For a club with Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton, the Cardinals hired a coach who caught Bob Feller and aided the development of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. Sixty years ago, in October 1964, Joe Becker joined the Cardinals as pitching coach on the staff of newly appointed manager Red Schoendienst. Becker, a St. Louisan, came to the Cardinals from the Dodgers after … [Read more...] about Pitching guru: Joe Becker brought out best in the best
Gaylen Pitts was mentor to bevy of Cardinals prospects
Though the minor leagues were where Gaylen Pitts spent most of his long and accomplished baseball career, he twice reached the majors _ and both times with the help of Dal Maxvill. Pitts was a player, manager, coach and instructor in the minors, primarily with the Cardinals. An infielder, he played 13 years in the farm systems of the Cardinals, Athletics and Cubs. He managed … [Read more...] about Gaylen Pitts was mentor to bevy of Cardinals prospects
Little big man: NFL’s Pat Fischer played like King Kong
By NFL standards, St. Louis Cardinals cornerback Pat Fischer was small. Not jockey size, but not as big as the team’s placekicker, Jim Bakken, who was two inches taller and 30 pounds heavier. Even another noted Fischer, 6-foot-1 chess grandmaster Bobby, towered over Pat. Listed at 5 feet 9 and 170 pounds _ “Anyone who ever saw him in person knew even those measurements were … [Read more...] about Little big man: NFL’s Pat Fischer played like King Kong
High hopes faded fast for Pat Malone with Cardinals
Looking to strengthen a starting rotation that already included 30-game winner Dizzy Dean, Branch Rickey, the Cardinals’ teetotaling general manager, acquired the Cubs’ Pat Malone, who drank highballs as fervently as he threw high fastballs. Three weeks after the Cardinals beat the Tigers in World Series Game 7, Rickey traded catcher Ken O’Dea for Malone and cash … [Read more...] about High hopes faded fast for Pat Malone with Cardinals
Cardinals were cure to what ailed rookie Pete Rose
A month into his rookie year with the 1963 Reds, Pete Rose was struggling to hold on to his job. Then he played the Cardinals for the first time and got his career back on track. Making a leap from the Class A level of the minors to the big leagues, Rose won the starting second base spot with the Reds at 1963 spring training. Once the season began, the player who would become … [Read more...] about Cardinals were cure to what ailed rookie Pete Rose