Benjamin Hochman - The Big 50: St. Louis Cardinals: The Men and Moments that Made the St. Louis Cardinals

To Angela, Dad, Mom, Emily, and Peggy.

Contents

Foreword by Tony La Russa

In The Big 50: St. Louis Cardinals , Benjamin Hochman explains the special history of the St. Louis Cardinals through 50 selected story lines that honor, inform, and entertain. His creativity and writing talents come together to make a great read.

I appreciate this opportunity to offer some insights as to why and how the stories described in the chapters became part of the Cardinals history. These insights are based on years of admiring the Cardinals as a player, an American League manager, and as a teammate.

Although my comments about the organization are totally positive, they are in no way meant to imply the Cardinals exclusively own these positive attributes. Too often when someone or something is praised, it comes off as a negative compared to others. Each of Major League Baseballs 30 organizations has its own story to tell about its unique and distinctive features.

When I joined the Cardinals in 1996, right away I was challenged to understand and commit to focusing on their priorities. My first mentors were Jack Buck and Mike Shannon. Jack had a unique teaching point. Over the years I realized that was an example of his brilliance. He explained Cardinals greatness was an equation where by definition both sides had equal weight.

One side of the equation was the Cardinals fans. He acknowledged that many teams had passionate fans, but only ours would support their team win or lose, while other fans support was limited to win or tie. In addition to Jacks sharp description of St. Louis fans, I had attended the World Series in 1982, 85, and 87 and was impressed by their joy and sense of fair play. Over the years, I totally understood how much the fans significantly impacted how hard the team played every day of every season.

Mike was in charge of the other side of the equationthe competitive side. He and I had dinner early on in 1996. Some of the priorities he stressed were: make it all about team (teammates and teamwork), compete with maximum effort to win, concentrate on execution, and be good and tough enough.

The players felt these priorities were beyond talking points and that they defined how they played. They could not get away from these messages and did not want to. The history was powerful and all around them. For example, the Hall of Famers and other Cardinals players were encouraging and were expecting them to carry the torch.

The way the equation came together was classic. One side led by the fans, history, and veteran players made sure that the current team was mentally geared to compete. Then the other sides focus on playing hard and playing the game the right way provided their map to competing. As a result, the expectations and responsibility provided a healthy, positive edge.

From my perspective, this equation is a part of every chapter in this book. Its a term that is helpful to understand how it all comes together. And you will appreciate the real historical significance of this amazing franchise by concentrating on how each chapter contributes to the whole.

I was hooked as soon as I read the table of contents. Right away, each player and situation triggered wonderful memories. I couldnt wait to enjoy reading the stories told in those chapters and Im sure youll enjoy it, too.

Tony La Russa

Cardinals manager, 19962011

Authors Note

I wanted to write a book Id want to read. And I wanted to do something freshfun essays that capture everything that encompasses the Cardinals from the tradition to the quirks and from the classic moments to the moments and men who became cult classics.

And so this isnt as much of a book as it is a love letter. Its an homage to the city of St. Louis, to the fans of its baseball team, to everyone and everything that makes St. Louis a rich and rarefied baseball community. The book spans Willie to Whitey, Here Comes The King to The Heat Is On, 1.12 to 1120, No. 5 to Channel 5, Tom Lawless bat flip to toasted ravioli, and Dmitri Youngs triple to David Freeses triple.

And I took a new take on old topics, such as a circus experts analysis of the acrobatic Ozzie Smith or looking at Stan Musials love affair with St. Louis restaurantsand how that defined The Mans relationship with St. Louis.

As I researched the book, I naturally interviewed the famous names, but I also talked to those who are pieces of the Cardinals quilt, including the Busch Stadium organist, the teams official scorer, and That One Guy. I interviewed famous fans like Jenna Fischer, Jon Hamm, and Christopher Jackson, the original George Washington in Hamilton . And I interviewed everyday fans whose stories are relatable and remarkable.

I poured my heart into each chapter. I hope you enjoy them all!

1. The 2011 World Series

The Knights of the Cauliflower Ear invited the Cardinals over for dinner. It was August 24, 2011, and the Cardinals stunk. But the group of esteemed St. Louisans were still honored to honor St. Louis team. So after yet another loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cards arrived at the big banquet. The Knights of the Cauliflower Ear were founded in 1935, and the most famous guest to ever attend the dinner was Harry Truman, who also was known for a surprising upset.

That night in 11, the Cards were 10 games back of the wild-card, 10 back of the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers and their trash-tweeting outfielder Nyjer Morgan. In front of the Knights, an almost apologetic general manager John Mozeliak spoke, and then emcee Tom Ackerman interviewed Adam Wainwright, the injured pitcher and sports tallest cheerleader. Right now, its not easy for anyone because were not winning. This city deserves us to win, and we want to win, Waino said. The way I look at it, we play the Brewers six more times. Yeah, were down 10 games now. But if we beat them all six times, were down four games. I dont think anybody in their right mind would be comfortable ahead of us, only up four games. So weve got a great chance because no one expects us to come back and win. We have a greater chance to do it because nobody is expecting it. Weve proven it before that we can surprise people and we have the people that can do it!

I lived in Denver at the time. I was born in St. Louis on May 5, 1980 and was 17 hours old when I heard my first Cardinals game. Nestled in my fathers arms in a room at St. Johns Hospital, I dozed to the soothing lullaby of Jack Bucks play-by-play.

The first question any St. Louisan ever asks is: Whered ya go to high school? Well, I went to Clayton High School and then studied journalism at the University of Missouri. In 2011 I was at The Denver Post . And as the Cards backdoored into the playoffs on the final night of the season, I was higher than anyone in town, and thats saying something.

The Cards won the National League Division Series in the epic Carpenter-Halladay gamesomething like an old Bob Gibson-Ferguson Jenkins duel, and on my wall is a framed copy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch with Chris Carpenter engulfed by a hugging Yadi Molina. The headline reads: PHILLIE-BUSTER.

That set up the delicious series against Milwaukee. The last time the two met in the postseason, St. Louis defeated Milwaukee in the 82 World Series. I was soon convinced it would happen again. See, as I got to the airport, heading home for the Cardinals-Brewers postseason rematch, I realized I was on American Airlines Flight 1982.

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