Retro Simba

The Cardinals acquired right-hander Bob Purkey to be their fifth starter. It turned out they got a whole lot more from him. Sixty years ago, on Dec. 14, 1964, the Cardinals traded Roger Craig and Charlie James to the Reds for Purkey, projecting him to join a starting rotation with Bob Gibson, Ray Sadecki, Curt Simmons and Tracy Stallard. Purkey, 35, … [Read more...] about Added value: How Bob Purkey did Bob Gibson a favor

When the Cardinals offered Rico Carty the chance to begin his professional baseball career with them, the right-handed power hitter from the Dominican Republic was receptive. Then again, Carty was agreeable to signing with any club. Away from home for the first time, Carty, 19, played in the Pan-American Games at Chicago in 1959. Impressed by his hitting, several big-league … [Read more...] about Why Rico Carty had hoped to play for Cardinals

Joe Schultz batted in a minor-league game when he was 14, played nine years in the majors, helped develop Cardinals prospects such as Bob Gibson and Tim McCarver, and coached for St. Louis clubs that won two World Series titles and three National League pennants. The role that defined his baseball career, though, was his one season as Seattle Pilots … [Read more...] about Joe Schultz: From Cardinals coach to literary protagonist

As a high school all-star, Don Ferrarese impressed Babe Ruth, who, like the California teen, knew what it was like to be a left-handed pitcher with stuff. Later, when Ferrarese was in the majors, he hit like Ruth, too, at least for one game _ cracking three consecutive doubles. In his first big-league start, Ferrarese struck out 13. In his first win, he held the Yankees … [Read more...] about The big-name baseball adventures of Don Ferrarese

Gabby Street knew well the highs and lows of managing professional baseball clubs in St. Louis. In 1931, Street piloted the St. Louis Cardinals to their second consecutive National League pennant and a World Series title. Seven years later, as manager of the 1938 St. Louis Browns, his American League team had a 53-90 record before he was fired with 10 games left in the … [Read more...] about Unbearable: The saga of baseball’s St. Louis Pandas