August 20 in Cardinals History

 

1900– Louie Heilbroner takes over as manager with no experience. – Patsy Tebeau resigns as Cardinals manager. Owner wants John McGraw to be player /manager but he refuses. Louie Heilbroner, 4’9″ director of concessions for the team, is told it is his new job. He does the job but all the decsions are made by McGraw. He ends with a 23-25 record.

Pepper Martin (1939) has three hits and Johnny Mize smacks two home runs in a doubleheader sweep of the Reds to improve their pennant chances.

The  Cardinals purchased Al Gettel from Oakland in 1955

1959– The Kansas City Athletics selected Ray Jablonski off waivers from the Cardinals.

1997– The Cardinals released Erik Hiljus.

1998–  At Shea Stadium, Cardinal first baseman Mark McGwire becomes the first player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in three consecutive seasons.

2016- #1 Cardinals prospect, Alex Reyes, picked up his first major league save in the 11th inning against the Phillies. Jedd Gyorko tied it in the 9th with a two-run one out blast.

Birthdays

  • Frank Bonner 1896
  • Gene Woodburn 1886
  • Bill Crouch 1907
  • Larry Miggins 1925
  • Fred Norman  1942
  • Tom Brunansky 1960
  • Andy Benes 1967
  • Josh Pearce 1977

 

Debuts

  • Howie Pollet 1941
  • Harvey Haddix 1952
  • Todd Worrell 1985
  • Britt Reames 2000

Deaths

  • Ed Zmich 1950
  • Von McDaniel 1995

Tracking Musial’s Home Runs

  • In 1942, he hit his 9th career home run while facing Dutch Dietz of the Pirates.
  • #32 came in 1945 with a 2-run homer facing Brooklyn.
  • In 1957, he hit two home runs with the first one as a solo homer for career 379 against the Reds in the first inning.
  • The second came in the 5th inning as a 2-run homer for career #380 of his career.

Bob Gibson’s Complete Games

In 1965 he pitched complete game #77 wutg a 8-1 win over the Mets with 9IP/3H/1ER/1BB/11K.