from the hometown player, The Sporting News reported.

Ennis told Bob Broeg of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “I don’t think I’ve been helped either by the boos back there (in Philadelphia) because, though I’ve tried to accept them and shrug them off, I believe maybe I’ve tried too hard.”

Ennis added, “I’ll confess there were times I would have liked to have gone into the stands to get a particularly vicious heckler.”

Younger model

During the 1956 World Series, Lane met with Phillies general manager Roy Hamey to discuss a trade. The Phillies wanted Repulski, 28, who they saw as a younger version of Ennis, 31.

Repulski’s best season with the Cardinals was 1954 when he produced 175 hits, 39 doubles, 19 home runs and 79 RBI. In 1955, he had 23 home runs and 73 RBI. In 1956, slowed by a hairline wrist fracture, Repulski was limited to 112 games, producing 11 home runs and 55 RBI.

To sweeten the deal, Lane included Morgan, whom the Phillies had dealt to the Cardinals in May 1956 for infielder Solly Hemus. Lane knew the Phillies liked Morgan as a utility player.

The 1956 Cardinals had ranked fourth in the NL in runs (678) and sixth in home runs (124).

Said Lane: “Our crying need has been for power … and we feel Ennis ought to help provide the punch … Ennis is a good whacker.”

Some were surprised the Cardinals were able to acquire Ennis.

“I don’t think Repulski is going to drive in as many runs as Ennis,” Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella said to The Sporting News. “That guy drives them in pretty good every year and he’s been doing it for a long time.”

Del delivers

Ennis started slowly for the 1957 Cardinals. He was batting .225 at the end of May. He heated up with the summer, hitting .317 in June, .308 in July and .357 in September. Overall, Ennis hit .299 with runners in scoring position.

His 105 RBI for the 1957 Cardinals ranked second in the NL, trailing only Hank Aaron of the Braves at 132. Musial had 102 RBI. Ennis and Musial became the first Cardinals teammates to produce 100 or more RBI in a season since Musial (126) and Ray Jablonski (104) in 1954.

Musial (29), Ennis (24) and Wally Moon (24) also gave the 1957 Cardinals three players with 20 or more home runs in a season for the first time since Musial (30), Steve Bilko (21) and Jablonski (21) in 1953.

The 1957 Cardinals ranked third in the NL in runs with 737 _ 59 more than they’d scored in 1956.

Repulski had 20 home runs and 68 RBI for the 1957 Phillies, who finished in fifth place at 77-77.

In 1958, Ennis’ production tailed off. He hit .261 with three home runs and 47 RBI for the Cardinals. He was traded to the Reds after the season.

Previously: Frank Lane and his tumultuous stint as Cardinals GM

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Tito Francona and his Cardinals connections

Posted in Hitters, Managers, Trades on November 6, 2016| Leave a Comment »

As a utility player with the Cardinals, Tito Francona was thinking about his future. The idea of becoming a manager appealed to him.

tito_franconaIn 1966, Francona said “he had learned a lot on the sidelines that should help him in his hoped for career as a manager,” The Sporting News noted.

Francona, who played 15 seasons in the majors, including two (1965 and 1966) with the Cardinals, never did get to fulfill his dream of becoming a manager. After 1970, his final season as a player, Francona became a Pennsylvania parks and recreation director, according to a biography by the Society for American Baseball Research.

It was Francona’s son, Terry, who would become a manager, winning World Series titles with the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 and an American League pennant with the Indians in 2016.

Like his father, Terry also was a big-league player, primarily a first baseman and outfielder, who spent 10 years (1981-90) in the majors, mostly with the Expos.

Terry was 5 years old when his father was acquired by the Cardinals from the Indians in a cash transaction on Dec. 15, 1964, two months after St. Louis had won the World Series championship.

Bound for Browns

John Francona was born in Aliquippa, Pa., about 25 miles north of Pittsburgh, in 1933 and was nicknamed Tito _ which, in Italian, means Giant _ by his father.

In 1952, at 18, Francona signed with the St. Louis Browns. “They were at the bottom (of the American League) and I figured I’d have a better chance of moving up fast with them,” Francona told The Sporting News in 1964.

Francona never made it to St. Louis with the Browns. The franchise relocated to Baltimore in 1954 and became the Orioles. Francona made his big-league debut with the 1956 Orioles.

In 1959, Francona had his best big-league season, batting .363 with 145 hits in 122 games for the Indians. In 1961, his lone season as an all-star, Francona batted .301 and had career highs of 178 hits and 85 RBI for the Indians.

A left-handed batter, Francona sprayed the ball to all fields. The Indians, though, were seeking more power from a corner outfielder. After the 1964 season, in which he hit .248 in 111 games, Francona was put on the trading block.

The Indians offered to trade Francona, catcher Johnny Romano and pitcher Gary Bell to the Twins for catcher Earl Battey, pitcher Dick Stigman and outfielder Jimmie Hall, The Sporting News reported, but the proposal was rejected. The Indians also talked with the Cubs about a deal involving Francona and others for outfielder Billy Williams, but that also fell through.

Unable to package Francona in a major trade, the Indians sold his contract to the Cardinals for cash. After nine seasons in the American League, Francona would be playing in the National League for the first time.

Quality move

The Cardinals envisioned Francona, 31, as a pinch-hitter and backup to Mike Shannon in right field and to Bill White at first base. His acquisition generally was seen as a shrewd move by general manager Bob Howsam.

“Tito’s not too old and the St. Louis ballpark was made for good left-handed hitters,” Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning said to The Sporting News.

Phillies first baseman Roy Sievers added, “Tito can do a lot of things well … He can do a good job in the outfield and he’s an excellent backup man for Bill White at first base … The short porch in right field at Busch Stadium will help him a lot.”

Francona batted .259 in 81 games for the 1965 Cardinals, including .265 as a pinch-hitter. On July 9, 1965, with the score tied at 1-1 in the eighth inning at Wrigley Field, Francona smacked a three-run home run against ex-Cardinal Lindy McDaniel, propelling St. Louis to a 7-3 victory versus the Cubs. Boxscore

Used in the same role by the Cardinals in 1966, Francona slumped to .212 in 83 games, including .171 as a pinch-hitter.

Goodbye to good guy

In spring training 1967, Bobby Tolan, 21, beat out Francona, 33, for the role of left-handed pinch-hitter and backup outfielder and first baseman.

On April 10, a day before the Cardinals opened the 1967 regular season, Stan Musial, in one of his first transactions as general manager, sold Francona’s contract to the Phillies.

Noting that the Cardinals received an amount greater than the $20,000 waiver price in the deal, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, “The indication is that the Cardinals felt Francona had to play regularly to be of help with his bat and the Redbirds have several younger ballplayers to move in at first or the outfield.”

In 1969 and 1970, Francona played for an Athletics team that included infielder Tony La Russa and catcher Dave Duncan. In 2004, La Russa was manager and Duncan was pitching coach of a Cardinals team that played in the World Series against manager Terry Francona’s Red Sox.

La Russa told the Post-Dispatch then that he and Tito Francona had roomed together on road trips with the Athletics.

“Some guys treated me like I shouldn’t be there … but not Tito,” said La Russa, who was a light-hitting reserve infielder. “He was just a terrific roommate and a very, very helpful guy.”

 

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How Tony Scott found a home with Cardinals

Posted in Hitters, Trades on November 4, 2016| 2 Comments »

Initially perceived as a marginal player in an unimportant trade, Tony Scott replaced Bake McBride in center field for the Cardinals and was their most prominent starter at that position until Willie McGee claimed the role.

tony_scottThough Scott got his chance with the Cardinals because of his connections to Vern Rapp, it was under another manager, Ken Boyer, with whom Scott had his best St. Louis season.

On Nov. 8, 1976, the Cardinals traded pitchers Bill Grief and Angel Torres and outfielder Sam Mejias to the Expos for pitcher Steve Dunning, infielder Pat Scanlon and Scott.

Underwhelmed by the transaction, Dick Kaegel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote, “On the surface, it looks like one of those meaningless exchanges of baseball bodies, a deal that could hurt both clubs.”

Rapp’s guys

Dunning, Scanlon and Scott all had played in 1976 for Rapp, who managed Denver, the Class AAA club of the Expos.

In comments to The Sporting News, Scott said of Rapp, “He handles players right. He always gives people a fair shot. He made a winner out of everybody. It was a great experience to play for him.”

After the 1976 season, Rapp was chosen by the Cardinals to replace Red Schoendienst as manager.

On Rapp’s recommendation, Cardinals general manager Bing Devine made the trade for Dunning, Scanlon and Scott.

Devine said the key player for St. Louis was Dunning, a right-handed reliever who had been a first-round choice of the Indians in the 1970 draft. Dunning, 27, split the 1976 season between the Expos (2-6, 414 ERA) and Denver (3-0, 2.74 ERA).

The Cardinals hoped Scanlon could provide pop as a pinch-hitter. Scanlon, 24, hit .308 with 18 home runs for Denver in 1976.

Odd fit

Scott, 25, seemed the least likely to fit in with the 1977 Cardinals, who were flush with outfielders such as McBride, Lou Brock, Hector Cruz, Jerry Mumphrey and Mike Anderson.

McBride, who won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1974, had been limited to 64 starts in center field for the 1976 Cardinals because of knee surgery, but he was expected to be recovered in 1977.

Scott, a switch-hitter, had batted .182 with the 1975 Expos after having spent parts of the 1973 and 1974 seasons with them. At Denver in 1976, Scott batted .311 with 21 doubles, 18 stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .361.

Regarding Scott’s play in center, Rapp said, “Denver has one of the larger fields in baseball. Tony had a lot of room to run and he did a good job.”

Unimpressed, Ian MacDonald of The Sporting News wrote, “The Expos were in the market for a good defensive outfielder and they feel that they may have their man in Mejias.”

Job won

Scott played in the Puerto Rican Winter League after his trade to the Cardinals and established a single-season record with 25 stolen bases, including three steals of home.

After a strong spring training, Scott opened the 1977 season as a Cardinals reserve outfielder. The starters were Brock in left, McBride in center and Cruz in right.

Neither Dunning nor Scanlon would play for the Cardinals.

Scott sizzled from the start. He batted .357 (10-for-28) in April and .355 (27-for-76) in May.

Meanwhile, McBride, hampered by a shoulder injury, was feuding with Rapp, who had banned his players from growing long hair or facial hair.

In The Sporting News, Neal Russo wrote, “Rapp was not on the greatest of terms with McBride. It was Bake who became the first to defy the new manager on his hair code.”

On June 15, 1977, the Cardinals traded McBride to the Phillies and made Scott the center field starter. McBride, who had hit .300 or better in each of his first four seasons (1973-76) with the Cardinals, was batting .262 when traded. Scott had a .331 batting average.

Redbird regular

Scott finished the 1977 season with a .291 batting mark, 16 doubles and 13 stolen bases in 95 games.

Scott opened the 1978 season as the Cardinals’ starting center fielder. In April, Rapp was fired and replaced by Boyer. A month later, the Cardinals acquired George Hendrick from the Padres and made him their everyday center fielder. Scott hit .228 in 96 games.

In 1979, Boyer moved Hendrick to right field and reinserted Scott at center field. Scott responded with a solid season: .259 batting average, 152 hits in 153 games, 22 doubles, 10 triples, 68 RBI (including eight sacrifice flies) and 37 stolen bases. Scott also ranked first among NL center fielders in assists (13) and third in putouts (398).

Scott again was the Cardinals’ starting center fielder in 1980 _ he ranked first among NL center fielders in fielding percentage at .997 _ and at the beginning of 1981.

On June 7, 1981, the Cardinals traded Scott to the Astros for pitcher Joaquin Andujar. The following year, McGee emerged as the Cardinals’ everyday center fielder. McGee and Andujar played prominent roles in helping the 1982 Cardinals to a World Series championship.

In five seasons (1977-81) with the Cardinals, Scott batted .255.

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Tom Lawless and his role in Cardinals World Series lore

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents on November 1, 2016| 2 Comments »

(Updated July 26, 2022)

Four of the most memorable Cardinals World Series home runs were hit by third basemen: Whitey Kurowski, Ken Boyer, David Freese and Tom Lawless.

In 1942, Kurowski hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning of Game 5 at New York, breaking a 2-2 tie and carrying the Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the Yankees in the championship clincher.

tom_lawlessIn 1964, Boyer hit a sixth-inning grand slam off Al Downing in Game 4 at New York, lifting the Cardinals to a 4-3 victory over the Yankees and evening the series at 2-2.

In 2011, Freese hit an 11th-inning walkoff home run off Mark Lowe in Game 6 at St. Louis, giving the Cardinals a 10-9 victory over the Rangers and evening the series at 3-3.

Kurowski, Boyer and Freese were Cardinals starters in the years in which they hit their dramatic World Series home runs.

Not so for Lawless, who rarely played during the regular season for the 1987 Cardinals. After three games of the 1987 World Series, slugger Reggie Jackson, working the event for ABC television, told USA Today, “I’m still trying to find out who Tom Lawless is.”

In Game 4, on Oct. 21, 1987, Lawless introduced himself to the nation in a most unexpected manner. He hit a three-run home run off Frank Viola in the fourth inning, carrying the Cardinals to a 7-2 victory over the Twins and evening the series at 2-2.

Lawless had gotten two hits, none a home run, and no RBI during the 1987 regular season. Though Lawless was on the Cardinals’ active roster all season, he appeared in a mere 19 games and batted .080 (2-for-25).

Fat pitch

Lawless, who made three starts (none at third base) during the regular season, got his chance to play in the World Series because of a rib-cage injury to third baseman Terry Pendleton.

Lawless started at third in Game 1 versus Viola and was hitless in three at-bats. Jose Oquendo started at third for the Cardinals in Games 2 and 3.

In Game 4, manager Whitey Herzog returned Lawless to the starting lineup. He batted eighth and played third, with Oquendo moving to right field.

Pitching for the Twins was Viola, who earned 17 wins during the regular season and won Game 1 of the World Series.

According to Cardinals Magazine, after Viola struck out Lawless in the second inning of Game 4, Lawless said to teammate Jack Clark, “Viola is killing me. I can’t hit his change-up.”

Clark advised him to look for a fastball.

In the Cardinals’ half of the fourth inning, with the score tied at 1-1, Tony Pena led off with a walk and moved to third on Oquendo’s single.

Lawless batted next and, with the count 0-and-1, Viola threw a fastball.

“A mediocre fastball,” said Twins manager Tom Kelly.

“It was less than mediocre,” said Viola. “It was a brutal fastball.”

Flipping out

Lawless swung and lifted a high fly toward left field.

Lawless “gazed fondly as the ball headed for the facing behind the wall,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

“From the way he hit it and stood there, I thought it must be in the upper deck,” said Herzog.

Keeping his eye on the ball, Lawless, bat in hand, began a slow walk toward first base. When he saw the ball carry just beyond the wall and the umpire signal home run, Lawless flipped the bat into the air and began his jubilant home run trot. Video

On the ABC telecast, broadcaster Al Michaels exclaimed, “Did we really see that?”

Regarding the bat flip, Lawless said, “I just must have blanked out there for a second. This never happened to me before.”

Divine intervention

The home run gave the Cardinals a 4-1 lead and stunned the Twins.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune described it as “a sporting miracle” and “a swing that will forever become a part of World Series lore.”

Lawless said he walked slowly to first while watching the ball because he thought he had hit a sacrifice fly and didn’t want to pass Oquendo on the basepath.

“It’s a big stadium, especially for a little guy like me,” Lawless told the Post-Dispatch. “I’ve hit balls that good before, but they haven’t gone out.” Boxscore

On the rare side

Until then, Lawless had hit only one home run in the big leagues. It occurred on April 25, 1984, for the Reds against Ken Dayley of the Braves at Atlanta. Dayley was a teammate of Lawless on the 1987 Cardinals.

Lawless became the third Cardinals player to hit a World Series home run after having hit none during the regular season that year. The others were pitchers: Jesse Haines in 1926 and Bob Gibson, who did it twice, in 1967 and in 1968.

Before Lawless, the last non-pitcher to hit a World Series home run after having hit none during the regular season that year was outfielder Marv Rickert of the 1948 Braves, according to the Post-Dispatch.

Acknowledging the dreamlike status of his achievement, Lawless said, “I may sleep in my uniform tonight.”

Previously: Les Bell to David Freese: Cardinals 3rd base champions

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Leon Durham and his sad second act with Cardinals

Posted in Hitters on October 29, 2016| 3 Comments »

(Updated Feb. 5, 2025)

Given a chance at redemption by the 1989 Cardinals after a bout with substance abuse, Leon Durham botched the opportunity and got suspended from the majors for failing a drug test. At 32, his big-league career had reached rock bottom.

leon_durhamTwenty-seven years later, after an odyssey in the minors as a player and coach, Durham’s exile from the big leagues ended on Oct. 21, 2016, when the Tigers named Durham their assistant hitting coach for the 2017 season.

The promotion returned Durham to the major leagues for the first time since he played for the Cardinals in September 1989.

Durham, a Cardinals reserve first baseman, was suspended 60 days on Sept. 22, 1989, for failing to comply with baseball’s drug-testing program. When the suspension ended, no big-league club was willing to give him another chance.

Determined to remain in the game, Durham went to the far reaches of the minors.

From 1990-95, Durham played for five minor-league clubs, including St. Paul in the independent Northern League (where his teammate for one game was 67-year-old Minnie Minoso) and two teams in the Mexican League.

After that, Durham was a minor-league coach for 21 consecutive years (1996-2016), including 16 (2001-2016) with the Toledo Mud Hens, Class AAA affiliate of the Tigers. After a stint on the 2017 Tigers’ coaching staff, Durham spent three seasons (2018-2020) as a minor-league coach in the Reds’ system. Overall he spent 25 years as a coach _ 24 in the minors and one in the big leagues.

Premier prospect

Durham’s professional career began promisingly. He was selected by the Cardinals in the first round of the 1976 amateur draft. In 1979, Hal Lanier, manager of the Cardinals’ Class AAA team at Springfield, Ill.,  told Larry Harnly of The State Journal-Register, “Durham should be a Dave Parker or a Willie Stargell. He has the ability to be that type of a hitter.”

Durham debuted with St. Louis in 1980, batting .271 with 15 doubles and 42 RBI in 96 games, primarily as an outfielder.

Whitey Herzog, who had the dual roles of field manager and general manager of the Cardinals, envisioned Durham as a key player.

“I wanted to trade (first baseman) Keith Hernandez and keep (Durham),” Herzog said to Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Sports editor Kevin Horrigan wrote, “Herzog tried to trade Keith Hernandez to the Chicago Cubs to get relief ace Bruce Sutter. The Cubs demanded Durham and Herzog reluctantly made the deal.”

In December 1980, the Cardinals traded Durham, third baseman Ken Reitz and utility player Ty Waller to the Cubs for Sutter.

Sutter helped the Cardinals win the 1982 World Series championship and went on to earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Durham became the Cubs’ everyday first baseman. He hit 20 or more home runs for them five times and twice had 90 or more RBI in a season.

By 1988, though, rookie Mark Grace had emerged as the Cubs’ choice to play first base, making Durham expendable. The Cubs dealt Durham to the Reds for pitcher Pat Perry in May 1988.

Durham, a Cincinnati native, was a bust with the Reds. He batted .216 in 21 games, entered a drug rehabilitation center in July and didn’t play the rest of the season. The Reds released him in November.

Mr. Clean

The Cardinals, seeking protection in case first baseman Pedro Guerrero got injured, offered Durham a minor-league contract in February 1989. “St. Louis just came out of nowhere,” said Durham. “It was great when St. Louis spoke up.”

Asked about his drug problems, Durham said, “A lot of people think it was worse than it was. It’s back on track now. That stuff is behind me.”

Durham opened the 1989 season with the Cardinals’ Class AAA Louisville club. He played well. He was tested four times for drugs and was cleared each time.

In late May 1989, Ted Simmons, Cardinals director of player development, told Vahe Gregorian of the Post-Dispatch that Durham was “clean as a whip.”

Louisville manager Mike Jorgensen said Durham was “like another coach.”

Said Simmons of Durham: “He’s as good a guy to have on that club as there is. He’s a leader over there and it’s a tribute to the way he’s conducted himself, given his past. If someone were to say to me, ‘Would you take a chance on Durham at this point,’ I would say there’s no chance to take. He’s clean, he’s a credit and he’s an asset.”

Lesson learned

On June 23, 1989, Durham was called up to the Cardinals. He declared himself drug-free and determined to make the most of his return to the big leagues.

“I’m clean. I’m healthy. I’m wise,” Durham said. “I’m strong … I’ve got peace of mind.”

Herzog said Durham told him, “Test me every day if you want to.”

Said Herzog: “I never thought Durham would get messed up on drugs. That was a big surprise.”

Durham told Hummel, “I made a mistake. I learned.”

Limited primarily to pinch-hitting and hampered by a rib-cage injury and a right ankle sprain, Durham rarely played for the Cardinals.

His lone highlight was a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, giving the Cardinals a 4-3 walkoff victory over the Astros on Sept. 3. “I’m happy I could finally contribute to this ballclub instead of being a joke in the locker room,” Durham said. Boxscore

Failing grade

With a week left in the Cardinals’ 1989 season, Durham had a .056 batting average (1-for-18) with one RBI when it was announced he was being suspended for 60 days for failure to comply with baseball’s drug policy.

Durham apparently failed a drug test administered during a September series in Chicago, according to the Post-Dispatch.

“I feel really sorry for him,” said Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill. “He was in our plans for next year.”

Said Durham: “I’ve been clean for 15 months. I’m disappointed in this happening. I’ve worked hard to get back and they (the Cardinals) had plans for me.”

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Cardinals came close to facing Indians in 1948 World Series

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents on October 20, 2016| Leave a Comment »

If not for a slump at the start of September by Stan Musial, the Cardinals, not the Braves, might have been National League champions and opposed the Indians in the 1948 World Series.

eddie_dyer2The Braves (91-62) won the pennant, finishing 6.5 games ahead of the second-place Cardinals (85-69), and lost four of six to the Indians in the World Series.

Led by Musial’s torrid hitting, the Cardinals entered September at 68-57, two games behind the Braves.

Hot pursuit

Musial, 27, was at his peak in 1948. He won his third Most Valuable Player Award and led the league in runs (135), hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18), RBI (131), batting average (.376), on-base percentage (.450), slugging percentage (.702) and total bases (429).

Many thought the Cardinals were poised to pass the Braves in the standings in September 1948 and win their fifth pennant of the decade, but Musial went into a slump at the start of September.

Entering the month with a batting average of .378, Musial produced a mere three hits in his first 24 at-bats in September. The Cardinals lost five of seven games and fell into fourth place at 70-62, 5.5 games behind the front-running Braves.

In The Sporting News, Bob Broeg wrote, “It was Musial’s first man-sized slump during the first week of September that caused the Cardinals to lose all but a thread-slender flag chance.”

The height of frustration for the Cardinals occurred in a three-game series against the Pirates at Pittsburgh. In a Labor Day doubleheader on Sept. 6, the Cardinals hit into eight double plays _ six in the opener and two in the second game _ and lost by scores of 2-1 and 4-1.

The next night, in the series finale, the Cardinals threatened in the first inning, but Musial lined into a triple play, and the Pirates rolled to a 6-2 triumph. Boxscore

“That series was a body blow, but we’re still in the race,” Cardinals manager Eddie Dyer said.

Just short

The Cardinals finished strong, winning seven of their last 10, but placed second.

Dyer pointed to injuries that limited Red Schoendienst to 95 starts at second base and Whitey Kurowski to 62 starts at third as difference makers in the race.

“Except for our infield injuries, I believe we would be out in front,” Dyer said. “Too often we missed that potential punch and the ability to make the double play.”

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