Retro Simba

The last home win in St. Louis for the Browns featured two pitchers _ one on the way up; the other on the way down _ who played prominent roles in 1950s baseball lore. Ralph Branca of the Detroit Tigers and Bob Turley of the Browns engaged in a classic duel at St. Louis on Sept. 5, 1953. Each went the distance in a game the Browns won, 1-0, in 12 innings. Branca, the Brooklyn … [Read more...] about Browns produced gem for final win in St. Louis

One measure of a winner is the ability to come through under pressure. Fullback Ben Wilson passed the test multiple times. He did it in college for the University of Southern California (USC), helping the Trojans win a national championship with big performances against UCLA and Notre Dame, and then in the Rose Bowl versus Wisconsin. He did it in the pros, too, winning … [Read more...] about Ben Wilson got rewarded for perseverance, professionalism

Whether as a player or as a coach, Maxie Baughan was good at sizing up situations and calling the shots. An outside linebacker who played in the NFL primarily from 1960 to 1970 with the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams, Baughan was the captain of the defense and chose the alignment for each play during a game. Described by the New York Times as “one of the most … [Read more...] about Maxie Baughan excelled as quarterback of NFL defenses

For a while, in the early part of September 1963, Cardinals pitcher Curt Simmons couldn’t do anything wrong at the ballpark. From Sept. 1 to Sept. 13, Simmons won four starts in a row for the 1963 Cardinals and pitched three consecutive shutouts in that stretch. His hot streak extended beyond the pitching mound. Simmons drove in runs and, in perhaps the most … [Read more...] about On the run: Curt Simmons set torrid pace with Cardinals

Eddie Fisher made sweet music with a pitch that could dance. That’s why the Cardinals wanted his help in their bid for a division title. Fifty years ago, on Aug. 29, 1973, the Cardinals purchased the contract of Fisher, 37, from the White Sox. The right-handed knuckleball specialist was in his 15th and final season in the majors. On the day Fisher was acquired, the Cardinals … [Read more...] about Cardinals hoped for a playoff melody with Eddie Fisher