RetroSimba

Cardinals were victims of historic homers by Gil Hodges

December 26, 2011 by retrosimba

Gil Hodges hit two of the most important home runs of his career against the Cardinals.

Hodges, a first baseman, played 18 seasons in the big leagues with the Dodgers and Mets.

He was one of the greatest right-handed home run sluggers in the National League in the 1950s, and an outstanding defensive first baseman.

Hodges had more career RBI (190) against the Cardinals than he did against any other team. His 57 career home runs against the Cardinals rank only behind the 58 he hit against the Cubs.

In 1962, as a member of the expansion Mets, Hodges hit a pair of historic home runs against St. Louis.

On April 11, 1962, Hodges hit the first regular-season home run in Mets history. The solo shot leading off the fourth inning against Cardinals starter Larry Jackson was Hodges’ 362nd of his career and moved him ahead of Joe DiMaggio for 11th place on big-league baseball’s all-time list. The Cardinals won, 11-4, at St. Louis in the Mets’ first regular-season game. Boxscore

Almost three months later, July 6, 1962, Hodges hit the 370th and last home run of his big-league career. The solo blast off Ray Sadecki with one out in the second moved Hodges into 10th place on big-league baseball’s all-time list, ahead of Ralph Kiner, and solidified Hodges’ hold on the record (since broken) for most National League home runs by a right-handed batter. The Mets, who had lost nine of their previous 11, beat the Cardinals, 10-3, at New York. Boxscore

With the Dodgers, Hodges three times produced five RBI in a game against the Cardinals. The most important of those was the first.

On Sept. 22, 1949, the Cardinals clung to a 1.5-game lead over the second-place Dodgers heading into the finale of a three-game series with Brooklyn at St. Louis. Hodges delivered three singles, a walk and five RBI, carrying the Dodgers to a 19-6 victory and cutting the Cardinals’ lead to a half-game. Boxscore

Hodges had two-run singles off Ted Wilks in the fourth and fifth innings, and drew a bases-loaded walk against Ken Johnson in the sixth.

Brooklyn took over first place on Sept. 29 and went on to win the pennant, finishing a game ahead of the Cardinals, who had 96 wins.

In his book “Stan Musial: The Man’s Own Story,” Musial expressed his admiration for Hodges as a fielder as well as a slugger.

“Gil Hodges was a remarkable first baseman,” Musial said. “If Hodges had been left-handed, he might have been remembered as the most efficient first baseman ever … The quick-handed, good-natured big guy revolutionized bunt defense. Fact is, the Dodgers as a team popularized the pressure-charging defense that makes sacrificing difficult …

“For his blacksmith build, Gil was quick and had lightning-like hands … A gentle big guy who could really hit the long ball.”

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents | 3 Comments »

Ozzie Smith cheered Barry Larkin’s best personal feat

December 21, 2011 by retrosimba

(Updated Sept. 25, 2016)

Barry Larkin played shortstop with distinction for the Reds from 1986-2004, but for most of the first half of his career he was overshadowed by the Cardinals’ Ozzie Smith.

In a classy twist, Smith witnessed and cheered Larkin’s greatest individual feat on a baseball field.

Smith won the Gold Glove Award among National League shortstops in each of Larkin’s first seven seasons in the major leagues, including 1990, when Larkin helped lead Cincinnati to its most recent World Series championship.

Larkin didn’t win the first of his three Gold Glove awards until 1994, the year Smith turned 40. Smith, who won the Gold Glove Award 13 times, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

In 2012, it was Larkin’s turn.

Larkin, 1995 winner of the NL MVP Award, had 2,340 hits and a .295 career batting average.

Larkin had several memorable performances against the Cardinals, including a pinch-hit grand slam off reliever Steve Kline in St. Louis’ 11-10 victory over the Reds on July 28, 2004, at Cincinnati. Boxscore

Larkin’s greatest moment against the Cardinals occurred in the first game of a Sunday afternoon doubleheader on Sept. 22, 1996, at Cincinnati.

In the fifth inning, with St. Louis ahead 3-1, Larkin launched a home run, his 30th of the season, over the left-field wall against starter Donovan Osborne. With that solo shot, Larkin became the first shortstop in major-league history to achieve 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in a season.

As he rounded first base, Larkin thrust both fists in the air in jubilation. Smith, positioned at shortstop for the Cardinals, hollered his congratulations as Larkin trotted past him.

Asked afterward to assess Larkin’s feat, Smith told the Associated Press, “It gives him his own spot in history. It’s a great accomplishment.”

Larkin became the 17th player in big-league history to achieve 30 homers and 30 steals in a season. Fifteen were outfielders and the other, Howard Johnson of the Mets, was a third baseman.

Larkin finished the 1996 season with 33 homers and 36 steals. He would achieve the steals standard again (with 30 in 1999, his fifth season of 30 or more steals), but he never came close to matching 30 homers.

Previously: Ken Boyer belongs in Hall of Fame

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Records | 2 Comments »

How Mike Shannon became a Cardinals catcher

December 19, 2011 by retrosimba

(Updated Aug. 8, 2019)

A short, successful stint as a Cardinals catcher revived the big-league career of Mike Shannon.

Shannon opened the 1965 season as the Cardinals’ right fielder, but went hitless in his first 14 at-bats and had one hit in his first 23 at-bats.

Lunging for pitches out of the strike zone, Shannon was batting .095 on June 1 when manager Red Schoendienst moved him to the bench and tried other players in right.

On Aug. 6, 1965, the Cardinals were playing the Giants at St. Louis when Hal Lanier slid into home plate and spiked the left thumb of Tim McCarver as the Cardinals’ catcher attempted to apply a tag. McCarver was replaced by Bob Uecker, the Cardinals’ only other catcher. Boxscore

Two days later, Aug. 8, 1965, Uecker was struck by a foul tip off the bat of the Giants’ Dick Schofield in the first inning. The ball split Uecker’s right thumb, forcing him to leave the game.

McCarver was unable to play, so Schoendienst brought in Shannon to catch. According to The Sporting News, Shannon hadn’t caught in a game since he was a youth in sandlot baseball.

It didn’t take long before Shannon was tested. The Giants had runners on second and third with one out in the first when Willie McCovey lifted a pop-up in foul territory. Shannon made the catch.

In the fourth, Shannon provided “the defensive thrill of the game,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Willie Mays was on first with one out when Jim Ray Hart lined a double to center. Curt Flood retrieved the ball and fired it to shortstop Dick Groat, whose relay throw to Shannon was in time to tag out Mays. Hart broke for third base on the play and Shannon alertly threw to third baseman Ken Boyer, who tagged out Hart.

Shannon fielded flawlessly (no errors, one assist, six putouts) in the game and broke his batting slump, with a double, triple, walk, RBI and run scored. The Giants, who won 6-4, didn’t attempt a steal against Shannon. “They respected Shannon’s arm,” said coach Joe Schultz.

The Cardinals used five pitchers, including knuckleballers Barney Schultz and Bob Purkey and a left-handed sinkerballer, Hal Woodeshick. Boxscore

“I wouldn’t be afraid to go with Shannon after what he showed me handling Barney Schultz’s knuckleball and Hal Woodeshick’s sinker,” Schoendienst said.

Shannon said he was helped by having caught during batting practice that season. “I didn’t go into the job exactly cold,” Shannon said.

Schoendienst noted, “You could see Shannon’s signs from the scoreboard in the first inning, but coach Joe Becker showed Mike how to hide his signs after that.”

The Post-Dispatch reported Shannon “did superbly” and the San Francisco Examiner noted he “played a tremendous game.”

“Shannon showed he could do an excellent job as a catcher and that makes him even more valuable,” Schoendienst said.

After the game, the Cardinals called up Dave Ricketts from the minor leagues to be the everyday catcher while McCarver and Uecker mended.

Starting catcher

On Aug. 12, 1965, at Milwaukee, Ricketts got a day off and Shannon got his first start at catcher. He caught 12 innings, committing no errors and making six putouts, and the Braves attempted no steals against him.

“Shannon did a great job behind the plate,” said Braves manager Bobby Bragan, a former catcher. “I don’t think he boxed more than one ball all day long.”

In the seventh, Shannon hit a solo home run against Wade Blasingame. In the 13th, Shannon’s two-out single off knuckleballer Phil Niekro scored Boyer from second in the Cardinals’ 5-4 victory. Boxscore

“Shannon showed he could hit a knuckleball as well as he could catch one,” the Post-Dispatch reported.

Ricketts came in to catch the bottom half of the 13th; Shannon moved to right.

“Mike Shannon hits better wearing a catcher’s mitt,” the Associated Press reported. “Shannon, who played himself out of a starting job in the outfield because of a .193 batting average before he turned catcher, now has four hits in eight trips to the plate as a receiver.”

Said Shannon: “I’m an outfielder, but if Red Schoendienst wants me to become a catcher, I’ll become a catcher.”

Shannon made one more start at catcher, Aug. 14, at St. Louis in the Reds’ 4-2 victory. Shannon made no errors, had nine putouts and kept the Reds from attempting a steal. Boxscore

When McCarver returned to the lineup, Shannon returned to the outfield, though he appeared in one more 1965 game at catcher, replacing McCarver for the final three innings of the Cardinals’ 19-8 victory at Houston Sept. 30. Boxscore

Versatile player

After the season, Shannon reported to the Florida Instructional League to develop his catching skills. In November, The Sporting News reported, “The talented outfielder, ready to do almost anything to get untracked after his miserable 1965 showing, is concentrating on catching and boning up on the strike zone.”

“Shannon has been working on the fundamentals of catching, especially throwing,” Cardinals general manager Bob Howsam said. “He’s done a great job, too. We’re figuring him as an outfielder yet, but this gives him a chance to do many things.”

The Cardinals opened the 1966 season by shifting Lou Brock from left field to right and starting Alex Johnson in left, with Shannon on the bench. Johnson was hitting .186 on May 17 when he was sent to the minor leagues. Brock was moved back to left field and Shannon took over in right. He played well all season, hitting .288 with 16 home runs.

Shannon made one appearance as a catcher in 1966. On June 5, in the Braves’ 14-4 victory at Atlanta, Shannon replaced McCarver in the eighth and caught a flawless inning. It was his last game as a catcher. Boxscore

Shannon’s career statistics as a catcher: five games, 33.2 innings, 24 putouts, one assist, no errors, no stolen bases against and a 1.000 fielding percentage.

After the 1966 season, the Cardinals acquired Roger Maris from the Yankees to play right field and asked Shannon to learn another position: third base. He became the starting third baseman for the Cardinals’ pennant-winning clubs in 1967 and 1968.

Previously: Cardinals came close to dealing Shannon

Posted in Games, Hitters | 2 Comments »

Tim McCarver: 3rd Cards catcher named broadcast best

December 16, 2011 by retrosimba

(Updated April 26, 2023)

Cardinals catchers sometimes make successful baseball broadcasters.

Tim McCarver was named the 2012 Ford C. Frick Award winner for excellence in broadcasting.

McCarver is one of three former Cardinals players to earn the Frick Award. The others, Joe Garagiola (1991) and Bob Uecker (2003), also were catchers.

_ Garagiola played for the Cardinals from 1946-51 and was a member of their 1946 World Series championship team.

_ Uecker played for the Cardinals as McCarver’s backup from 1964-65 and was a member of their 1964 World Series championship team.

_ McCarver played for the Cardinals from 1959-69 and 1973-74, was a member of their 1964 and 1967 World Series championship teams and was the analyst for Fox during its telecasts of the 2011 World Series that yielded the Cardinals their 11th championship.

In a conference call interview arranged by the Hall of Fame, McCarver said, “There is a natural bridge from being a catcher to talking about the view of the game and the view of the other players. It is translating that for the viewers.”

A 20-member committee consisting of 15 Frick Award winners (including Garagiola and Uecker) and five broadcast historians/columnists (including St. Louis resident Bob Costas) voted for the 2012 Frick Award winner.

McCarver first explored a career in broadcasting in 1975. After he was released by the Red Sox on June 23, McCarver, 33, said he figured his playing career was finished. He went to Philadelphia and auditioned for broadcasting jobs with television stations there. The Phillies surprised him by offering him a playing contract. McCarver signed with them July 1.

In 1977, as the Blue Jays prepared for their inaugural season as an American League expansion franchise in Toronto, they contacted McCarver. Writing about it in October 1979 for The Sporting News, Hal Bodley reported, “The Blue Jays offered McCarver a four-year contract as a member of their radio-TV team. He turned it down. At that time, there was an informal agreement that when he finally decided to retire, he would get some type of a position with the (Philadelphia) club.”

In his Hall of Fame conference call, McCarver confirmed that Phillies executive Bill Giles approached him in 1977 and “told me that when my playing days were over there would be a spot for me in the broadcast booth.”

When McCarver retired as a player after the 1979 season, the Phillies did hire him for their broadcast team, primarily to work with Prism, a fledgling cable television company that did about 30 Phillies games each year.

“I have often said that I was very fortunate to get into the business with the likes of (Phillies broadcasters) Andy Musser, Harry Kalas, Chris Wheeler and, of course, the irrepressible Richie Ashburn,” McCarver said.

By all accounts, McCarver, glib and gabby, was a broadcast natural. Yet, he yearned to become just the 10th player to appear in major-league games stretching over four decades. On Sept, 1, 1980, the Phillies activated him. McCarver had five at-bats in six games. His only hit (a two-run double off Steve Ratzer of the Expos) came at Montreal in his final game, Oct. 5, 1980, 11 days shy of his 39th birthday. Boxscore

After three years as a Phillies broadcaster, McCarver joined the Mets’ broadcast team in 1983 and stayed with them through 1998. He also was a broadcaster for the Yankees, Giants and Cardinals, and with NBC, CBS, The Baseball Network and Fox.

With CBS, he was paired with longtime Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck, another Frick Award winner (1987).

Later, with Fox, McCarver worked with Jack’s son, Joe Buck. In a 2012 interview with Cardinals Magazine, Joe Buck said of McCarver, “As an analyst, he’s the best at first-guessing, the best at looking ahead as to what could happen. I think he’s the best in the history of the medium. I don’t think anybody is better at looking forward or giving the options than Tim McCarver.”

Posted in Broadcasters | Leave a Comment »

Bob Gibson often had edge in matchups with Ron Santo

December 6, 2011 by retrosimba

Ron Santo _ deserving of election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame but no more so than his Cardinals peer, Ken Boyer _ usually was on the short end of matchups with Bob Gibson, but he did hit three home runs against him.

Santo, elected to the Hall of Fame Dec. 5, 2011, by the 16-member Golden Era committee, played 15 years in the major leagues as a third baseman for the Cubs and White Sox.

Like the Cardinals’ Ken Boyer, Santo won the Gold Glove Award five times. Boyer (.287) had a higher career batting average than Santo (.277). Santo had more home runs (342) than Boyer (282) and more RBI (1,331) than Boyer (1,141) but also had 688 more at-bats than Boyer. (Boyer received fewer than three votes from the 16 members of the Golden Era committee; Santo received 15).

Santo struck out more times against the Cardinals (156) than he did against any other team. Overall against the Cardinals, Santo batted .269 with 33 home runs and 137 RBI.

Against Gibson, Santo hit .243 (37-for-152) with 35 strikeouts. Of his 37 hits against the Cardinals’ ace, 31 were singles, three were doubles and three were home runs. Santo’s first homer off Gibson was the most significant.

On June 4, 1964, the Cardinals were in third place, 3.5 games behind the National League-leading Phillies, when they faced the Cubs at Chicago. With St. Louis ahead 1-0, the Cubs had Billy Williams on second base with one out in the fourth when Santo came up against Gibson. Santo responded with a two-run home run and that was the difference in Chicago’s 2-1 victory. Boxscore

The setback launched the Cardinals into a four-game losing streak that dropped them into fifth place, a game ahead of the seventh-place Cubs. A week later, still scuffling and having fallen three games below .500, the Cardinals, seeking a spark, traded for Cubs outfielder Lou Brock. The deal was the catalyst in igniting St. Louis’ run to the World Series title that year.

Santo’s other two homers against Gibson came on Sept. 16, 1970 (a fifth-inning solo shot in a game the Cardinals won 8-1 at Chicago Boxscore), and June 26, 1971 (a two-out, three-run blast in the Cubs’ 5-1 victory at St. Louis Boxscore).

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents | Leave a Comment »

Jim Kaat interview: 1982 Cards were most close-knit club

December 4, 2011 by retrosimba

(Updated Aug. 29, 2018)

Jim Kaat earned 283 major-league wins, won 16 Gold Glove awards and pitched for the Cardinals’ 1982 World Series championship team.

On Dec. 2, 2011, I interviewed Kaat by email. He was gracious with his time and thoughtful with his answers _ a Hall of Fame-quality person in every way.

Because the interview was for this Cardinals history blog, all the questions were about the Cardinals. The interview is presented here, in its entirety:

Q: It’s ironic you and your first Cardinals manager, Ken Boyer, are on the Golden Era ballot together as candidates for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. What are your recollections of Ken Boyer?

Jim Kaat: I always respected Kenny. He was a quiet leader as a manager. He was easy to please and easy to play for.

Q: Ted Simmons was the catcher when you joined St. Louis in 1980. You and Simmons have well-earned reputations for being smart and innovative thinkers. How did you get along with Ted Simmons?

Jim Kaat: Teddy and I became close as batterymates. I enjoyed pitching to him and being his friend and teammate.

Q: Your first win for the Cardinals was a 10-inning shutout against the Mets in New York on June 4, 1980. You had been pitching primarily in relief until then that year. What do you recall about pitching such a gem at 41 years old? Boxscore

Jim Kaat: (The manager) kept asking me from the fifth inning on, “Are you ok?” I said I felt fine. I was getting the hitters out, so let me keep going. It was quite a surprise. I hadn’t started much for a couple of years. (Note: Until then, Kaat had made just one start in 1980 and two starts in 1979).

Q: You were the starting pitcher in Whitey Herzog’s first game as Cardinals manager (June 9, 1980, at Atlanta). What do you recall about Herzog’s arrival and what he said to you and the team that day? Boxscore

Jim Kaat: I honestly don’t recall much except it was something like, “We are out of the pennant race but give me everything you’ve got so I can evaluate where you will fit in next year.”

Q: Bob Forsch was a classy Cardinal whose recent passing saddened many. What are your recollections of Bob Forsch?

Jim Kaat: He was a durable pitcher. Quiet, but a tough competitor. He had a wry sense of humor and was fun to be around. A great teammate.

Q: Besides the obvious talents in players such as Bruce Sutter, Ozzie Smith and Keith Hernandez, what were the intangible qualities that made the 1982 Cardinals a World Series championship club?

Jim Kaat: Selfless players. They were all team-first guys. It’s the most close-knit team I ever played on (in 25 big-league seasons). They broke us up too soon.

Q: As someone who is a successful player as well as a successful broadcaster, could you please share your impressions of longtime Cardinals broadcasters Mike Shannon and the late Jack Buck?

Jim Kaat: Both are legendary broadcasters. Jack, on a national scale. Mike is to St. Louis what Scooter (Phil Rizzuto) was to New York and what Richie Ashburn was to Philadelphia. He’s a genuine guy with a big heart.

Q: How does Albert Pujols compare with all of the great players you have seen?

Jim Kaat: He has to be right at the top with all the all-time greats for doing what he has done over a decade.

Q: Lastly, as a former Cardinal and as a baseball fan, what are your observations about the 2011 Cardinals’ historic late-season surge and dramatic post-season run to a World Series title?

Jim Kaat: I’m happy for them. It was not the greatest quality of play by either (World Series) team, but it was very exciting. It’s always good to see the Cardinals fans get rewarded. It’s the best baseball town in America.

Previously: How Jim Kaat revived both his career and the Cardinals

Posted in Pitchers | 1 Comment »

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