Retro Simba

Something screwy usually happened to Cardinals batters when they faced Jack Baldschun, but the one time they beat him, it opened a crack in the solid hold the Phillies had on first place in the National League. Soon after, when the crack turned into a chasm, the Phillies fell and the Cardinals climbed past them to win the 1964 pennant. A right-hander who relied on a screwball … [Read more...] about Jack Baldschun played pivotal part in pennant chase drama

Though Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry were the most prominent pitchers on the 1960s Giants, Bobby Bolin was an important member of those staffs, too. A right-hander with a fastball rated among the best in the National League, Bolin was effective both as a starter and a reliever. In 1968, when Bob Gibson led the league in ERA (1.12), the pitcher who was next-best was not … [Read more...] about Good old country hardball: Bobby Bolin vs. Cardinals

Orlando Pena was a baseball sorcerer, a mound magician who delivered a mix of deceptive pitches and overcame formidable odds to repeatedly revive his career. Fifty years ago, Pena worked his wizardry for the Cardinals after they acquired him from the Orioles for cash on June 15, 1973. Pena was 39, a castoff who had gone to spring training that year as a batting practice … [Read more...] about Old pro: Orlando Pena worked wonders with Cardinals

Lew Burdette was supposed to give the Cardinals the edge they needed to win the 1963 National League pennant, but it didn’t work out. Instead, he helped them attain a championship the following year, even though he was gone by June. Sixty years ago, on June 15, 1963, the Cardinals obtained Burdette, 36, from the Braves for catcher Gene Oliver and pitcher Bob Sadowski. A … [Read more...] about Why Cardinals had high hopes for Lew Burdette

Pitchers Dizzy Dean and Paul Derringer didn’t get along as Cardinals teammates. As opponents, their dislike for one another erupted into public view. Ninety years ago, on June 6, 1933, Dean and Derringer got into a fight on the field before a game at Cincinnati. Only their egos got bruised. Dean, the consummate showman, was a flamboyant flamethrower who craved … [Read more...] about Battle stations: Dizzy Dean versus Paul Derringer