The Curse of the Black Cat: The St. Louis Cardinals Collapse After 1944

[Ace Venom]

The Curse of the Black Cat
The St. Louis Cardinals collapse after 1944

The St. Louis Browns may be the baseball darlings of St. Louis, but that was not always the case. The St. Louis Cardinals have eight National League Pennants, four American Association Pennants and four World Series titles. The last World Series title won by the Cardinals, however, was in 1942. During World War II, the Cardinals were one of the most dominant teams in the country, winning pennants in 1942, 1943 and 1944. Their last pennant in 1944 also led to the only all St. Louis World Series and their last appearance in the fall classic.

The St. Louis Browns had a Cinderella season in 1944, clinching their first American League Pennant. For fans of the Browns, the World Series was for bragging rights in the city. Both teams shared the same stadium at Sportsman’s Park, but the Browns were the eternal underdogs in the city. The Cardinals were the darlings of the city, having been founded in 1882 as the St. Louis Brown Stockings, as opposed to the Browns, founded in 1901 as the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Browns took game one of the World Series 2-1. The Cardinals forced extra innings in game two, finally winning 3-2 in 11 innings. The Browns stormed past the Cardinals in game three, beating them 6-2. The Cardinals got off to a good start in the first inning of game four, scoring two runs. Cardinals pitcher Harry Brecheen took the mound in the bottom of the first and a black cat wandered onto the playing field from the dugout, rubbing against Brecheen as he made his approach to the mound. The Browns followed game three with an explosive 8-2 victory in game four. The Browns won their first World Series title in game five when they beat the Cardinals in a 4-0 shutout victory.

The Cardinals played competitively in 1945, but finished second in the National League to the rival Chicago Cubs. The Cubs lost the 1945 World Series to the Detroit Tigers, marking the beginning of a nineteen-year pennant drought for the North Siders. The Cardinals finished tied with the Brooklyn Dodgers at the top of the National League standings in 1946, prompting a best of three playoff series to decide the pennant. The Dodgers won the first two games, sending the Cardinals home early. The Dodgers went on to win their first World Series title against the Boston Red Sox.

The Dodgers won the pennant again in 1947 and the Cardinals finished second. The Yankees beat them in the all New York World Series. The Cardinals again finished second in the National League in 1948, but it was the Boston Braves who beat them for the pennant. The Cleveland Indians won the fall classic in 1948. After finishing second in the National League once again in 1949, the Cardinals stopped being a contender in 1950 when they began a string of fifteen consecutive losing seasons.

1950’s

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Browns emerged from the doldrums in the 1952 season, finishing second in the American League standings. The Browns continued to be contenders throughout the 1950s. Anheuser-Busch purchased the Cardinals in 1953. Though the company attempted to get control of Sportsman’s Park, they were unable to do so. The Cardinals thus would be leaving Sportsman’s Park for Busch Stadium in the 1959 season.

The Browns returned to the World Series in 1959 and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to clinch their second World Series title. The 1959 World Series marked the first time World Series games were played in California. The successful decade had by the Browns made them more popular than ever in St. Louis as the Cardinals suffered in attendance. Sportsman’s Park underwent a major renovation after the 1959 season to increase the seating capacity.

Many baseball teams began moving from their original cities in the 1950’s. The Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee after the 1952 season. The Philadelphia Athletics relocated to New Orleans after the 1954 season (the AL would not permit them to relocate to Kansas City as in OTL because of the presence of the Browns in St. Louis). The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants left the Big Apple for Los Angeles and San Francisco after the 1957 season. The Washington Senators relocated to Bloomington, Minnesota after the 1960 season to become the Minnesota Twins.

1960’s

The Browns were outplayed by the Yankees in 1960 and were denied their second consecutive pennant. The Cardinals, however, continued to play at the bottom of the division due to bad management and bad trades. In a period from 1961 to 1963, the Cardinals went through six managers. The Cardinals were competitive through the first part of the 1964 season and had a chance to trade pitcher Ernie Broglio to the Cubs for outfielder Lou Brock. The trade never took place and the Cardinals floundered as the Cubs found new life, winning their first pennant since 1945. The Cubs were once again on the receiving end of a World Series defeat when the Yankees beat them in six games.

Cardinal fans watched on bitterly as the Browns won the 1966 World Series. Due to their floundering in the 1950s, the Browns were becoming the top draw in St. Louis. Interest in the Cardinals revived as they made another run for the pennant in 1967. However, the Cardinals dropped off in September and the Giants and Cubs surged forward. The Cardinals finished third in the division.

1969 saw the beginning of the four division era in baseball. The Cardinals played in the National League East, the same division as rival Chicago Cubs. The Browns were moved into the American League West, the same division as rival Chicago White Sox. Unlike in 1968, the Cardinals were not contenders in 1969. The Browns took the American League West and beat the Detroit Tigers in the first American League Championship Series to claim their third pennant in a decade. The Browns, however, lost to the New York Mets in the World Series.

The 1960’s saw Babe Ruth’s single season home run record shattered by Roger Maris in 1961 as well as more relocations and expansion. The Braves left Milwaukee for Atlanta after the 1965 season. The Athletics departed New Orleans after the 1967 season, creating a fury in the state of Louisiana that led to the creation of the New Orleans Pelicans in 1969.

A new Washington Senators (AL) team was enfranchised for the 1961 season, the same year the Los Angeles Angels (AL), renamed the California Angeles in 1965, were enfranchised. The Houston Colt .45’s (NL), renamed the Astros in 1965, and New York Mets (NL) were enfranchised in 1962. In the dawn of the four divisional era in 1969, the New Orleans Pelicans (AL), Seattle Pilots (AL), Montreal Expos (NL) and San Diego Padres (NL) were enfranchised.

World Series winners and losers since 1944
Winner (LG) vs. Loser (LG)
1944: St. Louis Browns (AL) defeat St. Louis Cardinals (NL) (4-2)
1945: Detroit Tigers (AL) defeat Chicago Cubs (NL) (4-3)
1946: Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) defeat Boston Red Sox (AL) (4-3)
1947: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) (4-3)
1948: Cleveland Indians (AL) defeat Boston Braves (NL) (4-2)
1949: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) (4-1)
1950: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (4-0)
1951: New York Yankees (AL) defeat New York Giants (NL) (4-2)
1952: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) (4-3)
1953: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) (4-2)
1954: New York Giants (NL) defeat Cleveland Indians (AL) (4-0)
1955: Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) defeat New York Yankees (AL) (4-3)
1956: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) (4-3)
1957: Milwaukee Braves (NL) defeat New York Yankees (AL) (4-3)
1958: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Milwaukee Braves (NL) (4-3)
1959: St. Louis Browns (AL) defeat Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) (4-2)
1960: Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) defeat New York Yankees (AL) (4-3)
1961: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Cincinnati Reds (NL) (4-1)
1962: New York Yankees (AL) defeat San Francisco Giants (NL) (4-3)
1963: Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) defeat New York Yankees (AL) (4-0)
1964: New York Yankees (AL) defeat Chicago Cubs (NL) (4-1)
1965: Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) defeat Minnesota Twins (AL) (4-3)
1966: St. Louis Browns (AL) defeat Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) (4-0)
1967: San Francisco Giants (NL) defeat Boston Red Sox (AL) (4-3)
1968: Detroit Tigers (AL) defeat San Francisco Giants (NL) (4-1)
1969: New York Mets (NL) defeat St. Louis Browns (AL) (4-3)

Up next: 1970's and 1980's

 

[DTF955Baseballfan]

Good start - a couple things (or 3):

You forgot Baltimore as home for the Athletics - although if they keep pushing to keep in the International League, it can happen. Let's say the IL is given the same status as the PCL, a AAAA league that's almost major league caliber. Otherwise, I think they get the Athletics. (Then again, the A's could also just go to Baltimore then leagve it for Oakland. Or, have their history in Baltimrore instead of Oakland; though Charlie Finley, if he buys the Baltimore Athletics, might try to move them anyway.)

The Browns brought up the first black player to hit a home run in the A.L. (Willard Brown, who slumped becuase of treatment from others, partly); let's say that butterflies from that Series cause them to become more serious about hiring black players and the atmosphere makes the players and fans more supportive of Brown, thanks to Bill Veeck, who now sees them as more vialbe and doesn't try to "chase the Cardinals out of town" with crazy stunts. Instead, he brings in some quality black and Latin stars, so its they who have Aparicio and Minoso, for instance, through the 1950s.

Another thing I thought of as I was writing this; they're in a position to have a similar history to Baltimore after Bill Veeck sells due to health in 1960 or so. So, yes, I think the Baltimore greats like Boog Powell could be there by '64, and Frank Robinson acquired in '66.

One other thing I thought of - if the Cubs have Lou Brock, why isn't it them in '69? Hmmm, I guess he wouldn't make up 8 games, though; he's not Bab4e Ruth. Still, you could note that the Cubs come closer, and instead of a Cubs choke, it's much easier seen as a Mets streak; say 99 Mets wins to 97 for the Cubs. (One less Met win versus the Cubs)

Okay, 5...the city can't support two teams forever. St. Louis is pretty small; might the Cardinals move to Kansas City?

 

[Ace Venom]

Good start - a couple things (or 3):

You forgot Baltimore as home for the Athletics - although if they keep pushing to keep in the International League, it can happen. Let's say the IL is given the same status as the PCL, a AAAA league that's almost major league caliber. Otherwise, I think they get the Athletics. (Then again, the A's could also just go to Baltimore then leagve it for Oakland. Or, have their history in Baltimrore instead of Oakland; though Charlie Finley, if he buys the Baltimore Athletics, might try to move them anyway.)

Those are really good points. I never thought about the Baltimore angle, though it may come into play later when the new Senators leave Washington for Texas and open the Baltimore market. I decided to go with New Orleans even though it isn't a baseball city. They did have a park where baseball could be played, but it would need to be seriously expanded to fit a major league team.

I should add some stuff about some corruption in LA politics bringing the Athletics there and eventually getting their own MLB franchise after the A's move to Oakland. It's not as if New Orleans was incapable of supporting an MLB franchise, but the city never actively campaigned for one. Instead, they got an NFL franchise in the 60's.

The Browns brought up the first black player to hit a home run in the A.L. (Willard Brown, who slumped becuase of treatment from others, partly); let's say that butterflies from that Series cause them to become more serious about hiring black players and the atmosphere makes the players and fans more supportive of Brown, thanks to Bill Veeck, who now sees them as more vialbe and doesn't try to "chase the Cardinals out of town" with crazy stunts. Instead, he brings in some quality black and Latin stars, so its they who have Aparicio and Minoso, for instance, through the 1950s.

That's a good point. I glossed over the 1950's, but this could be a huge angle to write into the story. I have them competitive in the 1950's with no explanation. This is the big one.

Another thing I thought of as I was writing this; they're in a position to have a similar history to Baltimore after Bill Veeck sells due to health in 1960 or so. So, yes, I think the Baltimore greats like Boog Powell could be there by '64, and Frank Robinson acquired in '66.

That's something I've been working into the story for the 1960's and 1970's. I have a rough outline of the whole thing written.

One other thing I thought of - if the Cubs have Lou Brock, why isn't it them in '69? Hmmm, I guess he wouldn't make up 8 games, though; he's not Bab4e Ruth. Still, you could note that the Cubs come closer, and instead of a Cubs choke, it's much easier seen as a Mets streak; say 99 Mets wins to 97 for the Cubs. (One less Met win versus the Cubs)

That's true. Lou Brock isn't Babe Ruth. I'm going by something Ferguson Jenkins said in an interview about the 1969 season. The Cubs bullpen was older in 1969 and the Mets benefited from a younger staff. Nothing was really going to change that advantage for the Mets, but the Cubs could easily finish behind the Mets and not make it look like a choke. I do have the Cubs winning the pennant in '64, so it's not like the city is starving at this point.

Okay, 5...the city can't support two teams forever. St. Louis is pretty small; might the Cardinals move to Kansas City?

I didn't really take that into account when writing the timeline, but it can be done if the city of St. Louis becomes a baseball town only. Instead of moving to St. Louis from Chicago, the Cardinals football team would probably go somewhere else. Maybe Indianapolis gets a franchise early and you have a Colts stay in Baltimore butterfly? That's beyond the scope of this timeline, but it's obvious that I have some tweaking to do.

 

[OAM47]

The Cardinals are my team And I'm not sure but you have the Cubs doing better?!? AHHHHHH

(I'm not really mad, just ranting)

 

[Phenabob]

westward expansion

I could see the Brownies building a new "Sportsman's Park" (perhaps a McDonnell-Douglas Stadium) out in St. Louis County to take advantage of the Booming population there.

 

[Ace Venom]

Some corrections to the original post:

1940's
In 1947, following on the example of Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who broke the color barrier in baseball earlier in the season, the Browns took in Negro League star Willard Brown. Brown overcame racism and became one of the star players on the team.

1950's
-The St. Louis Browns owe their strength to minority players like Latin stars Luis Aparicio and Minnie Minoso along with long-time black star Willard Brown.

1960's
-The Chicago White Sox end up playing in the AL East instead of the AL West.

Division alignments:

American League East

Boston Red Sox
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
New York Yankees
Washington Senators

American League West

California Angels
Minnesota Twins
New Orleans Pelicans
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Pilots
St. Louis Browns

National League East

Chicago Cubs
Montreal Expos
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals

National League West
Atlanta Braves
Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants

And now for the timeline proper.

1970’s

The Browns repeated as American League champions in 1970, culminating in a 1970 World Series victory against the Cincinnati Reds. The Browns won the pennant again in 1971, but failed to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. The Browns failed to win their fourth consecutive division title after finishing third in the AL West in 1972. The Cardinals were not contenders, finishing fourth in the NL East in 1972.

Led by AL Cy Young winner Jim Palmer, the Browns beat out the Oakland Athletics in 1973 for the AL West and defeated the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS to win the pennant. The Cardinals finished second to NL pennant winner New York Mets. In a rematch of the 1969 World Series, the Browns defeated the Mets in seven games. The Browns won the AL West again in 1974 as the Cardinals bitterly watched from second place in the NL East. The Browns lost the 1974 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jim Palmer won his second Cy Young Award in 1975, but the Browns failed to win the AL West and sat out as the Oakland Athletics lost to the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS and the Cincinnati Reds won the World Series. The 1976 MLB All-Star Game was held at the recently completed Louisiana Superdome, new home of the New Orleans Pelicans. Jim Palmer won another Cy Young Award in 1976, but failed to win the division. The New Orleans Pelicans, with their young star George Brett, shut them out of the postseason.

The Browns failed another division title in 1977 and the Cardinals finished third in the NL East, again out of contention. The Browns finished the 1978 regular season two games behind the Pelicans and were unable to advance into the playoffs. The Cardinals finished fifth in the NL East with a losing record in 1978. The Browns finally overcame their division rivals in 1979 and won the pennant, though they found defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. The Cardinals posted a winning record, but finished third in the division.

The 1970’s saw little upheaval in MLB. The Seattle Pilots left Seattle after the 1969 season to become the Milwaukee Brewers. The Washington Senators moved to Arlington, Texas after the 1971 season to become the Texas Rangers. Two new teams were enfranchised in 1977: the Seattle Mariners (AL) and Toronto Blue Jays (AL). The Senators (Rangers) and Pilots (Brewers) traded places as they moved into the different AL divisions

1980’s

The Browns failed to beat the Pirates in the World Series. The Browns were once again eclipsed by George Brett and the New Orleans Pelicans as they were denied the division title. The Phillies won their first World Series title in 1980 after beating the Pelicans. The Cardinals losing ways continued in 1980. An announcement was made before the end of the 1978 season that the Browns would be vacating the aging Sportsman’s Park for a new stadium outside of St. Louis at the end of the 1982 season. There had been talk that the Browns might move to Baltimore, but they ultimately stayed and put the Cardinals on the bubble as possibly moving.

The strike split 1981 season saw the Browns miss the postseason again, but it was also the centennial of Sportsman’s Park. The Cardinals were also on the outside looking in when they finished a half game behind the Montreal Expos in the second half of the season. For the Montreal Expos, it was their opportunity to find their place under the sun after becoming the first Canadian team to win a World Series title.

1982 saw the Browns and Cardinals in the postseason for the first time since 1944 and buzz of a second Streetcar Series stormed the St. Louis media. The Browns lost to the Milwaukee Brewers in four games. The Cardinals saw themselves two games up over the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS before the series returned to Atlanta and the Braves won three straight games to deny the Cardinals their first pennant since 1944. The Brewers defeated the Braves in five games to claim their only World Series title in franchise history.

The positive to the Cardinals playoff appearance is that Anheuser-Busch decided to retain ownership of the Cardinals. Marketing in southern Illinois had divided that state between Cardinals and Cubs fans, giving them a wide fan base to draw from.

After the 1982 season, a St. Louis sports writer wrote The Curse of the Black Cat, an alleged curse which explained the Cardinals misfortunes were due to the presence of the black cat in game four of the 1944 World Series. The Browns moved into Browns Stadium after the 1982 season and played another successful season in 1983, winning the pennant. They became World Series champions by beating the Phillies. The Cardinals had a losing season, finishing fourth in the NL East.

The Browns fell out of contention in 1984, sitting out of the postseason with the Cardinals. The Cardinals were forced to watch as the Chicago Cubs, led in the second half by Cy Young winner Rick Sutcliffe, MVP Ryne Sandberg and Gold Glove shortstop Ozzie Smith (the Cardinals having missed the chance to trade for him in 1981), won the division in 1984 and won the pennant in dramatic fashion, with Ozzie Smith hitting a home run against Padres closer Goose Gossage in the top of the ninth in game five of the NLCS, a feat which earned him MVP honors of the NLCS, and Lee Smith struck out the side in the bottom of the 9th. The Padres had the chance to take a commanding lead against the Cubs, but Sutcliffe escaped danger by striking out Tony Gwynn and forcing Lee Harvey to ground out to first, leaving two runners on base in the bottom of the 7th inning after Leon Durham permitted Carmelo Martinez to score a run on an error. The Cubs defeated the Tigers in a rematch of the 1945 World Series to claim their first World Series title since 1908.

Buzz surrounded the Cardinals in the 1985 season after they won the NL East and faced the Dodgers in the NLCS. Cardinal fans were heartbroken once again when the Dodgers won the first best of seven NLCS in seven games. The Browns did not reach the postseason as the Pelicans seemed poised on a season of destiny. The 1985 World Series went to the Pelicans as they defeated the Dodgers for their first World Series title.

The Browns finished fifth in the AL West and the Cardinals third in the NL East in 1986. The 1986 World Series was marked by another alleged curse because the Red Sox failed to win yet another World Series, this time against the New York Mets. The Browns sat out of the postseason again in 1987, but the Cardinals took the NL East. The Cardinals faced heartbreak again when they lost to the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS. The Browns finished with one of their worst seasons in decades in 1988, winning only 54 games and finishing dead last in the AL West. The Cardinals posted a second-to-last finish in the NL East to the Chicago Cubs.

The Browns failed to make the postseason again in 1989, but so did the Cardinals. Rival to the Cardinals, the Cubs featured one of the most feared infields in the National League with Ozzie Smith at shortstop, Ryne Sandberg at second base and Mark Grace at first base and a pitching staff that included young ace Greg Maddux. The Cardinals watched once again as the Cubs advanced through the playoffs against the San Francisco Giants to their second pennant of the decade. The Cubs dropped the first two games in Oakland, but held on for a solid performance at Wrigley Field to win three games in a row. Due to the Loma Prieta Earthquake, the World Series was delayed for a few days until it could be resumed in Oakland. The Cubs defeated the Athletics in game six to clinch their second World Series title of the decade.

The 1980’s proved to be one of the most stable periods in Major League Baseball since the 1940’s, but it was also a decade that saw one of its unbreakable records broken. Pete Rose shattered Ty Cobb’s career hits record in 1985, four years before he would be banned for life from the sport. Jose Canseco of the Oakland Athletics became the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in one season. Mark McGwire of the Oakland Athletics broke the home run record for rookies by hitting 49 home runs in 1987. George Brett of the New Orleans Pelicans flirted with a .400 batting average for most of the 1980 season before finishing the season with a .390 batting average.

Astros pitcher Nolan Ryan broke Walter Johnson’s all-time strikeout in a race with Phillies’ pitcher Steve Carlton and he also broke Sandy Koufax’s career no-hitter record by pitching his fifth no-hitter in 1981. Both pitchers traded places on the all-time strikeout list in a period of 1982-1984 before Ryan took the lead and continued to reach new plateaus. Ryan reached 4,000 strikeouts in 1985 with the Astros and 5,000 strikeouts in 1989 while playing for the Texas Rangers. Steve Carlton reached 4,000 strikeouts in 1986. The 1980’s also saw a number of pitchers reach the 3,000 career strikeout plateau: Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton, Phil Neikro and Ferguson Jenkins. Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver, Phil Neikro and Don Sutton all reached 300 career wins in the 1980’s.

World Series (1970-1989)
Winner vs. Loser
1970: St. Louis Browns (AL) vs. Cincinnati Reds (NL) (4-1)
1971: Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) vs. St. Louis Browns (AL) (4-3)
1972: Oakland Athletics (AL) vs. Cincinnati Reds (NL) (4-3)
1973: St. Louis Browns (AL) vs. New York Mets (NL) (4-3)
1974: Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) vs. St. Louis Browns (AL) (4-2)
1975: Cincinnati Reds (NL) vs. Boston Red Sox (AL) (4-3)
1976: Cincinnati Reds (NL) vs. New York Yankees (AL) (4-0)
1977: New York Yankees (AL) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) (4-1)
1978: New York Yankees (AL) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) (4-2)
1979: Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) vs. St. Louis Browns (AL) (4-3)
1980: Philadelphia Phillies (NL) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (AL) (4-3)
1981: Montreal Expos (NL) vs. New York Yankees (AL) (4-3)
1982: Milwaukee Brewers (AL) vs. Atlanta Braves (NL) (4-1)
1983: St. Louis Browns (AL) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (4-3)
1984: Chicago Cubs (NL) vs. Detroit Tigers (AL) (4-2)
1985: New Orleans Pelicans (AL) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) (4-1)
1986: New York Mets (NL) vs. Boston Red Sox (AL) (4-3)
1987: Minnesota Twins (AL) vs. San Francisco Giants (NL) (4-2)
1988: Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) vs. Oakland Athletics (AL) (4-1)
1989: Chicago Cubs (NL) vs. Oakland Athletics (AL) (4-2)

Up next: Curse of the Black Cat article, 90's, 00's and steroids era.

 

[DTF955Baseballfan]

The Cardinals are my team And I'm not sure but you have the Cubs doing better?!? AHHHHHH

(I'm not really mad, just ranting)

Dont' worry, it's only to about 1970 and *very* much longer, but I may post my "Robison doens't buy the Browns" timeline fromw hat I have; I'll likely never have time (at least not in a long while) to work on it mroe, and it comes to some nice closure in 1969. Your Cardinals become and A.L. team and spar witht he Yankees for league supremacy in a matchup worthy of the great title bouts

 

[Ace Venom]

Are the Cardinals Cursed?
The Curse of the Black Cat
1982

There goes a dream season down the drain. Cardinals fans have seen this before over the years. Some fans are old enough to remember the collapse in the 1946 season when the Cardinals won enough games down the stretch to force the tiebreaker series for the pennant with the ten Brooklyn Dodgers, only to fail to win a single game. Those fans would later learn that the Dodgers went on to win the World Series against the Boston Red Sox.

But what about those fans in the 60’s? The Cardinals blew the chance to trade for Lou Brock, who won a pennant for the Cubs in 1964 and had a Hall of Fame career with the. Then there was the collapse in 1967. The Cardinals led the National League standings until late August, only to fall apart down the stretch. Let’s not forget we’ve watched the Browns win the World Series in ’44, ’59, ’66, ’70 and ’73, a whopping five times since the Cardinals won their last pennant in 1944. Remember when I blasted the Cardinals for not trading for Ozzie Smith last year? He could really have helped our infield in the NLCS.

But did all the team’s misfortunes begin in the 1944 World Series against the Browns? The Browns never won a pennant before that season and the Cardinals were one of the elite franchises in baseball. The Cardinals had eight pennants, four World Series titles and even four pennants from their days playing in the American Association. No Cardinals fan considered the Browns a threat to their status as the team of the city. Fans were more concerned about their underachieving rival, the Chicago Cubs.

A black cat was in the Cardinals dugout in Game 4 of the 1944 World Series at Sportsman’s Park. Perhaps it is irony that Harry “The Cat” Brecheen was coming out of the dugout and that black cat rubbed against his leg as he took his position on the mound. Is it superstition on our part to blame that black cat for putting a jinx on The Cat?

Harry Brecheen has a couple of World Series wins to his credit, but they came from being a pitching coach with the Browns after he retired. I talked to Brecheen about Game 4 and he said, “[Sig] Jakuki settled down after the first inning. That cat had nothing to do with it. We were just outplayed.” Really, Cat? The Cardinals didn’t score another World Series run after that. The Cardinals were shut out by Denny Galehouse in Game 5. He even had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning, but the Cardinals had a measly two hits against him the entire game. Do I have to remind you that the Cardinals haven’t been to the World Series since 1944? Even the Cubs won the pennant in 1964.

“I ain’t superstitious when a black cat crosses my path,” the Willie Dixon song said. Roger Maris feels the same way, claiming the Cardinals just played bad ball down the stretch in 1967 and it could have happened to anyone. He could be right. What could we have done in ’67 if we had Lou Brock to carry us? He couldn’t carry the Cubs past a 3 game deficit in ’69, so we probably would have had heartbreak. The Giants were the better team in 1967 and it showed when they won the World Series that year.

But we can’t ignore what happened to our once great team. Our manager Whitey Herzog said ever so candidly while he was managing the Pelicans that he would become an alcoholic if he had to manage the Cardinals. Start drinking, Whitey. You almost have to be an alcoholic to support this team and it’s only fitting considering the owner is Anheuser-Busch. Yet the Brewers won the World Series. Is that irony? Who knows?

The Cardinals could not win a single game in Atlanta. Errors in the infield killed us in Game 3, which helped the Braves take the lead in bottom of the 7th inning. We were only seven outs away from winning our first pennant since 1944 and our World Series dreams went down the tube with the Braves 2 out, 7th inning error assisted rally. It’s as if the baseball gods finally realized that this was the St. Louis Cardinals. The curse began at Sportsman’s Park, but we couldn’t exorcise it this season. The Browns lost in four to the Brewers if you remember. They Browns closed Sportsman’s Park in humiliating fashion in Game 4.

There’s even talk that the Cardinals might be sold and moved to another city. I hear Baltimore and Washington are still looking for baseball teams. Sportsman’s Park is due to be demolished next year because the Browns are going to their shiny new stadium in Clayton. Maybe the bad luck will go with it.

We’ve Been Here Before
1985

Sportman’s Park came down in 1983 before the Browns won the World Series against the Phillies. It’s 1985 and the Browns sat out the postseason this time. The Cardinals didn’t, but they drew the Dodgers in the first ever best of seven National League Championship Series. Remember when we were seven outs away from the pennant in 1982? We didn’t think it could get any worse, but it did. They gave us hope and then came up short in the end.

I remember proclaiming the end when the Cardinals were down 0-3 to the Dodgers in the NLCS. But then the Cardinals started doing something. They started winning. They started hitting. They started scoring runs. They started playing good baseball. Three games later, the series was tied 3-3 and Game 7 was to be played at Busch Stadium. Browns fans were quietly sulking because it looked like there was a new team willing to take the reins of the city.

Errors did not kill us in Game 7 like they did in Game 3 in 1982. It was a stop at third base that could have been the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning that allowed the Dodgers to come back in the 13th inning and win the pennant. Willie McGee was held up at third base, but he should have been running to home plate. Why play conservative when you just rallied back to score four runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game 5-5?

Whitey Herzog must have been drinking again because they did not score another run that inning or ever again. He helped the Dodgers avoid the worst LCS collapse in history. It’s no surprise. He couldn’t win for the Pelicans despite winning three straight division titles with them. It could explain why Herzog was unceremoniously fired after this Game 7 debacle. The blame shouldn’t all rest on Herzog’s shoulders, but the players as well.

They had a chance to win Game 3 at Dodger Stadium until McGee blew a play in the outfield that permitted Pedro Guerrero to score a game winning inside the park home run that resulted in three runs crossing the plate instead of the final out of the 7th inning. Such an occurrence could only happen to the Cardinals. Need I remind you that the final score of that game was 6-4? If McGee plays the ball correctly and doesn’t let it bounce off his glove and back behind him, the Dodgers win Game 3 4-3 and they would have won the pennant in six games.

The Browns sit happy in their new stadium in Clayton with their 1983 World Series title. The Chicago Cubs ended their long World Series drought by beating the Detroit Tigers in 1984. The Cardinals have made it an even 41 years since they’ve been to the World Series. In case you’re keeping score, the Cardinals haven’t been to the World Series since 1944 when the black cat rubbed Harry Brecheen. They haven’t won it all since 1942. That’s a 43 year championship drought. Only the White Sox have a longer drought. They haven’t won it all since 1917. That’s 68 years if you’re too lazy to do the math yourself.

There’s always next year, they say. Before 1982, the Cardinals had not played in a playoff series since the 1944 World Series. They lost in 1982 and they lost in 1985. Hope is a luxury Cardinals fans do not have.

 

[Ace Venom]

1990’s
The Cardinals move to Kansas City

The Browns and Cardinals both had poor seasons in 1990. The Cardinals finished better than the Browns in 1991, but both teams sat out of the playoffs that year. The Browns got their act back together in 1992, but finished second to the Oakland Athletics. The Cardinals finished third in their division.

Cardinals owner August Adolphus Busch III sold the Cardinals to a group of investors led by former Wal-Mart CEO David Glass before the 1993 season. In 1993, the Browns lost the AL West to the Texas Rangers. The Cardinals did not make a postseason appearance either. After 1993, the Browns were aligned in the AL Central and the Cardinals in the NL Central. After the 1993 season, Glass announced that the Cardinals would play their final season in St. Louis in 1994 before he moved the team to Kansas City.

AL East
Boston Red Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays

AL Central
Chicago White Sox
Milwaukee Brewers
Minnesota Twins
New Orleans Pelicans
St. Louis Browns

AL West
California Angels
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers

NL East
Atlanta Braves
Florida Marlins
Montreal Expos
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros
St. Louis Cardinals
Pittsburgh Pirates

NL West
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants

The Browns and Cardinals had their seasons cut short by the strike in 1994, preventing the Cardinals from hosting their final home game and farewell to St. Louis. 1995 saw the Browns star Cal Ripken Jr. break Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record and a return to the postseason when they won the AL Central title. They beat out the Boston Red Sox in the divisional round to advance to the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners. The Browns won the pennant, but failed to defeat the Braves in the World Series.

Starting in their first season in Kansas City at Municipal Stadium, the Cardinals, however, posted a losing season in 1995 when they finished fourth in the NL Central. Things changed in 1996 when the Tony La Russa era for the Cardinals began. The Cardinals won the NL Central in 1996. The Browns also won the AL Central. The Browns fell to the Wild Card winner New York Yankees in the ALDS. The Cardinals won their first postseason series since 1942 when they defeated the San Diego Padres in the NLDS. The Cardinals fell to the heavily favored Braves in seven games in the NLCS.

Bo Jackson of the New Orleans Pelicans broke Roger Maris’ 36-year-old record by hitting 62 home runs in a single season in 1997. A notable change in Major League Baseball was the institution of interleague play. It permitted the Cardinals and Browns to play six games out of the year. The first three game series involved the Cardinals hosting the Browns in Kansas City, taking two games against their former intercity rivals. When the Cardinals returned to St. Louis to play in Brown’s Stadium, many Cardinals fans in St. Louis came to the game to cheer their team. The start of the game was delayed so the Cardinals players could apologize to the city of St. Louis for not being able to say goodbye. The Cardinals took game one, but the Browns took the series by winning the other two games.

The Browns returned to the postseason in 1997 by winning the AL wild card. The Cardinals finished fourth in the NL Central. The Browns defeated the New York Yankees in the ALDS for the rematch. The Browns faced the Bo Jackson led AL Central Champion New Orleans Pelicans in the ALCS, but they were no match for the Pelicans juggernaut that included Roger Clemens and Bret Saberhagen on the pitching staff and were swept. The Pelicans took the momentum towards beating the Florida Marlins in five games in the World Series.

The Browns disappointed in 1998, losing the AL Central to Pelicans. The Cardinals picked up Mark McGwire from the Athletics. He broke Bo Jackson’s single season home run record by hitting 70 home runs in 1998, but the Cardinals finished third in their division. The Browns and Cardinals missed the postseason again in 1999.

The 1990’s, like the 1980’s, saw a trend of broken records continue. Bobby Thigpen set the single season record for saves in 1990 by recording 57 saves in a season. In 1991, Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics became the all-time stolen bases leader by breaking Lou Brock’s record. Cal Ripken Jr. of the Browns broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record in 1995. Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants and Bo Jackson of the New Orleans Pelicans joined the 40-40 club in 1996, followed by Alex Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners in 1998. Bo Jackson broke Roger Maris’ single season home run record in 1997 by hitting 62 home runs. Mark McGwire of the Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Cubs broke Jackson’s record in the following season when McGwire set the record at 70 and Sosa hit 66 home runs.

The 500 home run club saw three new additions in the 1990's. Eddie Murray, long time star with the Browns, hit his 500th career home run in 1996 while playing with the Dodgers. Bo Jackson hit his 500th career home run in 1998 while playing with the Pelicans. Mark McGwire hit his 500th career home run in 1999 while playing with the Cardinals.

Roger Clemens and Bret Saberhagen joined the 3,000 strikeout club in 1998 while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans. Closing pitcher Lee Smith set the career saves record at 478 career saves. Nolan Ryan set the career no-hitters pitched record at 7 in 1991, though his 6th career no-hitter was also his 300th career win. He was the only pitcher in the 1990’s to reach 300 career wins.

The 1990’s also saw more expansion and divisional realignment into the current six division arrangement. The Florida Marlins (NL) and Colorado Rockies (NL) were enfranchised before the 1993 season. The Arizona Diamondbacks (NL) and Washington Senators (AL) were enfranchised before the 1998 season, the same year the Milwaukee Brewers were moved from the American League to the National League and the Detroit Tigers were moved from the AL East to the AL Central.

AL East
Boston Red Sox
Cleveland Indians
New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays
Washington Senators

AL Central
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
Minnesota Twins
New Orleans Pelicans
St. Louis Browns

AL West
Anaheim Angels
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers

NL East
Atlanta Braves
Florida Marlins
Montreal Expos
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros
Kansas City Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates

NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants

21st Century

In 2000, it was the Cardinals and not the Browns that appeared in the postseason. The Cardinals won the NL Central by winning 95 games. The Cardinals swept the Braves in the NLDS in dominating fashion, scoring 24 runs to their 10 over the course of the series. The Cardinals faced the Mets in the NLCS, but fell to the Mets in five games.

The Cubs looked poised to challenge the dominance of the Cardinals in the NL Central when they signed Bo Jackson to a five season contract and David Cone to a three season contract. The Cardinals still won the division title, but the Cubs managed to make the push to win the Wild Card thanks to Bo Jackson’s late season surge that helped them overtake the Astros in the standings. The Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Braves in five games in the NLDS while the Cubs overcame the Diamondbacks in four games to set up the showdown of rivals in the NLCS.

The Cubs pounced on the Cardinals in Game 1 at Municipal Stadium when Bo Jackson hit a grand slam off Darryl Kile to give them a lead they would never relinquish. The Cardinals won Game 2 at Municipal Stadium to even the series after the Cardinals sent David Cone to an early exit. The series moved to Wrigley for Game 3. Kerry Wood started for the Cubs and showed the dominance against them that he showed against the Astros in 1998 for his record tying 20 strikeout game. He pitched a perfect game against the Cardinals, becoming the second pitcher since Don Larsen to pitch a perfect game in the postseason, striking out 14 in the Cubs 3-0 victory over the Cardinals.

The Cubs carried their momentum in Game 4 and dominated the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. The Cardinals refused to surrender and won Game 5 to force the series back to Kansas City. The Cubs were poised to win the pennant in Game 6, but the Cardinals, led by Mark McGwire’s solo home run, rallied back in the bottom of the 7th inning. The Game 7 showdown had the Cardinals leading by one run in the 6th inning. A botched double play at first base by Mark McGwire (the ball bounced off his glove) allowed Bo Jackson to reach first base safely with another runner still at third base. Sammy Sosa then hit a home run off Rick Ankiel, giving the Cubs a two-run lead they would not relinquish. The Cubs would go on to defeat the Yankees in seven games in the World Series.

The Cardinals took the NL Central again in 2002, but failed to win the pennant again after the Giants beat them in five games in the NLCS. The Cardinals and Browns sat out of the postseason together in 2003. The Cardinals lost the division in 2003 to the Cubs and they watched from their televisions as the Cubs defeated the Yankees in the World Series. The Cardinals won the division again in 2004, though their rivals, the Cubs, grabbed the Wild Card.

The Cardinals beat the Dodgers in four games. The Cubs refused to lie down and took care of the Braves in five games. The Cardinals were going to have a rematch of the 2001 NLCS. Rather than suffer a Game 7 letdown, the Cardinals were unceremoniously swept by the Cubs. The Cubs would lose the World Series to the Red Sox, who would celebrate their first World Series title in 86 years.

The Cardinals returned in 2005 to win their division while the Browns continued to recede into regular season irrelevance. Albert Pujols won the MVP for the regular season and Chris Carpenter would win the Cy Young Award. The Astros overcame the Cubs in the race for the Wild Card and made it into the playoffs. The Cardinals managed to sweep the San Diego Padres to advance to the NLCS. The Astros eliminated the Braves in four games, setting up another NL Central showdown in the NLCS. It would be one the Cardinals lost in six games and the Astros won their first pennant in franchise history. Their mood was tempered when the White Sox broke their long championship drought and swept the Astros in the World Series.

Expectations fell on the Cardinals in 2006 after the Red Sox broke their curse in 2004 and the White Sox broke theirs in 2005. The Cardinals surged to another division title in 2006 by winning only 83 games. Many felt it was finally the time to break their pennant drought after they swept the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, a feat they accomplished the previous postseason. They took the first three games against the Mets in the NLCS, setting it up for a another sweep.

The Cardinals were one away from their first trip to the World Series since 1944 in Game 4 at Municipal Stadium. One reporter remarked that he thought Municipal Stadium was about to be rocked off its foundation by the noise of the crowd. The score was 2-1 with no runners on base. Adam Wainright was on the mound for the Cardinals facing Carlos Delgado, who had struck out twice and did not have a single hit in the game. Delgado hit a double off Wainright, allowing Mets third baseman David Wright to take his at bat. Wright launched a 1-0 pitch from Wainright for a home run to center field, giving the Mets a 3-2 lead. Carlos Beltran followed with a single. Moises Alou then connected with a 1-2 pitch for an opposite field home run. Wainright then managed to strike out Shawn Wright to get the final out of the top of the 9th.

Municipal Stadium, which had been filled with cheering fans only minutes before, was dead silent. Aaron Miles got things started with a no out single off Mets closer Billy Wagner. Chris Duncan swung on the first pitch, earning a single and sending Miles to third. When Albert Pujols approached the plate, the crowd at Muncipal Stadium came alive again. Pujols was responsible for giving the Cardinals the lead early in the game when he hit a two-run home run in the 4th inning. Pujols connected with a 0-2 pitch, sending it into deep center field. Carlos Beltran chased down the pitch to the wall and caught it. It was a sacrifice fly that scored Aaron Miles and made the score 5-3. Wagner then walked Preston Wilson after a 10 pitch at bat. Wagner faced Scott Rolen next and the first three pitches resulted in an 3-0 count. Wagner then got Rolen to ground into a double play to end the game. The Cardinals never recovered for the rest of the series and the Mets won the next three games to win the pennant, leaving many Cardinals fans muttering about black cats and curses. The Mets would go on to lose the World Series to the miracle 2006 Pelicans team.

The Cardinals and Browns failed to enter the postseason in 2007. The stories that dominated the baseball world revolved around the chase for Hank Aaron's career home run record. Both Barry Bonds (734) and Bo Jackson (732) were within reach at the beginning of the season. Both men made the All-Star game for their respective leagues. Bonds would get to the record first in 2007 and finished the season with 762 home runs. Jackson passed Hank Aaron late in the season and finished with 757 home runs.

Though the Browns looked strong early in the 2008 season, they fell behind the pace in 2008 to the Chicago White Sox as the season progressed. The Cardinals remained locked in a three-way race for the division against the Brewers and Cubs until the final month of the season, but fell off the pace. Bo Jackson broke baseball's most hallowed record when he hit his 763rd career home run in the 2008 season. He finished his season and career with 771 home runs.

Record breaking paces continued in the 21st century. Rickey Henderson of the San Diego Padres became the all-time base on balls leader (breaking Babe Ruth’s record) and all-time runs scored leader (breaking Ty Cobb’s record) in 2001. Barry Bonds broke Mark McGwire’s single season home run record in 2001 by hitting 73 home runs in a season, Rickey Henderson’s all-time base on balls record in 2004, Ted Williams’ single season on-base percentage in 2003 and his own record in 2004 and Hank Aaron’s career home run record in 2007 before he was indicted on charges of perjury about his alleged steroid use. Bo Jackson of the Pelicans broke Bonds’ career home run record in 2008 and finished his career with 771 home runs. Alfonso Soriano of the Montreal Expos became the fourth member of the 40-40 club in 2006.

Roger Clemens joined the 4,000 strikeout club in 2003 and Randy Johnson followed in 2004. Randy Johnson passed Roger Clemens for second on the all-time strikeouts list in 2008. Trevor Hoffman broke Lee Smith’s career saves record in 2006 and became the only player in Major League Baseball with 500 saves in 2007. Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Bret Saberhagen and Tom Glavine all reached 300 wins in the first decade of the 21st century. Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux also joined the elite by reaching 350 career wins in the same decade. However, Roger Clemens legacy has been tarnished by allegations of anabolic steroid use.

The 21st century saw the exposure of the steroids era, which has tarnished the legacies of Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa with allegations of the steroid usage. Only with Palmerio have these suspicions been proven when he tested positive for steroids in 2005 after he reached his 3,000th career hit.

World Series Winners vs. Losers
1990: Cincinnati Reds (NL) vs. Oakland Athletics (AL) (4-0)
1991: Minnesota Twins (AL) vs. Atlanta Braves (NL) (4-3)
1992: Toronto Blue Jays (AL) vs. Atlanta Braves (NL) (4-2)
1993: Toronto Blue Jays (AL) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (4-2)
1994: Not played
1995: Atlanta Braves (NL) vs. Cleveland Indians (AL) (4-2)
1996: New York Yankees (AL) vs. Atlanta Braves (NL) (4-2)
1997: New Orleans Pelicans (AL) vs. Florida Marlins (NL) (4-1)
1998: New Orleans Pelicans (AL) vs. San Diego Padres (NL) (4-0)
1999: New York Yankees (AL) vs. Atlanta Braves (NL) (4-0)
2000: New York Yankees (AL) vs. New York Mets (NL) (4-1)
2001: Chicago Cubs (NL) vs. New York Yankees (AL) (4-3)
2002: Anaheim Angels (AL) vs. San Francisco Giants (NL) (4-3)
2003: Chicago Cubs (NL) vs. New York Yankees (AL) (4-2)
2004: Boston Red Sox (AL) vs. Chicago Cubs (NL) (4-0)
2005: Chicago White Sox (AL) vs. Houston Astros (NL) (4-0)
2006: New Orleans Pelicans (AL) vs. New York Mets (NL) (4-3)
2007: Boston Red Sox (AL) vs. Colorado Rockies (NL) (4-0)
*2008:

Notes:
-The New Orleans Pelicans moved into the new Pelicans Stadium in Metarie, LA before the 1990 season. Their stadium sustained minor damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, though it interrupted their bid for the Wild Card in 2005.
-The 2008 World Series has yet to be decided.