Transactions
The Pittsburgh Pirates purchased Clyde Kluttz from the Cardinals in 1946.
The Cardinals, in 2005, signed Eduardo Sanchez as an amateur free agent.
Birthdays
Jim Clark 1887 – played center field for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1911 and 1912 and hit .158.
Doc Farrell 1901 -A well-traveled utility player, he played with six different teams in a span of nine years, with the Cardinals in 1930. Finished his career as a .260 hitter. One interesting note,he requested in his last will and testament that none of his grandchildren become fans of the Yankees organization due to issues with the team’s administration in his final year with the team.
Stu Miller 1927 – made his debut as a pitcher in a Cardinals uniform n April 23, 1952. He batted and threw right-handed. In a 16-season career, Miller posted a 105–103 record with a 3.24 earned run average, 1164 strikeouts, and 154 saves in 704 games pitched (93 as a starter).
Al Jackson 1935 -After three more seasons of sixteen or more losses with the Mets, including a second 8–20 campaign, Jackson was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ken Boyer. In 1966, his first year in St. Louis, Jackson had his best season in the majors. He was sixth in the National League in earned run average and ninth in complete games. Unfortunately for Jackson, he also lost fifteen games and, the next year, was used more as a relief pitcher. Those 15 losses gave him a five-year streak of at least 15 losses—the record since 1900 is six. Despite going 9–4 in 1967, he did not see action in the 1967 World Series. Still, as a member of the world champion Cardinals, he earned a World Series ring. After the 1967 season, Jackson was traded back to the Mets for pitcher Jack Lamabe and continued pitching out of the bullpen.
Ray Sadecki 1940 – His senior year, after the Cyclones went 18–0, and won the state baseball championship,[2] the “bonus baby” signed with the Cardinals while still only seventeen years old.[He compiled a 22–16 record, a 3.77 earned run average & 349 strikeouts over his first two seasons in the Cards’ farm system. After six appearances with the Rochester Red Wings in 1960, in which he compiled a 1.76 ERA, Sadecki received a call up to the majors at just nineteen years old. He allowed five runs (2 earned), while lasting just 22⁄3 innings in his major league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates to take the loss. His first career win was a shutout of the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, in which he scattered three hits while walking eight & striking out nine. Splitting his time between starts & relieving, he posted a 9–9 record, 3.78 ERA & 95 strikeouts over 1571⁄3 innings pitched to earn Cardinal Rookie of the Year honors.
He became a full-time starting pitcher in 1961, and led his team with 222.2 innings pitched & fourteen wins (tied with Larry Jackson). He also proved to be one of the better hitting pitchers in the National League. In 87 at bats, Sadecki had 22 hits for a .253 batting average, and drove in twelve runs. This early success did not carry over to 1962, however. After a contract holdout that had Sadecki enter Spring training late, he began the season in the bullpen, and earned his first career save against the expansion New York Mets on April 18. He was battered around by the Chicago Cubs in his first start four days later for his first loss of the season.[He won his next start against the Reds, even though it wasn’t an especially impressive performance (8 hits, 3 walks, 4 earned runs in 8+ innings. Exited in the 9th with the tying run on second. Lindy McDaniel came in for the save).Facing the Reds again a week later, Sadecki didn’t even make it out of the first inning, surrendering five runs (4 earned) in 2⁄3 of an inning. A similarly poor performance against the Reds on June 5 placed Sadecki square in the crosshairs of manager Johnny Keane. He pitched well over the rest of June (3-1 record, all 3 wins were complete games), but the wheels came off in July (1-4, 6.94 ERA), and Sadecki was optioned to the International League’s Atlanta Crackers for the remainder of the season. He pitched well for the Crackers, going 7–1 with a 2.55 ERA in nine games. That performance, and a strong Spring earned Sadecki the number five slot in the Cards’ rotation for 1963. He got off to a poor start (0-4, 6.80 ERA. The Cardinals were also 0–3 in his no-decisions), however, Keane stuck with him, and Sadecki reversed course. He won his next four starts, earning a save in between, and ending the season with an even 10–10 record. Still only 23 years old at the start of the 1964 season, Sadecki’s name came up several times during the off season in trade rumors. Prior to Ernie Broglio being included in the trade that brought Lou Brock to the Cardinals.
Dave Rader 1948 -In 1974 and 1975 he averaged .291 each season.In October 1976, Rader was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals where he served as a reserve catcher working behind Ted Simmons during the 1977 season. After one year with the Cardinals, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in December 1977.
Ozzie Smith 1954 -Nicknamed “the Wizard of Oz”, Smith played shortstop for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball, winning the National League Gold Glove Award for defensive play at shortstop for 13 consecutive seasons. A 15-time All-Star, Smith accumulated 2,460 hits and 580 stolen bases during his career, and won the National League Silver Slugger Award as the best hitter at shortstop in 1987. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2002. He was also elected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2014.. Smith won his first Gold Glove Award in 1980 and made his first All-Star Game appearance in 1981.
When Ozzie clashed with the Padres’ owners, Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog flew to San Diego to persuade the shortstop that he would be an appreciated and core component of the St. Louis team. Herzog’s overture worked; Smith waived his contract’s “no trade” clause and was traded to the Cardinals for shortstop Garry Templeton in 1982.
Upon joining the Cardinals, Smith helped the team win the 1982 World Series. Three years later, his game-winning home run during Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series prompted broadcaster Jack Buck’s “Go crazy, folks!” play-by-play call. Despite a rotator cuff injury during the 1985 season, Smith posted career highs in multiple offensive categories in 1987. Smith continued to earn Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances annually until 1993. During the 1995 season, Smith had shoulder surgery and was out nearly three months. After tension with his new manager Tony La Russa developed in 1996, Smith retired at season’s end, and his uniform number (No. 1) was subsequently retired by the Cardinals. Smith served as host of the television show This Week in Baseball from 1997 to 1998.
Deaths
- George Kopshaw 1934
- Les Bell 1985