History of the St. Louis Cardinals (1920–1952) facts for kids

The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They play in the National League (NL) of Major League Baseball (MLB). After a tough start, the Cardinals became very successful. They have won 11 World Series titles and 18 National League championships since 1926.

This success began when Sam Breadon bought most of the team in 1920. He became the team president and hired Branch Rickey as his business manager. Rickey was like a modern-day general manager. During Breadon's time as owner until 1947, the Cardinals won nine NL championships and six World Series titles. They won 2,898 games and lost 2,171 games in the regular season, which is a great winning record.

Building a Winning Team (1921–1929)

Branch Rickey's Big Idea

Branch Rickey helped create the idea of a general manager.

After Sam Breadon made Branch Rickey the Cardinals' business manager, Rickey also managed the team for six seasons. In 1926, Breadon replaced Rickey with Rogers Hornsby as the field manager. This allowed Rickey to focus on finding and developing new players.

Rickey, known as The Mahatma, became an expert at scouting and developing players. He made connections with minor league teams. Minor leagues are where young players learn and improve before playing in the major leagues. Back then, minor league teams were separate from major league teams. Major league teams usually bought players from minor league teams.

In 1921, a rule change allowed major league teams to own minor league clubs. This was thanks to Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Landis also made a rule that allowed major league teams to draft players who stayed on one minor league team for two years. This helped players move up to the major leagues.

In 1919, Rickey bought part of the Houston Buffaloes minor league team. He then bought interests in players from other minor league teams. From these connections, Rickey created a "farm system." This was like an assembly line of young talent. It allowed the Cardinals to develop players without other teams taking them. This new way of "farming prospects" replaced the old method of bidding for minor league players. It gave the Cardinals control over their young players at a low cost.

To pay for the farm system, Rickey sold the Cardinals' old stadium, Robison Field. It was in bad shape. The team moved to Sportsman's Park and shared it with their rivals, the Browns. The Cardinals' farm system was a huge success. It led to a "golden era" for the team, with nine World Series appearances between 1926 and 1946. All other major league teams soon copied this idea. It is still used by all major sports teams today. Rickey is famous for creating many of the ways general managers work today.

Rickey's farm system faced some challenges. Commissioner Landis did not like it. He thought it hurt baseball by making games less competitive. Landis made a rule that major league teams had to tell everyone about their minor league interests. This was to stop teams from hiding players in the minor leagues. Landis also stopped major league teams from owning two minor league teams in the same league. Because of this, Landis made future Hall of Famer Chuck Klein a free agent. This happened when he found out the Cardinals owned two teams in the same league.

One of Rickey's early players for the Browns, George Sisler, became a big star in the early 1920s. The Browns were very popular and almost won their league in 1922. Browns owner Phil Ball was so sure his team would play in the World Series by 1926 that he made big upgrades to Sportsman's Park. He increased its seating from 18,000 to 30,000. Ball was right about the World Series being played there in 1926, but the Browns were not in it.

Cardinals Become Champions

Pitcher Jesse Haines joined the Cardinals in 1920. He won 210 games in his career. He was a key player in the Cardinals' World Series wins in 1926, 1931, and 1934.

With Rogers Hornsby leading the team on the field, the Cardinals became serious contenders. Hornsby won the Triple Crown in both 1922 and 1925. He was nicknamed Rajah for his leadership as a player-manager. Hornsby won the MVP award in 1925, the first Cardinal to do so. He also led the National League in batting average for six straight seasons, from 1920 to 1925. In 1924, he hit .424, a record that has not been broken since. He hit over .400 three times. Hornsby is considered one of the best-hitting second basemen ever. His lifetime batting average of .358 is second only to Ty Cobb.

In 1926, St. Louis won their first National League championship. They faced the strong New York Yankees in the World Series. The series lasted seven games. Of the original eight National League teams, St. Louis was the last to win the league championship.

Grover Cleveland Alexander, who joined the Cardinals earlier that season, won Games 2 and 6. Game 7 was very exciting. Hornsby called Alexander to pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded. The Cardinals were leading 3–2. Alexander faced Tony Lazzeri, who hit a long foul ball that almost went for a home run. But Lazzeri struck out on a curveball.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Yankees threatened again. Babe Ruth walked with two outs. But he was thrown out trying to steal second base, ending the game. This gave the Cardinals their first World Series win. It was their first championship in forty years.

After the World Series win, Breadon traded Hornsby to the New York Giants. This was because of constant disagreements. Bob O'Farrell, the 1926 NL MVP, became the player-manager. But the Cardinals did not win the championship in 1927. Breadon traded O'Farrell after the season.

The Cardinals won the next NL championship in 1928. They beat the New York Giants and the Chicago Cubs. Jim Bottomley won the MVP award that year. He led the National League with 93 extra base hits, including 31 home runs and 136 RBIs.

The Cardinals were becoming a top team in the National League. This created a lot of excitement in St. Louis. Between 1926 and 1946, the Cardinals, New York Giants, and Chicago Cubs won 17 of the 21 championships.

Dizzy Dean and the Gashouse Gang (1930–1934)

The Cardinals kept winning in the 1930s. They won back-to-back championships in 1930 and 1931. Frankie Frisch won the MVP award in 1931. On the last day of the 1930 season, Dizzy Dean made his Major League debut. He pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits. The 1930 Cardinals are the only team in history where every player with at least 300 at-bats hit over .300. They are also the last National League team to score 1,000 runs in a season, with 1,004.

The Cardinals played the Philadelphia Athletics in both World Series. St. Louis lost in 1930 but won the 1931 series. In the 1931 series, Pepper Martin had 12 hits, four doubles, and five stolen bases.

Dean was a star pitcher for the Cardinals from 1932 to 1937. He played in four All-Star Games. He led the NL in wins and shutouts twice, and strikeouts four times. He also won an MVP award. Dean was known for his funny personality and memorable quotes. He was very popular with teammates, fans, and the media. After he retired, Dean became a popular sportscaster. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1953.

After a couple of average seasons in 1932 and 1933, the Gashouse Gang brought St. Louis back to the top in 1934. This team was a group of colorful players who played during the Great Depression. They entertained many people when they needed a break from hard times. The Cardinals became a "regional team" because of their success and strong radio signal. This lasted until 1955.

The Gashouse Gang was known for their messy looks and tough playing style. Five of their regular players hit over .300. Ripper Collins led the team in many hitting categories. He also led the National League in home runs (35). The team had many players with fun nicknames, like Dizzy and Daffy Dean, Ripper Collins, Joe Ducky Medwick, and Frankie The Fordham Flash Frisch.

Dizzy Dean won 30 games that season, the last National League pitcher to do so. He also won the MVP award. Dizzy and his brother, rookie Paul Dean, won 49 games together. The Cardinals won the 1934 championship and then the World Series against the Detroit Tigers. The Dean brothers were great pitchers in the series, combining for a 4–1 record.

The 1934 World Series is also famous for an incident involving Joe Medwick. In Game 7, Medwick slid hard into third base, and a fight started. When Medwick went to play in the outfield, Detroit fans threw trash at him. Commissioner Landis had to order Medwick to leave the game.

New Stars Emerge (1935–1940)

First baseman Johnny Mize led the league in home runs and runs batted in twice as a Cardinal.

The Cardinals played well and had strong hitting from Joe Medwick and first baseman Johnny Mize. They finished as high as second place in 1935, 1936, and 1939. In 1935, they won 96 games. The Dean brothers won 47 of those games. However, the Cubs won 21 games in a row late in the season to win the championship.

Medwick won the MVP and Triple Crown in 1937. He was the last National League player to achieve this. He hit .374 with 154 RBIs and 237 hits. In the 1937 All-Star Game, Dizzy Dean broke his toe. This injury affected his pitching and led to the end of his career.

Commissioner Landis still did not like the farm system. He hoped it would fail. In 1938, he found that the Cardinals controlled many teams in the same league. Landis released over 70 players. But this did not stop the Cardinals from developing new talent. These players became the core of the Cardinals teams that won three World Series titles in the next decade.

To bring the Cardinals back to the top, Breadon hired Ray Blades as manager in 1939. The team played well and focused on speed. They led the National League in batting average, runs, doubles, and triples. But Blades' tough style was not popular with players or the press. Breadon fired him in 1940. Breadon then hired Billy Southworth to manage. The Cardinals improved, winning 69 of their last 109 games.

Johnny Mize broke Hornsby's club record of 42 home runs with 43 in 1940. This record stood until 1998. Mize is still the Cardinals' single-season leader for left-handed hitters in home runs (43) and RBIs (137 in 1940). Rickey's farm system was now producing many new stars. These players would be key to the Cardinals' future success. They included Marty Marion, Enos Slaughter, Mort Cooper, Walker Cooper, Stan Musial, Max Lanier, Whitey Kurowski, Red Schoendienst, and Johnny Beazley.

Stan "The Man" Musial (1941–1952)

Stan Musial is the most famous St. Louis Cardinals player. He was known as a very consistent hitter.

The Cardinals returned to the World Series in the 1940s. This was partly due to young players from their minor league system. One of these players was outfielder Stan Musial. He joined the Cardinals late in 1941. Stan Musial is perhaps the most successful player in Cardinals history. He played all 22 of his seasons with the Cardinals. He won three NL MVP Awards. He also set many team and Major League hitting records.

Musial was loved by fans even after he retired. He was known for being kind and always ready to play. He enjoyed doing magic tricks for kids and playing the harmonica. Musial was a favorite throughout America. With Musial and other young stars, the Cardinals had one of the best three-year runs ever. They won 105 or more games each year from 1942 to 1944. The 1940s was a very successful decade for the team. They won 960 games and lost 580, a better winning percentage than any other Major League team. The Cardinals finished no lower than second place in any season during the decade. They also won four NL championships.

Three Championships in Five Seasons (1942–1946)

Three Great Seasons and MVPs (1942–1944)

Manager Billy Southworth continued his success. The 1942 team won a team-record 106 games. They finished strong by winning 43 of their last 51 games. Pitcher Mort Cooper won 22 games with a very low 1.78 ERA. He and Johnny Beazley led a pitching staff that had the best ERA in the NL. The Cardinals then defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Off the field, there was a disagreement. Branch Rickey left the Cardinals because of a disagreement with Breadon. Rickey became the general manager for the Dodgers in 1942. Rickey had helped turn the Cardinals from a team in debt into a six-time championship winner.

The Cardinals continued to win, with 105 wins in both 1943 and 1944. The Cardinals lost to the Yankees in the 1943 World Series rematch. A different Cardinal won the MVP award each year: Mort Cooper in 1942, Stan Musial in 1943, and Marty Marion in 1944.

Even though they shared a stadium with the Browns, the Cardinals were St. Louis's favorite team. They attracted many more fans than the Browns. Breadon wanted to build his own stadium. He saved $5 million for it.

All-St. Louis World Series and a Playoff (1945–46)

The 1944 World Series was special. The Cardinals played their crosstown rivals, the St. Louis Browns. This was called the "Streetcar Series," and it was the first and only all-St. Louis World Series. The Cardinals won their fifth title. In 1945, when Stan Musial was serving in World War II, the Cardinals won 95 games. They finished just three games behind the Cubs.

After his son passed away in 1945, manager Billy Southworth took a job with the Boston Braves. Southworth has the highest winning percentage as a manager in modern Cardinals history (.642).

Stan Musial's popularity grew beyond St. Louis. Fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers started calling him "The Man" during a game in 1946. A sportswriter heard them chanting, "Here comes the man!" After the sportswriter shared this story, Musial became known as Stan "The Man."

The Cardinals finished the 1946 season tied with the Dodgers. They won the championship in a first-ever best-of-three playoff series (2 games to 0). The Cardinals then won the World Series championship in seven games against the Boston Red Sox. In Game 7, Enos Slaughter scored on his famous Mad Dash from first base. This play won the game and the series.

New Owners for the Cardinals (1947–1953)

After their 1946 World Series win, the Cardinals were still a good team. They had 13 winning seasons from 1947 to 1963. In 1949, they won 96 games. However, they did not win another championship or appear in the World Series until 1964.

Changes were happening in baseball regarding racial segregation. Branch Rickey, now with the Dodgers, helped Jackie Robinson become the first African-American player in the major leagues in six decades. Some players, including Cardinals, still made fun of black players. But Musial and Red Schoendienst were known for never doing so. When some Cardinals players planned to refuse to play against the Dodgers in St. Louis, owner Sam Breadon and National League President Ford Frick threatened to suspend them. The players decided not to boycott.

At the end of the 1947 season, Breadon decided to sell the team. He had not found land for his new stadium. He was also facing health issues. Fred Saigh, a local tax attorney, bought the team with Robert E. Hannegan for $4 million. Breadon had a great record as owner, winning six World Series and nine NL championships.

Hannegan sold his share to Saigh in 1949 due to health problems. Saigh became the main owner. Meanwhile, Bill Veeck bought the Browns in 1951. He tried to make the Cardinals leave St. Louis, even though the Cardinals were much more popular.

Saigh's time as owner was short. He had some tax problems, and in 1952, he pleaded guilty to some charges. Commissioner Frick put pressure on Saigh, and he decided to sell the Cardinals. For a while, it looked like the team might have to move out of St. Louis. The best offer came from a group in Houston, Texas.

Anheuser-Busch Buys the Team

However, Saigh eventually sold the Cardinals to Anheuser-Busch (A–B), a brewery based in St. Louis. In February 1953, some local businessmen asked A–B president Gussie Busch about buying the team. They told Busch that a group from Milwaukee was thinking about buying the team. Busch was not a huge baseball fan, but he saw the business benefits.

Busch thought buying the Cardinals would help A–B sell more beer at games. It would also help them against local competitors. And it would be good for the company's image to keep the team in St. Louis.

Anheuser-Busch paid $3.75 million for the team. It was less than other offers, but Saigh wanted to sell to someone who would keep the team in St. Louis. Busch also convinced the company to spend $1.2 million to buy and fix up Sportsman's Park. Busch wanted to rename it Budweiser Stadium, but Commissioner Frick said no. So, Busch named it Busch Stadium, a name all Cardinals' home fields have had since.

The sale of the team to a large company caused some debate. A U.S. Senator from Colorado, Edwin C. Johnson, thought it was bad for baseball. He argued that Busch bought the team just to sell beer. He worried that other companies would buy teams, leading to monopolies. However, Johnson had his own reasons for opposing the sale. He was involved with a minor league team that might be hurt by the Cardinals' TV broadcasts.

At a hearing, Johnson said the sale was bad for baseball. He said the game would become "a contest between big businesses." But National League president Warren Giles said it helped make the game more stable. Busch himself said the company did not need to own the team to be successful. He even said he would sell the team if someone made a good offer and kept the Cardinals in St. Louis. After hearing everyone, Johnson withdrew his bill. He said he had achieved his goal of raising awareness about corporate ownership in baseball.
For the next historic period, see: 1953–1989.

1875–1919 | 1920–1952 | 1953–1989 | 1990–present