St. Louis Cardinals facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Louis Cardinals |
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 2025 St. Louis Cardinals season |
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| Major league titles | |||||
| World Series titles (11) |
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| NL Pennants (19) |
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| AA Pennants (4) |
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| Central Division titles (12) |
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| East Division titles (3) |
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| Wild card berths (5) |
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| Principal owner(s) | William DeWitt Jr. | ||||
| President | Bill DeWitt III | ||||
| President of baseball operations | John Mozeliak | ||||
| General manager | Vacant | ||||
| Manager | Oliver Marmol | ||||
| Mascot(s) | Fredbird, Rally Squirrel | ||||
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team from St. Louis, Missouri. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central Division. Since 2006, the Cardinals have played their home games at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis.
The Cardinals are one of the oldest and most successful baseball clubs. They have won 11 World Series championships. This is the most for any NL team and second in MLB only to the New York Yankees. The team has also won 19 National League pennants. This is the third-most of any team. St. Louis has also won 15 division titles.
In 1881, Chris von der Ahe bought a team called the Brown Stockings. He renamed them the St. Louis Browns. They became a founding member of the American Association baseball league. The team won four league championships. This allowed them to play in the professional baseball championship series. This was an early version of the modern World Series. In two of these championships, the Browns played the Chicago White Stockings, now known as the Chicago Cubs. This started the long-lasting Cardinals–Cubs rivalry.
In 1892, the Browns, also called the Perfectos, joined the National League. In 1900, the team was renamed the Cardinals. (Two years later, a different St. Louis Browns team joined the American League).
Many famous Cardinals have made history. Manager Branch Rickey created the farm system. Rogers Hornsby won two batting Triple Crowns. Dizzy Dean won 30 games in 1934. Stan Musial set many MLB and NL records. Bob Gibson had an amazing 1.12 earned run average (ERA) in 1968. Whitey Herzog led a successful team in the 1980s. Mark McGwire set a single-season home run record in 1998. The 2011 championship team made incredible comebacks. Albert Pujols hit his 700th home run.
The Cardinals have won 105 or more games in four seasons. They won 100 or more games nine times. Cardinals players have won 21 league MVPs. They also won four batting Triple Crowns and three Cy Young Awards. Many Cardinals are in the Baseball Hall of Fame. These include Lou Brock, Dizzy Dean, Bob Gibson, Whitey Herzog, Rogers Hornsby, Tony LaRussa, Joe Medwick, Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Branch Rickey, Red Schoendienst, Ozzie Smith, Ted Simmons, Bruce Sutter, and Scott Rolen.
In 2018, Forbes magazine said the Cardinals were worth $1.9 billion. This was the 7th highest among MLB clubs. It was much more than the $147 million paid in 1995 by William DeWitt Jr.'s group. The Cardinals are known for their strong fan support. Even though St. Louis is a mid-sized market, the team always has high attendance. They are also consistently among the top three in MLB for local TV ratings.
As of 2024, the Cardinals' all-time win-loss record is 11,285 wins, 10,402 losses, and 152 ties. Their winning percentage is .521.
Contents
Team History
Early Baseball in St. Louis (1875–1881)
Professional baseball in St. Louis began with the Brown Stockings in 1875. This team joined the National League in 1876. They finished third that year. George Bradley threw the first no-hitter in Major League history. The NL removed St. Louis from the league after 1877. This was due to a game-fixing scandal. The team then went bankrupt. They continued to play as a semi-professional team until 1881.
These early Brown Stockings teams are generally not considered the same team as the current St. Louis Cardinals.
American Association and Early National League (1882–1919)
For the 1882 season, Chris von der Ahe bought the team. He reorganized it and made it a founding member of the American Association (AA). This league was a rival to the NL. Many consider 1882 to be the first year of the team that became the St. Louis Cardinals.
The next season, St. Louis shortened their name to the Browns. They soon became the best team in the AA. Manager Charlie Comiskey led St. Louis to four championships in a row from 1885 to 1888. Pitcher and outfielder Bob Caruthers was a star player. He led the league in ERA (2.07) and wins (40) in 1885. Outfielder Tip O'Neill won the first batting triple crown in team history in 1887.
By winning the championship, the Browns played the NL winner in an early version of the World Series. The Browns played the Chicago White Stockings (now the Chicago Cubs) twice. They tied one series and won the other. This started the strong Cardinals–Cubs rivalry that continues today. In their ten seasons in the AA, the Browns had the most wins (780) and best winning percentage (.639) in the league.
The AA league ended after the 1891 season. The Browns then moved to the National League. The team struggled for many years. Between 1892 and 1919, St. Louis had only five winning seasons. They finished in last or second-to-last place sixteen times. They also lost 100 or more games in four seasons. Their worst season was 1897, with a 29–102 record.
In 1899, the team was called the Perfectos. They finished 84–67, which was their best finish until Sam Breadon bought the team. As the "Perfectos," the team wore uniforms with cardinal red trim. A sportswriter heard a fan say, "What a lovely shade of cardinal." Fans liked the name "Cardinals." In 1900, the team officially changed its name to Cardinals.
In 1902, another American League team moved to St. Louis. They renamed themselves the St. Louis Browns. They built a new park where the Cardinals' old stadium was. This started a rivalry that lasted for five decades. Sam Breadon bought part of the Cardinals in 1917. In 1919, Browns manager Branch Rickey joined the Cardinals. The Cardinals' first 28 seasons in the NL were very different from their time in the AA. They had a .406 winning percentage.
The Breadon Era (1920–1952)
Baseball in St. Louis began to improve. Since 1926, the Cardinals have won eleven World Series and nineteen NL championships. Breadon helped this revival when he bought most of the team in 1920. He made Rickey the business manager. Rickey improved scouting and player development. He also created the minor league farm system. This was like today's general manager role.
Rogers Hornsby was a star player at second base. He won Triple Crowns in 1922 and 1925. The Cardinals won the 1926 World Series, their first ever. St. Louis then won the league in 1928, 1930, and 1931. They also won the 1931 World Series.
The famous Gashouse Gang team won the 1934 World Series. The Cardinals became very popular outside St. Louis because of radio. This led to the term "Cardinal Nation". Dizzy Dean led the Gang. He won the 1934 MVP. He also led the NL in wins, strikeouts, innings, complete games, and shutouts many times. Johnny Mize and Joe Medwick were strong hitters. Medwick won the last Triple Crown for a Cardinal in 1937.
The 1940s were a great time for the team. Rickey's farm system produced many talented players. These included Marty Marion, Enos Slaughter, Mort Cooper, Walker Cooper, Stan Musial, Max Lanier, Whitey Kurowski, Red Schoendienst, and Johnny Beazley. It was one of the most successful decades in team history. They won 960 games and lost 580. Their winning percentage of .623 was higher than any other Major League team.
With Billy Southworth as manager, they won the World Series in 1942 and 1944. The 1944 series was the only all-St. Louis series against the Browns. They won 105 or more games in 1942, 1943, and 1944. Southworth's winning percentage (.642) is the highest for St. Louis since joining the National League. Musial was a very consistent hitter. He won three MVPs and seven batting titles. St. Louis then won the 1946 World Series with Slaughter's Mad Dash in Game 7. Breadon had to sell the team in 1947. He won six World Series and nine NL championships as Cardinals owner. The team stayed competitive. They finished with a winning record in thirteen of the next seventeen seasons. But they did not win the league or World Series again until 1964.
The Gussie Busch Era (1953–1989)
In 1953, the Anheuser-Busch brewery bought the Cardinals. August "Gussie" Busch became team president. This led to the Browns moving to Baltimore in 1953 to become the Orioles. This made the Cardinals the only major league team in St. Louis.
More success came in the 1960s. A big trade brought outfielder Lou Brock from the Cubs. MVP third baseman Ken Boyer and pitcher Bob Gibson led the team to a World Series win that same year. Curt Flood, Bill White, Curt Simmons, and Steve Carlton also played important roles. In 1967, new player Orlando Cepeda won the MVP. He helped St. Louis win the World Series. The Cardinals won the league in 1968. Their pitchers had a league-leading 2.49 ERA. Gibson had a modern-day record low ERA of 1.12. He also struck out a World Series record of 17 batters in one game. Gibson won both the MVP and Cy Young awards that year. However, the Cardinals lost the 1968 World Series to the Detroit Tigers.
In the 1970s, catcher Joe Torre and first baseman Keith Hernandez each won MVPs. But the team's best finishes were second place and 90 wins. The team returned to the World Series three times in the 1980s. This started with manager Whitey Herzog and his "Whiteyball" style of play. Another important trade happened in 1982. Shortstop Garry Templeton was traded for shortstop Ozzie Smith. Smith is known as one of the best defensive players ever. He leads all shortstops in Gold Glove Awards (13), All-Star games (15), assists (8,375), and double plays (1,590). St. Louis won the 1982 World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers that fall.
The Cardinals won the league again in 1985 and 1987. In the 1985 Series, they played their cross-state rivals, the Kansas City Royals. This was their first time playing each other in a championship. But they lost the series after a controversial call in Game 6. In the 1987 series, they played the Minnesota Twins. They only won their three home games in the seven-game series.
The Bill DeWitt Era (1996–Present)
After Gussie Busch passed away in 1989, the brewery took control. They hired Joe Torre to manage in late 1990. Then, they sold the team to a group led by William DeWitt Jr. in 1996. Tony La Russa replaced Torre in the spring of 1996. In 1998, Mark McGwire and the Cubs' Sammy Sosa chased the single-season home run record.
From 2000 to 2013, the Cardinals became a top team again. They made the playoffs ten times. They won four NL championships and two World Series titles. They had 1,274 regular season wins and 993 losses. This was a .560 winning percentage, second only to the New York Yankees. With Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols, and Scott Rolen, the Cardinals had three strong hitters and defenders called "MV3." Pujols won three MVPs. He hit .328 with 445 home runs as a Cardinal.
In 2004, pitcher Chris Carpenter helped the team win 105 games. This was the best record in major league baseball. They also won the NL championship. In 2006, despite injuries, they won the 2006 World Series. They beat Detroit in five games. This was a record for the fewest wins (83) by a World Series winner.
In 2009, the Cardinals reached 10,000 wins. This counts back to when they first played in the American Association (AA). St. Louis returned to the playoffs in 2011. They made a huge comeback to beat the Atlanta Braves for a wild card spot. In Game 3 of the 2011 World Series, Pujols became the third player to hit three home runs in a World Series game. In Game 6, David Freese and Lance Berkman tied the score with two strikes left. This was the first time this happened in MLB history. St. Louis then won that game with a walk-off home run from Freese. After winning the Series, La Russa retired. He was the only manager to retire after winning a title. He finished with the most wins for a Cardinals manager (1,408).
La Russa's replacement, Mike Matheny, continued the playoff success. He was the first manager to lead the Cardinals to the NLCS and playoffs in his first two seasons. In 2014, the Cardinals reached their fourth straight NLCS. They beat the Dodgers in the NLDS. Ten days after losing in the postseason, rookie outfielder Oscar Taveras died in a car accident. In November, they got Jason Heyward to replace Taveras.
On July 14, 2018, the Cardinals fired manager Mike Matheny. They named Mike Shildt as interim manager. He became the permanent manager a month later.
On November 19, 2018, the team announced that the "Victory Blue" uniforms from the 1970s and 1980s would return for the 2019 season. The Cardinals traded for Paul Goldschmidt on December 5, 2018.
On September 14, 2022, pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina set an NL/AL record. They made 325 starts together as a pitcher and catcher team (called a battery). The previous record had stood since 1975.
Home Ballpark
The Cardinals play their home games at Busch Stadium. It is also called New Busch Stadium or Busch III. It is in downtown St. Louis. The stadium opened for the 2006 season. It cost $411 million and holds 46,861 fans. The Cardinals won the 2006 World Series in their first season at the new Busch Stadium. They were the first team to do this since the New York Yankees in 1923.
This open-air stadium looks like "retro-style" baseball-only parks. From the outfield, fans can see a great view of St. Louis' downtown skyline. This includes the famous Gateway Arch. A copy of the Eads Bridge is at the entrance on the third base side. A statue of Stan Musial stands in front of that entrance. Other statues at the corner of 8th and Clark include Hall of Famers Rogers Hornsby, Ozzie Smith, George Sisler, Cool Papa Bell, Bob Gibson, and Jack Buck.
Due to high demand, Game 7 of the 2011 World Series had a baseball record of 47,399 fans. This was possible by selling more standing room only tickets. The record for any event at Busch Stadium is 53,000. This was for a U2 concert in 2011.
Ballpark Village is a development across from Busch Stadium. Phase 1 opened in 2014. It has entertainment places, restaurants, and shops. It includes Cardinals Nation, which has the Cardinals Hall of Fame. It also has a two-story Cardinals-themed restaurant and rooftop seating with views of the field.
Previous Ballparks
Busch Stadium is the Cardinals' fourth home ballpark. It is the third to have that name. The Cardinals' first home was Sportsman's Park from 1882 to 1892. They were known as the Browns then. In 1893, the Browns moved to a new park. It was five blocks northwest of Sportsman's Park. This new park was called New Sportsman's Park. It was later known as Robison Field. In the middle of the 1920 season, the Cardinals moved back to the original Sportsman's Park. They shared it with their American League rivals, the St. Louis Browns.
In 1953, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery bought the Cardinals. The new owner also bought Sportsman's Park from the Browns. He renamed it Busch Stadium (Busch I). The Browns then left St. Louis for Baltimore after the season. They became the Orioles. The Cardinals built Busch Memorial Stadium, or Busch II, in downtown St. Louis. It opened in 1966. It was a multi-purpose stadium for both the baseball Cardinals and the NFL football Cardinals. The football team is now the Arizona Cardinals. The NFL's Rams also played their first four home games there in 1995. The current Busch Stadium was built partly on the site of Busch Memorial Stadium.
Spring Training
The Cardinals' home field for spring training is Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. They share this complex with the Miami Marlins. It opened in 1998. Before Jupiter, the Cardinals trained at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1937 to 1997.
Home Attendance
The Cardinals have had over 3 million fans attend their home games every season from 2004 to 2019. From 2013 to 2019, the Cardinals were second in MLB for home game attendance. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers had more fans. The Cardinals have had over 3 million fans in 25 seasons since 1987. The 25th season was on September 18, 2023.
Logos and Uniforms
The Cardinals have had a few different logos over the years. The first logo was an interlocking "SL." It appeared on caps or sleeves around 1899 or 1900. Early uniforms had "St. Louis" on white home and gray road uniforms. Both had cardinal red accents. In 1899, a fan said the uniforms were a "lovely shade of cardinal." The team, then called the Perfectos, changed its name to Cardinals the next season.
In 1922, the Cardinals wore uniforms with two cardinal birds on a baseball bat. The word "Cardinals" was written below them. This "birds on the bat" design first had black bats and printed letters. An alternate version with "St. Louis" appeared in 1930. In 1940, the famous "StL" logo was added to the caps. This interlocking "StL" has changed slightly but has been on caps every year since. Navy blue became a uniform color in 1940.
In 1956, the Cardinals changed their caps to solid blue with a red "StL". In 1957, an updated "birds on the bat" logo returned. The word "Cardinals" was written in cursive. This logo, with small changes, has been the team's main logo since. In 1962, the Cardinals were the first National League team to put players' names on the back of their jerseys. In 1964, the Cardinals changed their home caps to all red. The next year, red caps were worn full-time. In 1967, the birds on the bat emblem was changed again. The birds looked more realistic. This version was on jerseys until 1997.
In 1971, the Cardinals switched to pullover knit jerseys and beltless pants. In 1973, the crew-neck collar became a V-neck. From 1976 to 1984, their road uniforms were light blue. In 1992, the Cardinals went back to traditional button-down shirts and belted pants. They also brought back the all-navy cap for road games.
In 1998, the "birds on the bat" was updated. The birds were more detailed, and the letters were bolder. St. Louis also introduced a cap with a single cardinal bird on a bat. This was worn for Sunday home games. The new birds on the bat design was changed again in 1999. The birds had yellow beaks and white eyes. Uniform numbers also returned to the front of the jerseys in 1999.
On November 16, 2012, the Cardinals showed a new alternate uniform. It is worn for Saturday home games. This cream-colored jersey has red trim. It still has the "birds on the bat." But it says "St. Louis" instead of "Cardinals." In 2013, the team started wearing their red caps for both home and away games. The navy cap is still an alternate.
Since 2019, the Cardinals have worn updated powder blue alternate uniforms for Saturday road games. They have red piping and "St. Louis" below the "birds on the bat" logo. In 2020, the Cardinals updated their "StL" cap logo slightly.
In 2023, the Cardinals added Stifel as their first uniform sponsor. The Stifel patch is on a player's sleeve.
In 2024, the Cardinals showed their City Connect uniform. It is red with white pants. It keeps the "birds on the bat" logo. But it has "The Lou" written in white with navy blue trim. "The Lou" is a nickname for St. Louis. Darker red wavy pinstripes represent the Mississippi River. A red patch with a yellow fleur-de-lis, a navy blue Gateway Arch, and a red "STL" is on the sleeve. Caps are red with the "STL" wordmark.
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Fan Support
Mascots
The team mascot is an anthropomorphic cardinal named Fredbird. He wears the team's uniform. He is helped by Team Fredbird, a group of eleven women. They entertain fans from the field and on top of the dugouts.
The Rally Squirrel became popular during the 2011 postseason. In Game 3 of the NLDS, a squirrel ran across home plate. This happened during a pitch from Roy Oswalt to Skip Schumaker. The Cardinals won that game and the series. The squirrel became known as "Buschie the Rally Squirrel." A small picture of the Rally Squirrel is on the official World Series rings the team received.
Rivalries
Chicago Cubs
The Cardinals have a rivalry with the Chicago Cubs. It is also called the Downstate Illinois rivalry or the I-55 Series. Both cities are along Interstate 55. The Cubs lead the overall series. But the Cardinals lead in National League championships. The Cardinals have also won more World Series titles (11 to 3). Many visiting fans attend games in both Busch Stadium and Wrigley Field. The Cardinals and Cubs have always been in the same division. This has made their games very exciting. They played each other once in the postseason, in the 2015 National League Division Series. The Cubs won that series 3–1.
Kansas City Royals
The Cardinals also have a rivalry with the Kansas City Royals. This is called the "Show-Me Series" or the "I–70 Series." It is named after their home state of Missouri and the interstate highway that connects the cities. The teams first played in the 1985 World Series. The Royals won that series 4–3. This is their only postseason meeting.
Since interleague play began in 1997, the Cardinals and Royals play four to six games each season. These games are split between the two cities. As of 2021, the Cardinals lead the overall series 71–50.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Cardinals and Dodgers have a playoff rivalry. Since 1892, they have met six times in the postseason. The Cardinals have won four of these series. The Dodgers won the 2009 NLDS and the 2021 National League Wild Card Game.
New York Mets
The rivalry between the Cardinals and the New York Mets was strongest in the 1980s. Both teams were competing for the National League East title. The rivalry started with a trade in 1983. Keith Hernandez went from the Cardinals to the Mets. This helped the Mets become a strong team. Between 1985 and 1988, one of these two teams won the division. In three of those years, the NL East winner went to the World Series. In 1994, the Cardinals moved to the National League Central. The rivalry then faded. The two teams met in the 2000 and 2006 National League Championship Series. This briefly brought the rivalry back.
Team Leadership
Ownership
An investment group led by William DeWitt Jr. owns the St. Louis Cardinals. They bought the team from Anheuser-Busch (AB) in 1996. When AB sold the team in 1995, they wanted a buyer who would keep the team in St. Louis. In March 1996, AB sold the team for $147 million.
As of 2024, Forbes magazine valued the Cardinals as the tenth most valuable MLB team. Their estimated value was $2.55 billion. St. Louis' revenue in 2024 was $372 million. Their operating income was $57 million. The Cardinals have a deal with Fox Sports Midwest (now Bally Sports Midwest). This deal started in 2018 and is worth $1 billion through 2032.
Executives
- Chairman & CEO: William DeWitt Jr.
- President: Bill DeWitt III
- President of Baseball Operations: John Mozeliak
- Manager: Oliver Marmol
Managers
Here are some of the managers who have led the St. Louis Cardinals.
| Dates | Name | W-L Record | % | Highlights | Ref |
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| 1883–89, 1891 | Charlie Comiskey† | 563–273 | .673* | Highest winning-percentage in franchise history; Four consecutive World Series appearances, one title |
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| 1919–25 | Branch Rickey† | 458–485 | .486 | ||
| 1925–26 | Rogers Hornsby† | 153–116 | .569 | One World Series win (player-manager) | |
| 1929, 1940–45 | Billy Southworth† | 620–346 | .642** | Second-highest winning-percentage in franchise history (highest modern); Two World Series (1942, 1944) wins |
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| 1933–38 | Frankie Frisch† | 458–354 | .564 | One World Series win | |
| 1946–50 | Eddie Dyer | 446–325 | .578 | One World Series win | |
| 1961–64 | Johnny Keane | 317–249 | .560 | One World Series win | |
| 1965–76, 1980, 1990 | Red Schoendienst† | 1041–955 | .522 | Two NL pennants and one World Series win | |
| 1980–90 | Whitey Herzog† | 822–728 | .530 | Three NL pennants and one World Series win | |
| 1996–2011 | Tony La Russa† | 1408*–1182* | .544 | Most managerial wins and seasons (16) in team history; Two World Series (2006, 2011) wins |
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| 2012–18 | Mike Matheny | 591–474 | .555 | One NL pennant | |
| 2018–21 | Mike Shildt | 252–199 | .559 | ||
| 2022–present | Oliver Marmol | 247–239 | .508 |
- Table key
- *All-time franchise leader. ** Franchise leader since 1900.
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Total number of wins and losses |
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Winning percentage: Number of wins divided by total of wins and losses |
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Franchise leader |
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Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame |
Players and Awards
Selected Individual Achievements and Awards
- Darryl Kile Award: This award is given to a Cardinals player and a Houston Astros player. It honors players who are good teammates, friends, fathers, and humble people.
- No-hitters: Cardinals pitchers have thrown 10 no-hitters. These include Jesse Haines (1924), Paul Dean (1934), Bob Gibson (1971), and Bob Forsch (1978 and 1983).
- Cy Young Awards: Two Cardinals pitchers have won Cy Young Awards. Bob Gibson won in 1968 and 1970. Chris Carpenter won in 2005.
- MVP Awards: 17 different Cardinals players have won 21 Most Valuable Player awards. The most recent was Paul Goldschmidt in 2022. Albert Pujols and Stan Musial each won three MVPs. Bob Gibson won both the Cy Young Award and the MVP award in 1968.
- Rookie of the Year: Six Cardinals have won the Rookie of the Year award. These include Wally Moon (1954), Vince Coleman (1985), and Albert Pujols (2001).
- Hitting for the cycle: 19 different Cardinals players have hit for the cycle 21 times. The most recent was Nolan Arenado in 2022.
- Triple Crown: Four of the 16 batting Triple Crowns in MLB were by Cardinals. Tip O'Neill won the first in team history in 1887. Rogers Hornsby won two (1922 and 1925). Joe Medwick's Triple Crown in 1937 was the last in the National League.
- Home Runs and RBI in a Game: Jim Bottomley drove in 12 runs in a game on September 16, 1924. This is an all-time MLB record. On September 7, 1993, Mark Whiten tied that record. He also hit four home runs in that game.
- Four Home Runs in a Row: Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman, Juan Yepez, and Dylan Carlson hit four home runs in a row on July 2, 2022. This has only happened eleven times in MLB history.
- Two Grand Slams in One Inning: Fernando Tatís is the only player in MLB history to hit two grand slam home runs in the same inning. This happened on April 23, 1999.
Team Captains
- Leo Durocher 1934–1937
- Terry Moore 1942–1948
- Ken Boyer 1959–1965
- Ted Simmons and Reggie Smith 1976
Hall of Famers
National Baseball Hall of Fame
| St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famers | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | ||||||||||||||||||
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St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum
In 2014, the Cardinals reopened their Hall of Fame. A special process chooses former players as Cardinals Hall of Famers each year. To be chosen, a player must have been a Cardinal for at least three seasons. The first group in 2014 had 22 former players and staff. There are now 55 members in the Cardinals Hall of Fame.
| Bold | Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame |
|---|---|
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Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Cardinal |
| Bold | Recipient of the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award |
| No. | Name | Years with Cardinals franchise | Position(s) | Year elected | Committee selection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Jim Bottomley |
1922–1932, 1939, 1955 | 1B, Broadcaster, Scout | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 14 | Ken Boyer | 1955–1965, 1971–1972, 1978–1980 | 3B, Manager, Coach | 2014 | Inaugural |
| — | Sam Breadon | 1917–1947 | Owner | 2016 | Team |
| 31 | Harry Brecheen | 1940, 1943–1952 | P | 2018 | Red Ribbon |
| 20 | Lou Brock |
1964–1979 | LF | 2014 | Inaugural |
| — | Jack Buck | 1954–1959, 1961–2001 | Broadcaster | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 85 | Gussie Busch | 1953–1989 | Owner | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 29 | Chris Carpenter | 2004–2012 | P | 2016 | Fan |
| 29 | Vince Coleman | 1985–1990 | LF | 2018 | Fan |
| — | Charles Comiskey | 1882–1889, 1891 | 1B, Manager | 2022 | Team |
| 13, 14, 24, 25, 30 | Mort Cooper | 1938–1945 | P | 2019 | Red Ribbon |
| 17 | Dizzy Dean |
1930, 1932–1937, 1941–1946 | P, Broadcaster | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 18 | Dave Duncan | 1996–2011 | Coach | 2024 | Team |
| 15 | Jim Edmonds | 2000–2007, 2016–2024 | CF, Broadcaster | 2014 | Fan |
| 21, 42 | Curt Flood | 1958–1969 | CF | 2015 | Red Ribbon |
| 31, 37 | Bob Forsch | 1974–1988 | P | 2015 | Fan |
| 3 | Frankie Frisch |
1927–1938 | 2B, Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 31, 45, 58 | Bob Gibson |
1959–1975, 1995 | P, Coach | 2014 | Inaugural |
| — | Chick Hafey |
1924–1931 | OF | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 16 | Jesse Haines |
1920–1937 | P | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 18, 37 | Keith Hernandez | 1974–1983 | 1B | 2021 | Fan |
| 28 | Tom Herr | 1979–1988 | 2B | 2020 | Fan |
| 24 | Whitey Herzog |
1980–1990 | Manager, General Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 7, 15 | Matt Holliday | 2009–2016 | LF | 2022 | Fan |
| 4 | Rogers Hornsby |
1915–1926, 1933 | 2B, SS, Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 39 | Al Hrabosky | 1970–1977, 1985–present | P, Broadcaster | 2025 | Red Ribbon |
| 44 | Jason Isringhausen | 2002–2008 | P | 2019 | Fan |
| 25 | Julián Javier | 1960–1971 | 2B | 2022 | Red Ribbon |
| — | Walt Jocketty | 1994–2007 | General Manager | 2025 | Team |
| 3 | George Kissell | 1940–1942, 1946–2008 | Coach, Instructor, Scout | 2015 | Team |
| 1, 5 | Whitey Kurowski | 1941–1949 | 3B | 2024 | Red Ribbon |
| 21, 23, 30, 32, 40 | Max Lanier | 1938–1946, 1949–1951 | P | 2023 | Red Ribbon |
| 12, 16 | Ray Lankford | 1990–2001, 2004 | CF | 2018 | Fan |
| 10 | Tony La Russa |
1996–2011 | Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 4 | Marty Marion | 1940–1951 | SS, Manager, Coach | 2014 | Red Ribbon |
| 1, 2, 10, 11, 28 | Pepper Martin | 1928, 1930–1940, 1944 | OF, 3B | 2017 | Red Ribbon |
| 9, 15, 20, 51 | Tim McCarver | 1959–1969, 1973–1974, 2014–2019 | C, Broadcaster | 2017 | Fan |
| 51 | Willie McGee | 1982–1990, 1996–1999, 2018–present | OF, Coach, Advisor | 2014 | Fan |
| 25 | Mark McGwire | 1997–2001, 2010–2012 | 1B, Coach | 2017 | Fan |
| 7, 12, 21, 28 | Joe Medwick |
1932–1940, 1947–1948 | LF | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 10 | Johnny Mize |
1936–1941 | 1B | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 2, 8, 11 | Terry Moore | 1935–1942, 1946–1952, 1956–1958 | CF, Coach | 2016 | Red Ribbon |
| 35 | Matt Morris | 1997–2005 | P | 2024 | Fan |
| 6 | Stan Musial |
1941–1944, 1946–1963, 1967 | OF, 1B, General Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 5, 11, 91 | José Oquendo | 1986–1995, 1997–2015, 2017–present | 2B, Coach | 2023 | Team |
| 3 | Édgar Rentería | 1999–2004 | SS | 2025 | Fan |
| — | Branch Rickey | 1919–1942 | Manager, General Manager, President | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 16, 27 | Scott Rolen | 2002–2007 | 3B | 2019 | Fan |
| 2, 6 | Red Schoendienst |
1945–1956, 1961–1976, 1979–1995 | 2B, Manager, Coach | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 18, 28 | Mike Shannon | 1962–1970, 1972–2021 | 3B, RF, Broadcaster | 2014 | Team |
| 23 | Ted Simmons |
1968–1980 | C | 2015 | Fan |
| 9 | Enos Slaughter |
1938–1942, 1946–1953 | RF | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 1 | Ozzie Smith |
1982–1999 | SS, Broadcaster | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 30, 60 | Billy Southworth |
1926–1927, 1929, 1940–1945 | RF, Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 42 | Bruce Sutter | 1981–1984 | P | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 9, 22 | Joe Torre | 1969–1974, 1990–1995 | 3B, 1B, Manager | 2016 | Fan |
| 30, 48 | John Tudor | 1985–1988, 1990 | P | 2020 | Fan |
| 7, 12, 26 | Bill White | 1959–1965, 1969 | 1B | 2020 | Red Ribbon |
David Freese declined his induction into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2023.
Retired Numbers
The Cardinals have retired 13 jersey numbers. This honors 15 former players and club staff. These numbers are displayed on the left field wall at Busch Stadium. Jackie Robinson's number 42 is honored by all MLB teams.
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Notes:
- Hornsby: When honored in 1997, '"SL"' was used instead of a number. He played mostly when uniforms did not have numbers.
- 42: Jackie Robinson's number 42 was retired across all of baseball in 1997. The Cardinals also retired 42 in September 2006 for Bruce Sutter.
- 85: Cardinals owners honored Busch with the number 85 on his 85th birthday in 1984.
Numbers Not Reissued
Some numbers are not officially retired but have not been used since the player left.
- 4: Yadier Molina's number has not been used since he retired in 2022.
- 5: Albert Pujols's number has not been used since he retired in 2022.
- 50: Adam Wainwright's number has not been used since he retired in 2023.
- 51: Willie McGee's number has not been used since late 2001. It was reissued when he became a coach.
Cardinals Records
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Minor League Teams
The St. Louis Cardinals have six minor league teams. These teams help develop new players.
| Class | Team | League | Location | Ballpark | Affiliated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple-A | Memphis Redbirds | International League | Memphis, Tennessee | AutoZone Park | 1998 |
| Double-A | Springfield Cardinals | Texas League | Springfield, Missouri | Hammons Field | 2005 |
| High-A | Peoria Chiefs | Midwest League | Peoria, Illinois | Dozer Park | 2013 |
| Single-A | Palm Beach Cardinals | Florida State League | Jupiter, Florida | Roger Dean Stadium | 2003 |
| Rookie | FCL Cardinals | Florida Complex League | 2007 | ||
| DSL Cardinals | Dominican Summer League | Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional | Las Américas Complex | 2022 |
Radio and Television
Radio Coverage
In St. Louis, Audacy-owned KMOX (1120 AM) broadcasts Cardinals games. It also sends the games to the rest of the Cardinals network. This is the second largest radio network in Major League Baseball. It has over 145 radio stations in many states.
Ricky Horton and John Rooney take turns as play-by-play announcers. Matt Pauley hosts the pre-game and post-game shows. KMOX's strong signal covers much of the continental United States at night. The Cardinals radio network once reached almost half of the country.
The Cardinals returned to KMOX in 2011. They had been on KTRS for five seasons. The Cardinals were unhappy with KTRS's weaker coverage.
Mike Shannon started reducing his work in 2013. As of 2016, he only called home games. In 2019, he became the longest-serving Cardinals broadcaster. He passed his long-time partner, Jack Buck. Shannon announced that 2021 would be his last season.
Polo Ascencio became the first Spanish play-by-play broadcaster in 2016. Bengie Molina was the first Spanish color analyst for home games on WIJR.
Television Coverage
Since 2000, Cardinals TV broadcasts have been among the top three in ratings in MLB every season. FanDuel Sports Midwest broadcasts all games in high-definition. They are the team's main TV broadcaster. Some games are on Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+, Saturday afternoon games on Fox, or Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. Other FanDuel Sports channels broadcast Cardinals games for fans in other areas. In 2016, Cardinals games averaged an 8.54 rating in St. Louis.
Starting in 2025, at least 10 games will also be shown on local TV stations owned by Gray Media. Matrix Midwest will be the main station for these games.
The TV commentators include Chip Caray, Brad Thompson, and Mark Sweeney. Jimmy "The Cat" Hayes is the dugout reporter. He also appears on Cardinals Live, a pre- and post-game show. Cardinals Live is hosted by Alexa Datt. Former Cardinals players Al Hrabosky and Rick Ankiel are also analysts.
Cardinals Kids is a show for younger fans. It airs weekly on Fox Sports Midwest during the season. It is hosted by former Cardinals pitcher Brad Thompson, Fredbird, and John "The U-Man" Ulett. The show started in 2003. It shares team news, player profiles, and team history in a kid-friendly way.
A weekly show called This Week in Cardinal Nation airs on St. Louis' NBC affiliate KSDK. Cardinals games were on KSDK from 1947 to 1958, 1963 to 1987, and 2007 to 2010. KPLR-TV also broadcast Cardinals games from 1959 to 1962 and 1988 to 2006.
Former Cardinals broadcasters include Jack Buck, Harry Caray, Bob Carpenter, Dizzy Dean, Jim Edmonds, Joe Garagiola, Dan McLaughlin, and Jay Randolph. Joe Buck, Jack Buck's son, was part of the Cardinals' broadcast team from 1991 to 2007.
See also
In Spanish: St. Louis Cardinals para niños
