The writer sports the cap of this year's champion team. Click to enlarge.
photo by Mrs. J
On Friday, October 27, 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals won their first World Series since 1982. During Game 5, the camera showed a Cardinal fan holding a sign that read, “Retaliate for ’68.” This was in reference to the last time that Detroit and St. Louis had met in the World Series in 1968, with Detroit winning the baseball classic.
The re-match of the Tigers and Cardinals brought back memories of how that I grew up as a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. My earliest memories of baseball are of Dizzy Dean, himself a star pitcher for the Redbirds in the 1930’s, calling the Game of the Week on television with his native Mississippi accent. The way that he pronounced “errors” made it sound like “arrows” to me, which made me think for a while that baseball must be a violent sport.
I was also a big fan of late-night AM radio. There’s something special about being able to hear radio broadcasts on the clear channel stations from distant cities. On many frequencies, baseball games can be heard. As a child, I happened to tune in to hear Harry Caray doing the Cardinals games on KMOX 1120-AM. For most of the 1960’s, I was a devoted fan of St. Louis as a result of hearing the games on my pocket transistor radio.
In 1964, the Cardinals advanced to the World Series as the National League’s representative. At that time, there were only ten teams in each league. With no divisions within the leagues, there were no playoffs. Thus, the World Series could begin in early instead of late October. I believe that this was the first World Series that I ever watched on television. The Cardinals defeated the New York Yankees, which at that time had Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, and Roger Maris in the lineup.
The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta for the 1966 season. I thought about switching my team allegiance. However, my aunt and uncle and cousins, who lived in Wisconsin, were very upset at the Braves for leaving. I recall that they influenced me to avoid the Braves and stay with the Cardinals, even though our family did make a few trips to Atlanta Stadium for games.
I remember that during the 1967 season, the classroom periodical “My Weekly Reader” had an article on some of the players on the St. Louis team. In my opinion, that roster featured one of the best-balanced lineups of any team that I’ve ever seen.
Lou Brock, who had been acquired during the 1964 season from the Cubs, provided outstanding speed as a leadoff hitter. Curt Flood made great catches in the outfield. Roger Maris had been brought over from the Yankees for veteran leadership. My favorite player was Orlando Cepeda, the power-hitting first baseman.
Few could get a hit off Bob Gibson. Even if he faltered, there was a stellar bullpen of Ron Willis and Joe Hoerner. Dal Maxvill and Julian Javier were slick-fielders in the middle infield, and Mike Shannon anchored third base. Tim McCarver, who broadcast the 2006 World Series, was the team’s catcher.
I followed the Cardinals’ individual statistics through the local sports pages. The Sunday paper always had the stats for each team and player. I particularly liked the sports column of Chattanooga News-Free Press writer Allan Morris. In his “Batting ‘em Out,” he kept baseball fans informed and amused.
St. Louis defeated Boston in the 1967 World Series. Ed Spezio, father of 2006 Cardinal Scott Spezio, got one at bat as a pinch-hitter. The Cardinals played their games in the new Busch Stadium II, which replaced Busch Stadium I (formerly Sportsman’s park). The stadium’s top level had many small arches which were inspired by the new Gateway Arch near the park.
The first World Series game to be played at night didn’t occur until the 1971 season. So, in the 1960’s, it was common for teachers to roll a black-and-white television into the class room so that we could watch the games. I was glad that it was considered part of “current events,” and that the teacher could wrap enough aluminum foil around the rabbit ears to get optimum picture quality.
The Cardinals repeated as National League champions in 1968, and moved on to face the Detroit Tigers. The Chattanooga News-Free Press reported on October 1, “Cardinals Choice to Win Both Opening Game, Series.” Detroit had actually won in one way over St. Louis by edging them out for best season attendance.
The Tigers lost 3 of the first four games to the Cards, and I was sure that my team would repeat as baseball’s champions. Allan Morris reported prior to the start of Game 5 that “The series could end today, but even if the Tigers prolong it, their chances are just about nil.”
It ain’t over ‘til it’s over, though, as the Detroit team came back to win the World Series. Dejected at the end of the ’68 season, and even more so when the Cardinals faltered in the new NL East division in 1969, I began to pay attention to the Atlanta Braves, who were making a run during the pennant race. The Braves had acquired Orlando Cepeda from the Cardinals, and won the West division in 1969 over the Giants and Reds.
Even though the Braves were easily swept by the New York Mets in the 1969 playoffs, the team had earned my following. I switched the radio over to WDXB, I believe, from KMOX, and listened to Milo Hamilton and Ernie Johnson calling Atlanta’s games. I’ve been a Braves’ fan ever since.
I did finally get to see a Cardinals game in St. Louis in 1998. We took a trip during spring break, first to Memphis and then north to the home of the Cardinals. A line of spring thunderstorms drenched us along I-55. Then, when we saw a day game at Busch Stadium the next day, we sat in freezing weather. Looking back on it, it probably wasn’t a good idea to visit any city during early spring if the city has signs marking the snow plow route!
If you are a Chattanooga-based St. Louis Cardinals fan, please send me an e-mail at jolleyh@bellsouth.net.
A re-creation of my 1998 wintry visit to St. Louis
photo by Mrs. J