History of the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals, first established as a team in 1882, have won more World Series (11) than any other National League team. Only the New York Yankees, with 27 wins, have more World Series championship titles. The Cardinals' first win was in 1926, and their last World Series title came in 2011. Their best season was 1942, when they had 106 wins and 48 losses.
1882-1889
The Cardinals have been a part of the city of St. Louis since 1882, when they were founded as the St. Louis Brown Stockings. They played their first ten years in the American Association. In 1883, they changed their name to the St. Louis Browns. They played their home games at Sportsman's Park from 1882 through 1892.
The Browns were successful in their first eight years, with seven winning seasons (1883-1889). Their best year was 1887, when they had 95 wins and 40 losses. They won the American Association championship title every year from 1885 through 1888.
The Brown Stockings/Browns had four managers in their first eight years. Ned Cuthbert was first, managing the team in 1882. He was followed by Ted Sullivan (1883) and Charlie Comiskey (1883-1889). Jimmy Williams managed 85 games in 1884.
1890-1899
The Browns had just two winning seasons in the 1890s. The first one in 1891 was their best one with 85 wins and 51 losses. They didn't have another winning season until 1899.
The Browns moved their home games to Robison Field in 1893. They continued to play there through 1920.
A major reason for the Browns lack of success in the 1890s was the lack of consistency in managers. They had twenty-four managers during those ten years. Five of them managed over 90 games each and another four managed more than 130 games each. Patsy Tebeau managed the most games (155 in 1899).
In 1899, the Browns were renamed the St. Louis Perfectos. That year, they added future Hall of Famer Cy Young to their pitching rotation.
1900-1909
The Perfectos became the St. Louis Cardinals in 1900. The next year, they had their only winning season from 1900 through 1909. They had 76 wins and 64 losses in 1901.
The Cardinals continued to have a constant change of managers in the 1900s. They had eight managers, including two future Hall of Famers who were player-managers for the team. Kid Nichols managed the team in 1904 and 1905, and Roger Bresnahan managed them from 1909 through 1912.
1910-1919
The Cardinals played slightly better from 1910 through 1919, but they still didn't get to the postseason. They had winning seasons in 1911, 1914, and 1917. Their best season was 1917, when they had 82 wins and 70 losses. In 1915, they added another future Hall of Famer, Rogers Hornsby to their roster. He continued to play with them through 1926.
From 1910 through 1919, the Cardinals improved in manager stability, with just four managers during those years. Roger Bresnahan managed them for the first three years, followed in 1913 by Miller Huggins. Jack Hendricks was next, managing the team for just the 1918 season. They ended the decade with Branch Rickey, who managed the Cardinals through 1925.
1920-1929
In 1920, Branch Rickey was named general manager of the Cardinals. Rickey, best known as the man who gave Jackie Robinson his start in the major leagues, helped the Cardinals by first investing money in a minor league farm system for the team. Next, he added future Hall of Famers Jesse Haines, Chick Hafey, and Jim Bottomley to the roster.
The Cardinals moved their home games to Sportsman's Park in 1920. The move and the leadership of Branch Rickey finally turned the Cardinals into a winning team. They had winning seasons in 1921, 1922, and 1923. In 1925, Rogers Hornsby took over as manager of the team and he led them to winning seasons in 1925 and 1926.
In 1926, the Cardinals were the best team in the National League, winning their first NL pennant. They then faced the New York Yankees in the postseason and they won their first World Series title.
Bill McKechnie took over as manager in 1928, and he led the team to their seventh winning season in eight years. They again won the NL pennant but they lost the World Series to the Yankees. Billy Southworth took over as manager in 1929, and he led the team to another winning season but no postseason play.
1930-1939
The Cardinals remained a strong team throughout the 1930s. They had winning seasons in 1930, 1931, 1933-1937, and 1939. Their best season was 1931 with 101 wins and 53 losses. Two future Hall of Famers who helped the Cardinals to winning seasons in the 1930s were Dizzy Dean and Johnny Mize.
Under new manager Gabby Street, the Cardinals had 92 wins and 62 losses in 1930. They won the NL pennant but lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Athletics. They had a winning season again in 1931 with 101 wins and 53 losses. They again faced the Athletics in the postseason and won their second World Series title.
Future Hall of Famer Frankie Frisch took over as player-manager in 1933, and he led the Cardinals to winning seasons from 1933 through 1937. They went to the postseason one more time in 1934, when they finished the regular season with 95 wins and 58 losses. They won another World Series title by defeating the Detroit Tigers in seven games.
1940-1949
One of the key players for the Cardinals during the 1940s and through the 1950s and early 1960s was Stan Musial, who became a member of the team in 1941. A year later, long time general manager Rickey left to lead the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although the Cardinals continued to have success after Rickey's departure, the team began to slip in the rankings by the late 1940s.
The Cardinals had only winning seasons in the 1940s. Their best season was 1942, when they had 106 wins and 48 losses. They went to the postseason four times, and won three World Series titles.
Billy Southworth managed the Cardinals from 1940 through 1945. He led them to three NL pennants, with 106 wins in 1942 and 105 wins in 1943 and again in 1944. They played the Yankees in the World Series in 1942 and 1943. They won the title in 1942, but lost it the next year. They came back in 1944 to win the World Series title again by defeating the St. Louis Browns (the modern day Baltimore Orioles).
Eddie Dyer took over the manager position in 1946, and he led the Cardinals to another winning season with 98 wins and 58 losses. They again won the World Series, this time defeating the Boston Red Sox.
In addition to Musial, the Cardinals had two other future Hall of Famers on their roster in the 1940s. Enos Slaughter, who joined the team in 1938, played with them through 1942, and again from 1946 to 1953. Red Schoendienst joined them in 1945 and he played with them through 1956.
1950-1959
The Cardinals started the 1950s with four winning seasons (1950-1953) and three managers (Eddie Dyer in 1950, Marty Marion in 1951, Eddie Stanky from 1952 to 1955). Their best season was 1952, when they had 88 wins and 66 losses. None of the managers led the team to postseason play.
The Anheuser-Busch brewery company bought the Cardinals in 1953. They went in a downslide starting in 1954. They had only one more winning season in 1957. They had four managers from 1955 through 1959 - Stanky and Harry Walker in 1955, Fred Hutchinson from 1956 through 1958, and Solly Hemus in 1959.
1960-1969
The Cardinals had nine winning seasons in the 1960s (every season except 1965). They went to the postseason twice during the decade. Their best season was 1967 with 101 wins and 60 losses. Two key players for the Cardinals in the 1960s were Lou Brock and Bob Gibson.
Johnny Keane took over as manager in 1961, and he led the Cardinals to the postseason in 1964 with 93 wins and 69 losses. They faced the Yankees in the postseason and they won the World Series title. The next year, Red Schoendienst took over as manager.
In 1966, the Cardinals moved their home games to Busch Memorial Stadium. Two years later, under Schoendienst's leadership, they again won the NL pennant, finishing the 1968 season with 97 wins and 65 losses. They faced the Tigers in the World Series and lost the series in seven games.
The Cardinals were moved to the newly formed NL East division in 1969.
1970-1979
The Cardinals had five winning seasons in the 1970s, but no postseason games. Their best season was 1971, when they had 90 wins and 72 losses.
Red Schoendienst led the Cardinals to winning seasons in 1971, 1974, and 1975. He was replaced by Vern Rapp, who led the team to a winning season in 1977. Ken Boyer took over as manager in 1978, and he led them to a winning season in 1979.
1980-1989
The 1980s brought a new manager, Whitey Herzog, and a new shortstop, Ozzie Smith, to the Cardinals. Under Herzog's leadership, the Cardinals again became a winning team. In the 1980s, they won three National League East Division titles, three National League pennants, and one World Series title.
Herzog led the Cardinals to winning seasons in 1981 and 1982. They won the NL East division title in 1982, and then won the NL pennant by defeating the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS. They went on to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers and win another World Series title.
The Cardinals had winning seasons again in 1984 and 1985. They had 101 wins and 61 losses in 1985 and they again won the NL East division title. They defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS but they lost the World Series to the Kansas City Royals. Herzog was named the NL Manager of the Year in 1985.
The Cardinals again had a winning season in 1987, and they had another division title. They won the NL pennant by defeating the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS, but they lost the World Series to the Minnesota Twins. They had one more winning season in 1989, but no postseason play that year.
1990-1999
Joe Torre took over as manager of the Cardinals in 1990, and he led them to winning seasons from 1991 through 1993. The Cardinals were moved to the NL Central division in 1994. Following the move, they had two losing seasons.
The year 1996 marked the beginning of Tony LaRussa's long-term relationship with the Cardinals as one of their most successful managers. He led them to 88 wins and 74 losses and the NL Central division title in 1996. They won the NLDS over the San Diego Padres, but they lost the NLCS to the Braves. They had one more winning season in 1998.
2000-2009
Under the leadership of La Russa, the Cardinals had winning seasons from 2000-2006, 2008, and 2009. They went to the postseason seven times from 2000 to 2009, and they won the NL pennant twice and one World Series title. Two players who impacted the team during these years were first baseman Albert Pujols and pitcher Chris Carpenter.
In 2000, the Cardinals had 95 wins and 67 losses. After winning the NL Central division title, they won the NL Division series by defeating the Braves in three games. They lost the pennant race to the New York Mets. The following year, they won a Wild Card spot, but they lost the NLDS to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2002, they came back to defeat the Diamondbacks in the NLDS in three games, bu they lost the NLCS to the Giants. La Russa was named the NL Manager of the Year in 2002.
The Cardinals had 105 wins and 57 losses in 2004, and they won the NL Central division title. They then defeated the Dodgers in the NLDS and the Houston Astros in the NLCS. They were swept in the World Series by the Red Sox. The following year, they had another winning season with 100 wins and 62 losses, and another division title. They won the NLDS over the Padres in three games, but they lost the ALCS to the Astros in 2005. That year, Chris Carpenter won the NL Cy Young award.
The Cardinals moved their home games to the new Busch Stadium in 2006. That year, they once again won the NL Central division title and the NLDS, defeating the Padres. They won the NLCS over the Mets and then went on to defeat the Tigers in the World Series.
The Cardinals had a winning season again in 2008, but they didn't get to the postseason. In 2009, with 91 wins and 71 losses, they won the NL Central division title. They then faced the Dodgers in the NLDS and lost the series in three games.
2010-2018
The Cardinals had a winning season again in 2010, but they didn't see postseason play. The following year, they had 90 wins and 72 losses, and they won a Wild Card spot. They went on to defeat the Phillies in the NLDS, the Brewers in the NLCS, and the Texas Rangers in the World Series. Tony La Russa retired as manager at the end of the 2011 postseason.
In 2012, Mike Matheny took over as manager and he led the team to the playoffs with a NL Wild Card spot. They defeated the Braves in the Wild Card game and the Washington Nationals in the NLDS, but they lost the NLCS to the Giants.
The Cardinals tied the Red Sox for the best record in baseball in 2013, with 97 wins and 65 losses. They won the NL Central division title and won the NLDS over the Pittsburgh Pirates. They then won the NL pennant by defeating the Dodgers in the NLCS. They lost the World Series to the Red Sox.
Matheny led the Cardinals to another first place finish in the NL Central division again in 2014, with 90 wins and 72 losses. They defeated the Dodgers in the NLDS, but they lost the NLCS to the Giants. In 2015, they had the best record in major league baseball with 100 wins and 62 losses. They faced the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS and lost the series.
Although the Cardinals had winning seasons in 2016, 2017, and 2018, they weren't good enough to get to the postseason in any of those years. They had a second place finish in the NL Central division in 2016, and a third place finish in 2017 and 2018. Matheny was fired during the 2018 season and he was replaced by Mike Shildt.
Sources for Information
Wikipedia - St. Louis Cardinals
Baseball Reference - St. Louis Cardinals