St. Louis Cardinals Did You Know & Fan Stories
Stan the Man Hits 3,000
On May 13, 1958, the Cardinals' 37-year-old veteran Stan Musial was sitting on 2,999 career hits. Manager Fred Hutchinson had a plan: rest him today (in Chicago), and let him collect #3,000 tomorrow at Sportsman's Park, in front of his hometown St. Louis fans. Sitting in the bullpen at Wrigley in a green folding chair, sunning himself, Musial figured he had the day off. Sixth inning, runner on second, Cardinals down a run. Hutchinson changed his mind. He motioned at Musial to grab a bat and pinch-hit for pitcher Sam Jones (yes, the same Sam Jones from May 12, 1955). Musial walked to the plate, fouled off three pitches, took two balls, and lined a Moe Drabowsky curve into the left-field corner for an RBI double. Hit #3,000. He became just the 8th player in MLB history to reach the milestone — and the first to do it as a pinch-hitter, a record he still holds. The Cardinals won 5-3. Musial would finish his career with 3,630 hits (1,815 at home, 1,815 on the road — to this day baseball's most perfectly symmetrical career line).
David Freese: Hometown Hero
David Freese was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, but moved to Wildwood, Missouri, 30 miles away from St. Louis, soon into his life. At Lafayette High School, Freese was a star, earning a scholarship offer from the University of Missouri. However, he declined that offer and decided to take a break from baseball for a year. After attending community college for a year, and finding his love for the game back, he transferred to South Alabama. Freese was drafted in the 9th round of the 2006 draft, and was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008. During the 2008-09 offseason, Troy Glaus needed surgery on his right shoulder, opening up the 3rd base spot for Freese, playing just 30 miles away from his hometown. He made an immediate impact, hitting a game-winning sacrifice fly in that 2009 Opening Day game. Unfortunately, he suffered some struggles after that, and the Cardinals elected to keep Brian Barden and Joe Thurston in the MLB, sending Freese down to Triple-A Memphis. In 2009, he had to get surgery on his left ankle, sidelining him for for a good portion of the season. He finally made it back to the major leagues on the September 40-man roster. In 2010, Freese was given the opportunity to be the starting 3rd baseman. He dominated to start the season, including an NL Player of the Week honor, but again was injured, this time on his right ankle, and missed the rest of the season after 70 games. In 2011, he managed through more injuries in Spring Training, but was given the starting 3rd baseman job. After starting the season hitting .320, he got injured yet again, fracturing his left hand on a hit by pitch. However, he returned strong, hitting .297 with 10 HRs and 55 RBI after his return. And then the 2011 postseason rolled around. The postseason where David Freese became the Cardinals' hometown hero. Down 2-1 in the NLDS against Philly, he drove in 4 in Game 4 to send it to a fifth game. In the NLCS, he hit .545 with 3 homers and 7 RBI to take down the Brewers with NLCS MVP honors. In the first 3 games of the World Series against the Texas Rangers, he extended his playoff hit streak to 13 games. And then, Game 6. Freese's game. Down 3-2 in the series. Down 7-5. Bottom 9th. Down to their last out. Their last strike. And Freese lined a 2-RBI triple to tie the game and send it to extras. And then in the 11th inning, still tied, again down to his last strike, he launched a solo home run to end the game and end to to game seven. In the first inning, he hit a 2 run double, his 20th and 21st RBI of the postseason, the MLB record at the time. The Cardinals went on to win, with Freese as the World Series MVP, forever cementing him in the memories of Cardinals fans everywhere. The hometown kid from Wildwood, Missouri, only 30 miles away from Busch Stadium, became the hero.
St. Louis Cardinals • Teambook
Overview
The St. Louis Cardinals represent the best of baseball's heartland from Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis, where the Gateway Arch frames one of the sport's most passionate and knowledgeable fanbases. The franchise's distinctive cardinal red and white colors and iconic birds-on-bat logo have become symbols of Midwestern baseball excellence, with the Cardinals consistently fielding competitive teams through superior player development. St. Louis's status as a baseball-first city—with the Cardinals often outpacing the NFL's Rams in popularity—creates an unmatched environment where the team is the community's central passion. Busch Stadium's retro design, views of the arch, and the Stan Musial statue honor the franchise's rich history while providing a modern game-day experience. The Cardinals' 11 World Series championships rank second only to the Yankees, with the organization's 'Cardinal Way' emphasizing fundamentals and character.
History & Legacy
Founded in 1882, the Cardinals have won 11 World Series, with Stan Musial's 24 seasons and 3,630 hits making him the greatest Cardinal ever and one of baseball's most beloved figures. The 1960s teams featured Bob Gibson's dominance and Lou Brock's base-stealing, while the 1982 championship under Whitey Herzog's 'Whiteyball' brought speed and defense to the forefront. The 2006 and 2011 championships featured Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Adam Wainwright—a core that defined a generation of Cardinals baseball. The 2011 World Series, with David Freese's legendary Game 6 performance and the Rangers twice being one strike from victory, remains one of the greatest Fall Classics ever played. The Cardinals-Cubs rivalry is one of baseball's oldest and fiercest, with the proximity of the two cities creating a natural geographic feud.
Source: Claude
Founded1882
Championships11 (1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011)
Home VenueBusch Stadium
Fan contributions
