RetroSimba

(Updated Feb. 4, 2023)

When Arthur Rhodes pitched for St. Louis in Game 1 of the 2011 World Series, he became the fifth Cardinals player _ and the first in 29 years _ to appear in a Fall Classic at age 40 or older.

All five Cardinals age 40 or older to play in a World Series were pitchers:

_ Grover Cleveland Alexander, 41, in the 1928 World Series.

_ Jesse Haines, 41, in the 1934 World Series.

_ Dazzy Vance, 43, in the 1934 World Series.

_ Jim Kaat, 43, in the 1982 World Series.

_ Arthur Rhodes, 41, in the 2011 World Series.

Haines and Vance pitched in the same game.

Alexander, Haines, Kaat and Vance were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Here is a look at their World Series performances for the Cardinals after they turned 40:

GROVER CLEVELAND ALEXANDER

The right-hander was a hero of the 1926 World Series, winning two starts and sealing the Cardinals’ Game 7 victory against the Yankees with an iconic save. It was a different story for Alexander and the Cardinals in the 1928 World Series.

At 41, Alexander still was effective. He made 31 starts, completing 18, for the 1928 Cardinals and was 16-9 with a 3.36 ERA for the National League champions.

So it was somewhat surprising when the Yankees pummeled him in the World Series. Alexander started Game 2 and lasted 2.1 innings, allowing six hits, four walks and eight runs, including a three-run, first-inning home run to Lou Gehrig. The Yankees won, 9-3. Boxscore

In Game 4, the Yankees led 4-1 with one out in the seventh when Alexander relieved starter Bill Sherdel. Alexander yielded three runs, including solo homers to Babe Ruth and Cedric Durst, and the Yankees went on to a 7-3 victory, sweeping the Series. Boxscore

Alexander ended the 1928 World Series with a record of 0-1 and a 19.80 ERA, allowing 11 runs in five innings.

JESSE HAINES

The right-hander started games for the Cardinals in the 1926, 1928 and 1930 World Series. At 41 in 1934, he primarily was a reliever. He appeared in 37 games, 31 in relief, during the regular season, posting a 4-4 record and 3.50 ERA.

In his lone appearance in the 1934 World Series, Haines entered Game 4 against the Tigers with one out in the eighth. He yielded a RBI-single to third baseman Marv Owens, and then struck out outfielder Pete Fox and pitcher Elden Auker. Boxscore

DAZZY VANCE

When the Reds placed Vance on waivers after the right-hander went 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA for them in 1934, it appeared his career was done at 43. The Cardinals, however, claimed him on June 25, bringing him back for a second stint with the club, and he was a productive member of the staff. Vance was 1-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 19 games, 15 in relief, for St. Louis.

A 16-year big-league veteran, primarily with the Dodgers when he led the National League in strikeouts seven seasons in a row, Vance made his only World Series appearance in Game 4 of the 1934 Series. He relieved starter Tex Carleton with two outs in the third. Though he yielded a RBI-single to Hank Greenberg, he pitched 1.1 innings, striking out three, including Tigers player-manager Mickey Cochrane. Boxscore

JIM KAAT

In the 1965 World Series, Kaat made three starts for the Twins and was matched each time against the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax. Kaat won one of those three.

Seventeen years later, at 43, Kaat was an effective situational left-handed reliever for the Cardinals. During the 1982 regular season, Kaat appeared in 62 games and was 5-3 with a 4.08 ERA.

In the 1982 World Series, Kaat pitched in four of the seven games and had a 3.86 ERA, helping St. Louis to its first Fall Classic championship in 15 years.

In his book “Still Pitching,” Kaat wrote of Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog:

“Herzog was the most brilliant and the brightest manager I ever played for. The way he used me, and the way he ran a game, he was the best.”

ARTHUR RHODES

In his 20th big-league season, Rhodes, 41, made his first World Series appearance in Game 1 in 2011.

Entering with two outs in the eighth, Rhodes retired Josh Hamilton on a flyout to center and held the lead for closer Jason Motte, who sealed the Cardinals’ 3-2 victory over Texas. Boxscore

Rhodes turned 42 during the World Series _ on Oct. 24, 2011 _ and pitched in Game 7 on Oct. 28. Overall, Rhodes made three appearances in the 2011 World Series and didn’t allow a base runner in a total of one inning.

Rhodes had been released by the Rangers Aug. 8 and was signed by the Cardinals three days later.

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.”