Authoritative, in-depth coverage has been the hallmark of Cardinals Magazine since its debut on Opening Day in 1992. As we salute four decades of coverage, you can enjoy a peek at prescient moments that celebrate the modern history of Cardinals' baseball.
Just two years ago, Oliver Marmol had taken his place as manager Mike Shildt's right-hand man. He was the youngest bench coach in the majors and one of the 10 youngest coaches overall. Considering how far he'd already come at age 33, Marmol was viewed as a baseball man "without limits."
Bob Gibson striking out 17 Tigers. Lou Brock stealing 104 and 105.Tom Herr smacking a game-winning grand slam on seat cushion night. Jim Edmonds homering to send the '04 NLCS to Game 7. Most of the revered moments in the 40-year history of Busch Stadium II happened in front of Red Schoendienst and Mike Shannon, who spent significant portions of their careers - on the field, in the dugout or behind a microphone- at the beloved former home of the Redbirds. On the 10th anniversary of the final season at the old ballpark, Red and Mike shared their Top 5 Busch memories with Cardinals Magazine.
He was beloved by Cardinal Nation for his "One Tough Dominican" persona and colorful catchphrases ("There is one word in America that says it all ... youneverknow.") But Joaquin Andujar was much more than an animated presence during five seasons in St. Louis. He was a winner, recording three postseason victories for the 1982 Cardinals, including clinchers in the NLCS and World Series, followed by 20- and 21-win campaigns in 1984 and '85. In remembrance of the hard-throwing righthander, Cardinals Magazine throws it back a dozen years, when Andujar stopped by Busch Stadium for an exclusive visit with Cardinals Magazine.
Upon receiving two standing ovations in his first at-bat (a strikeout!) as a Cardinal, Larry Walker knew he'd made the right choice. Having waived his no-trade clause and agreed to a move from Colorado to St. Louis in August 2004, the former NL MVP asserted himself as a long-ball force for a juggernaut club already featuring the MV3 of Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen. Standing O's became the norm for the three-time batting champ, who bashed two grand slams during a mid-August homestand and ultimately contributed 11 homers in 44 games for a team that roared to 105 wins in the regular season. Once in the postseason, Walker never let up: his six home runs tied a franchise postseason mark as the Cardinals ended a 16-year absence from World Series play.
It was a moment that drew immediate comparisons to Roy Hobbs in "The Natural," but for the 42,848 fans at Busch Stadium eight years ago this week, it was something so magical that not even Hollywood could have done it justice. Three years after he'd last appeared for the Cardinals as a struggling reliever, fan favorite Rick Ankiel punctuated his return to the big leagues as an outfielder with a three-run homer in the seventh inning, capped by one of the most electrifying curtain calls in club history. "Short of winning the World Series, that's the happiest I've seen our team," manager Tony La Russa remarked afterward. Cardinals Magazine encapsulates the voyage of the player who re-launched his career with one of the most inspiring comebacks ever.
With slugger Mark McGwire ailing with an injured knee, the Cardinals sought a first baseman with a potent bat before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The answer: Will Clark, the face of the villainous Giants who lost to the Cardinals in the '87 NLCS. Cardinals Magazine looks back at the initial moxie and muscle provided by the 15-year veteran who arrived from Baltimore and earned co-N.L. Player of the Week honors in his first week. In 51 games, "The Thrill" hit .345 with 12 homers and 42 RBI, helping the Cardinals cruise to the N.L. Central title and advance to the NLCS before losing to the Mets. Clark retired after the season, leaving a positive impression among Redbird fans who once lustily rooted against him.
With the "Home Run Derby" marking its 30th anniversary at this year's All-Star festivities in Cincinnati, Cardinals Magazine turns back the calendar to highlight the long-ball exhibition's lone appearance in St. Louis, at the 2009 Midsummer Classic. Headlined by Albert Pujols - who was leading the majors with 32 homers at the break - the derby field featured several sluggers who are still clearing fences today, including Nelson Cruz (the majors' 2014 leader), Adrian Gonzalez, Price Fielder and St. Louisan Ryan Howard. While Pujols advanced to the semifinals, it was Fielder who took his first-ever derby title, slamming 23 homers overall - including the four longest of the night.
In the first season under Bill DeWitt's ownership group and Tony La Russa's dugout leadership, the Cardinals ended an eight-year drought between postseason appearances. Led by an infusion of free agents like Gary Gaetti, Ron Gant and Todd Stottlemyre and franchise icons Willie McGee and Ozzie Smith, the Redbirds clinched their first NL Central title and embarked on a memorable playoff run featuring an NLDS sweep of the Padres and a seven-game battle with the Braves in the NLCS. Cardinals Magazine was there to capture the game-by-game highs and lows of an unforgettable October that reignited a franchise to an unprecedented period of postseason glory.
