RetroSimba

Roger Craig, Ron Taylor: Great relief for Cardinals

October 14, 2011 by retrosimba

One of the Cardinals’ best single-game postseason relief efforts was performed by Roger Craig and Ron Taylor in the crucial Game 4 of the 1964 World Series at Yankee Stadium.

Craig and Taylor pitched 8.2 innings of scoreless relief, limiting the Yankees to two hits, in the Cardinals’ 4-3 victory on Oct. 11, 1964. Boxscore The win evened the series at 2-2 and repositioned the Cardinals to clinch the championship in seven games.

Few could have predicted Craig and Taylor would shut down the Yankees. Though the Cardinals sizzled in September to overtake the Phillies and win the pennant on the final day of the regular season, Craig and Taylor stumbled to the finish.

Craig started in eight of his last nine regular-season appearances and was 1-4 in his last six starts. Taylor surrendered eight runs over 7.1 innings in his last five regular-season relief appearances.

Until Game 4, Craig and Taylor made their marks in the World Series off the field.

Before Game 2 at St. Louis, Craig and his road roommate, catcher Bob Uecker, walked out to left field, where a band was entertaining the crowd. “Uecker borrowed a tuba and blew vigorously without too much success as Craig popped baseballs into the tuba Uecker was blowing,” The Sporting News reported.

Meanwhile, Taylor was collaborating with journalist Neil MacCarl on World Series articles for his hometown Toronto Star.

Ray Sadecki, a 20-game winner in 1964, started Game 4 for St. Louis but was ineffective. The Yankees scored twice against the left-hander in the first inning and had Roger Maris at third base with one out when Cardinals manager Johnny Keane lifted Sadecki for Craig.

The first batter Craig faced was Elston Howard. The catcher singled, scoring Maris from third and giving New York a 3-0 lead. Craig then struck out Tom Tresh and retired Joe Pepitone on a flyout to right.

From then on, Craig was in control. He struck out the side in the second and in the fourth. He picked off Mickey Mantle at second base. In 4.2 innings, Craig struck out eight and yielded two hits.

“I was throwing mostly breaking stuff, ” Craig said. “My curve was breaking so big it had the batters ducking away.”

When Craig was lifted after the fifth inning, the Yankees maintained their 3-0 lead, but in the sixth Cardinals third baseman Ken Boyer hit one of the biggest home runs in franchise history _ a grand slam against Al Downing. Video

Taylor entered to pitch the bottom of the sixth with a 4-3 lead.

“After I got that homer off a high changeup, I told Taylor to keep ’em fast and low. He did,” Boyer told the Associated Press.

Relying mostly on fastballs, Taylor pitched four scoreless, hitless innings to earn the save for Craig.

Said Taylor: “Kenny told me as I came out that I ought to keep the ball low and fast. I did, and I threw a few curves and sliders. But I kept it low and no changeups. It was the biggest thrill of my life to help win the game.”

Only one batter, Johnny Blanchard, who flew out to center, hit a ball out of the infield against Taylor. Eight of the 12 outs he recorded were groundouts, including all three in the ninth inning.

“We didn’t do much toward the end of the season,” Craig said, referring to he and Taylor. “We wondered if we’d get a chance in the Series. Our pride was hurt. And we talked about it in the bullpen.”

Said Keane: “I’ve never seen them better. They were absolutely great.”

Posted in Games, Pitchers | 8 Comments »

Danny Litwhiler: Perfect fit for champion Cardinals

September 28, 2011 by retrosimba

Danny Litwhiler, left fielder for the Cardinals’ National League championship teams in 1943 and 1944, was manager Billy Southworth’s kind of player.

In 1942, when Litwhiler was with the last-place Phillies, he beat the Cardinals in a September game by stretching a single into a double and later crashing into catcher Walker Cooper to score the winning run. Southworth was impressed by Litwhiler’s all-out hustle while playing late in the season for a terrible team.

On June 1, 1943, on the advice of Southworth, Cardinals general manager Branch Rickey acquired Litwhiler and outfielder Earl Naylor from the Phillies for outfielders Buster Adams, Coaker Triplett and Dain Clay.

Among the many good trades made by Rickey, this was one of the best. Litwhiler fit perfectly on Cardinals teams that dominated the National League in 1943 and 1944.

In the book “Stan Musial: The Man’s Own Story,” Musial said Litwhiler “was a high-class fellow and a man I was proud to have as my friend.”

A right-handed batter, Litwhiler hit .279 with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 80 games for the 1943 Cardinals. He took over in left field for Debs Garms, who, at 36, was nine years older than Litwhiler.

In the book “The Spirit of St. Louis” by Peter Golenbock, Litwhiler described his feelings about being traded to the Cardinals and playing for Southworth:

“I felt pretty bad about (the trade), because I really liked Philadelphia. In fact, I cried. It broke my heart, because I was leaving Philadelphia. I really liked the fans … Billy (Southworth) and I started off in pretty good shape. He was a great teacher … Billy’s offensive philosophy was to bunt the ball and get the runner over. That’s why we won. He taught the fundamentals … It was bunting, and learning how to slide, even the pitchers, and we would take the extra base.”

Though he wasn’t a dominant slugger (107 home runs in 11 big-league seasons), Litwhiler had power. On June 27, 1943, at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, the Cubs led the Cardinals 2-0 after six. In the seventh, Litwhiler hit a solo homer off Claude Passeau, and in the ninth he slammed a two-run shot off Passeau, lifting St. Louis to a 3-2 victory. Boxscore

In the 1943 World Series against the Yankees, Litwhiler batted .267 (4-for-15) with two RBI. In Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, Litwhiler made a shoestring catch of Joe Gordon’s drive in the second and drove in both Cardinals runs off Hank Borowy in New York’s 6-2 victory. Boxscore

Batting primarily from the sixth spot in the order, Litwhiler hit .264 with 15 homers and 82 RBI in 140 games for the 1944 Cardinals. He batted .359 against the Cubs in 22 games that season and .302 against the Dodgers in 18 games.

On July 29, 1944, Litwhiler slugged a grand slam off Dodgers rookie Ralph Branca in the Cardinals’ 14-2 victory at Brooklyn. Boxscore On Aug. 3, Litwhiler drove in six runs, including three on a homer against Preacher Roe, in St. Louis’ 15-2 victory at Pittsburgh. Boxscore

In Game 5 of the 1944 World Series, the Cardinals were clinging to a 1-0 lead against the crosstown Browns when Litwhiler led off the eighth with a homer to right-center off Denny Galehouse, capping a 2-0 Cardinals victory. Boxscore

“When I hit my home run off Galehouse, the fielder jumped up, and I heard this terrific roar,” Litwhiler told Golenbock. “I thought, ‘… He jumped up and caught it.’ But I looked out, and I saw the ball bouncing in the stands. I thought, ‘… It’s a home run!’ I don’t even remember touching the bases after that.”

The Cardinals won the World Series championship in six games. “A great feeling, one you’ll never forget,” Litwhiler said.

In 1945, Litwhiler served in the Army Special Service. He returned to the Cardinals in May 1946, but Southworth had left St. Louis to become manager of the Braves and the Cardinals had committed to rookie Erv Dusak as the left fielder. On June 9, 1946, the Cardinals sold Litwhiler’s contract to the Braves, where he was reunited with Southworth.

Litwhiler finished his big-league career with the Reds in 1951. His career batting mark was .281.

Litwhiler became baseball coach at Florida State, compiling a 190-83-1 record in nine seasons, and at Michigan State, where he was 488-362-8 in 19 seasons. Among the college players he prepared for big-league careers were Dick Howser and Woody Woodward at Florida State, and Steve Garvey and Kirk Gibson at Michigan State.

A brilliant innovator, Litwhiler developed the radar speed gun and created a powder, known as diamond dust, that enabled wet infields to dry quickly.

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In 1945, Cardinals hit into fewest double plays

September 14, 2011 by retrosimba

(Updated July 2, 2014)

When it comes to double plays, the Cardinals, more than any other National League franchise, have experienced the extremes.

The 2011 Cardinals set the NL single-season record for grounding into the most double plays, with 169. The 1958 Cardinals had held the NL mark of 166. The single-season major-league record for double plays is 174 by the 1990 Red Sox.

A Cardinals team also holds the NL and major-league single-season record for grounding into the fewest double plays. The 1945 Cardinals hit into 75.

Because of military service during World War II, the 1945 Cardinals were without top hitters such as Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Harry Walker, Terry Moore, Walker Cooper and Danny Litwhiler.

The lineup was short on sluggers but loaded with contact hitters who ran the bases exceptionally well.

In its Sept. 6, 1945, edition, The Sporting News wrote of the Cardinals:

Despite the fact the Redbirds have gained a nationwide reputation as speedboys in winning their last three pennants, (manager) Billy Southworth’s scheme of attack is based more on the hit-and-run, and taking that extra base on a hit, than trying to steal his way around.

The 1945 Cardinals ranked first in the NL in hits (1,498) and second in runs (756) and sacrifice hits (138).

Third baseman Whitey Kurowski was the lone Cardinal to reach double figures in hitting into double plays (10).

Reserve outfielder Augie Bergamo had 304 at-bats and never hit into a double play.

Among the regulars, rookie left fielder Red Schoendienst had 565 at-bats, 157 hits and grounded into just six double plays. Center fielder Buster Adams slugged 20 home runs and 26 doubles in 578 at-bats, with just eight double plays. Second baseman Emil Verban struck out only 15 times in 597 at-bats and hit into just nine double plays.

To put that into perspective, Pirates first baseman Babe Dahlgren hit into 23 double plays in 1945 and Reds first baseman Frank McCormick hit into 20. Each was one of four players on his team to reach double figures in hitting into double plays.

Even though Kurowski, Schoendienst, shortstop Marty Marion, first baseman Ray Sanders, outfielder Johnny Hopp and catcher Ken O’Dea all missed games because of injuries, Billy Southworth had the 1945 Cardinals playing fundamentally sound baseball. St. Louis posted a 95-59 record and finished in second place, three games behind the Cubs.

In the Oct. 4, 1945, edition of The Sporting News, Frederick G. Lieb wrote:

Nothing but praise can be bestowed on Billy Southworth for his grand job in keeping the Cards in the race until next to the last day of the season. Everyone votes it Billy’s greatest managerial job … There was scarcely a day that he had his regular lineup in the field.

Posted in Hitters, Records | 3 Comments »

Ray Lankford did what Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle couldn’t

September 12, 2011 by retrosimba

(Updated May 4, 2018)

In a sport noted for great center fielders, the Cardinals’ Ray Lankford established a production standard for the position that largely hasn’t received the attention it deserves.

In 1992, Lankford became the first center fielder in major-league history to achieve at least 40 doubles, 20 home runs and 30 steals in a season.

Since then, two others have accomplished the feat: Carlos Beltran of the 2002 Royals (44 doubles, 29 homers, 35 steals) and Jacoby Ellsbury of the 2011 Red Sox (46 doubles, 32 homers, 39 steals), according to MLB.com.

Lankford (40 doubles, 20 homers, 42 steals) remains the only National League center fielder to meet the standard.

Four others who came close to achieving those numbers were Willie Mays of the 1959 Giants, Vada Pinson of the 1959 Reds, Andre Dawson of the 1980 Expos and Mike Trout of the 2013 Angels.

Mays (43 doubles, 34 homers, 27 steals) missed by three stolen bases; Pinson (47 doubles, 20 homers, 21 steals) missed by nine stolen bases; Dawson (41 doubles, 17 homers, 34 steals) missed by three home runs; and Trout (39 doubles, 27 homers, 33 steals) missed by one double.

Hall of Fame center fielders such as Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider never came close. Same with other top center fielders such as Ken Griffey Jr. (he missed by 12 steals in 1991, the only season he had a chance to match Lankford), Jim Edmonds, Bernie Williams, Kirby Puckett, Andruw Jones, Dale Murphy and Torii Hunter.

Lankford did it in dramatic fashion: his last two hits of 1992 were a double and a home run, putting him exactly at the 40 and 20 totals for those categories.

On Oct. 2, 1992, in the opener of a season-ending three-game series with the Phillies at St. Louis, Lankford hit a two-out, sixth-inning double to right off Curt Schilling. (The Cardinals won, 2-1, even though Schilling pitched a four-hitter). Boxscore

After going 0-for-4 the next day, Lankford went into the season finale on Sunday, Oct. 4, needing a home run to reach 20. He got it in the first inning _ a two-run blast to right-center off Tommy Greene, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in a game they won, 6-3. Boxscore

The home run also enabled Lankford to become the first Cardinals player to achieve 20 homers and 20 steals in a season since Lou Brock in 1967.

Although Lankford struck out a NL-leading 147 times, the 1992 season was a breakthrough for him. Thanks, in large part, to the work of first-year hitting coach Don Baylor, Lankford led the Cardinals in 13 offensive categories. After hitting .251 with nine homers and 69 RBI in 1991, Lankford batted .293 with 20 homers and 86 RBI in 1992.

When Baylor resigned after the 1992 season to become manager of the Rockies, St. Louis general manager Dal Maxvill told The Sporting News, “His importance to the Cardinals was demonstrated by the development of our young hitters last season, especially Lankford.”

After 1992, Lankford hit 20 or more homers five times and topped 30 steals once more, but he never again achieved 40 doubles in a season.

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From Bill White to Isaac Bruce: September specials

September 10, 2011 by retrosimba

From 1960 through 1987, St. Louis had two major-league Cardinals franchises: the baseball Cardinals and the football Cardinals of the NFL.

Here’s a look at how the baseball Cardinals fared on three key St. Louis football dates: the first regular-season game of the St. Louis football Cardinals, the regular-season opener of the final season of the St. Louis football Cardinals, and the first regular-season game of the St. Louis Rams:

SEPTEMBER 23, 1960

On this Friday afternoon, the baseball Cardinals swept a doubleheader against the Cubs before 2,061 at Wrigley Field. That night _ yes, a Friday night _ the St. Louis football Cardinals played their first regular-season game, defeating the Los Angeles Rams, 43-21, in the opener of the 1960 NFL season.

At Chicago, first baseman Bill White drove in four runs, including a three-run home run off Glen Hobbie in the third inning, lifting the Cardinals to a 5-1 victory. Ernie Broglio pitched a five-hitter for St. Louis, improving to 21-7. Boxscore

In the second game, St. Louis won by the same 5-1 score in a game called after seven innings because of darkness. Third baseman Ken Boyer solved Seth Morehead for a solo homer in the second and a two-run triple in the seventh. Ray Sadecki, a 19-year-old rookie, earned his ninth win, limiting Chicago to five hits. Boxscore

At Los Angeles, backup quarterback John Roach, who replaced King Hill at halftime, threw four touchdown passes, rallying the football Cardinals over the Rams. Roach tossed a 52-yard scoring strike to running back John David Crow, and touchdown passes of 57, 37 and 24 yards to end Sonny Randle. “We were a bunch of tigers,” Cardinals coach Pop Ivy told the Associated Press.

SEPTEMBER 13, 1987

On a relentlessly rainy Sunday afternoon, the Mets moved to within 2.5 games of the first-place Cardinals with a 4-2 victory against St. Louis at Shea Stadium. At Busch Stadium, the football Cardinals opened their final season in St. Louis with a 24-13 victory over the Cowboys.

Rookie pitchers David Cone and Randy Myers combined to hold the Cardinals to six singles, a double and one earned run. Five of the eight outs recorded by Myers were on strikeouts. Boxscore

“The day was a funny day,” Cone told the New York Times. “All the delays and sitting around wondering if we were going to play _ when we got to the second delay, I was sure we wouldn’t play. It was nice to be able to relax and watch football games on television. I didn’t have to think about the game.”

At St. Louis, the football Cardinals won their first home opener since 1975 when they rallied from a 13-3 deficit by scoring three touchdowns in the final two minutes, beating the Cowboys, 24-13.

The Cardinals had lost 14 of their last 17 against Dallas and had been outscored by the Cowboys 68-13 in two games in 1986. St. Louis quarterback Neil Lomax connected with receiver Roy Green on touchdown passes of 16 and 22 yards, and Earl Ferrell capped the comeback with a 15-yard touchdown run.

“We just gave it away,” Cowboys coach Tom Landry told the Associated Press.

Said Cardinals coach Gene Stallings, who had been a Cowboys assistant before joining St. Louis: “This was special.”

SEPTEMBER 3, 1995

On the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, the Cardinals and Rams each played a close game, with different results. At Busch Stadium, the Rockies defeated the Cardinals, 5-4, in 11 innings. In their first regular-season game since locating from Los Angeles to St. Louis, the Rams beat the Packers, 17-14, at Green Bay.

At St. Louis, the Rockies scored four in the first and the Cardinals scored four in the fourth. The score stayed 4-4 until the 11th when backup catcher Joe Girardi hit a two-out single on a 0-2 pitch from Jeff Parrett, scoring Andres Galarraga from second and carrying Colorado to a 5-4 victory. Boxscore

In Green Bay, the Rams’ defense, led by defensive end Sean Gilbert, sacked Brett Favre four times and intercepted the Packers quarterback three times in St. Louis’ 17-14 victory.

“Brett’s a great quarterback,” Rams tackle D’Marco Farr told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I don’t know if you can battle a guy like that. We just had to keep people in his face, keep him occupied.”

Said first-year Rams coach Rich Brooks: “It was a gutsy win. We didn’t paint a Rembrandt, but we got an NFL win on the road.”

In his first NFL start, Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce blocked a punt and caught a touchdown pass from Chris Miller. “It’s a lot harder to block a punt than it is to catch a touchdown pass,” Bruce told the Associated Press.

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Mariano Rivera vs. Cardinals: 3 games, 3 saves

September 6, 2011 by retrosimba

(Updated Jan. 22, 2019)

Three saves against the Cardinals are among the career total for the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera, major league baseball’s all-time leader at 652. On Jan. 22, 2019, Rivera became the first player unanimously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

In his only three regular-season appearances against the Cardinals, Rivera was at the height of his dominance. He faced 10 batters over 3.1 total innings and only one reached base. Rivera earned saves in all three appearances.

_ Yankees 5, Cardinals 2, June 13, 2003, at New York: It was a postseason-like atmosphere before a Friday night crowd of 55,214 at Yankee Stadium as Rivera entered in the ninth, looking to save the 300th career win for Roger Clemens.

Rivera struck out Orlando Palmeiro and retired Kerry Robinson and Miguel Cairo on groundouts. Boxscore

“I was really happy to go out there and save that game for Clemens,” Rivera told MLB.com. “I wanted to be a part of that … It was a huge game for Roger and for us.”

_ Yankees 5, Cardinals 2, June 15, 2003, at New York: Rivera threw three pitches in the ninth inning to earn the save and give the Yankees a three-game sweep on a Sunday afternoon before 54,797 at Yankee Stadium.

Rivera hit Albert Pujols with a pitch to open the ninth. Ex-Yankee Tino Martinez grounded into a double play and Jim Edmonds, batting for Wilson Delgado, grounded out to second. Boxscore

_ Yankees 5, Cardinals 0, June 11, 2005, at St. Louis: With New York leading 4-0 in the eighth, St. Louis had runners on second and third with two outs when Rivera relieved Tom Gordon. After Larry Walker worked the count to 3-and-2, Rivera delivered a 94 mph fastball on the outside corner. Walker took the called third strike, ending the Cardinals’ threat.

In the ninth, Pujols popped out to first, and Rivera struck out Reggie Sanders and Mark Grudzielanek, preserving the win for Randy Johnson before 50,177 on a Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium. Boxscore

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