Scooter Gennett Hits 4 Home Runs

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

MLB Unusual Walk Offs

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Albert Pujols Hits His 600th Home Run

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Yadier Molina 2016 Defensive Highlights

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Jim Edmonds Career Highlights

Jim Edmonds was known for his spectacular defensive plays. He would win eight Gold Glove Awards over the course of his career. Edmonds was also an offensive weapon for the California Angels and St. Louis Cardinals.

Edmonds had a career hitting line of .284/.376/.527 with 393 home runs, and 1,199 RBI. He was a four time all-star, 2004 Silver Slugger Award, and a member of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame. He was a member of the 2006 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown

Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown is one of the best hurlers ever to pitch for the Chicago Cubs. It was a farm machine accident as a twelve year old that gave him the moniker of Three-Finger. He gave his ball unique movement.

He was from Nyesville, Indiana, and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, and made his debut in 1903. He was 9-13 with an ERA 2.60. The Cardinals traded Brown to the Chicago Cubs.

In Chicago, Brown would win 20 plus games from 1906-1911. He would lead the Cubs to the World Series four times, and winning it in 1907-1908.

He would finish his career with a record of 239-130, and an ERA of 2.06. He would be elected by the Veteran’s Committee to the Baseball of Hall of Fame in 1949.

Chicago Cubs Great Hack Wilson

The video is of the seven greatest offensive seasons in baseball history. Hack Wilson is the first of the seven.

Hack Wilson was a hard drinking, hard hitting outfielder, quick with his fists,  that made for one the most colorful players of his day. At only 5-6, he would display power not seen in the National League at that time.  Wilson broke in the major leagues in 1923 with the New York Giants. In his official rookie season of 1924, the Giants would win the pennant, but Wilson struggled in the World Series hitting only .233. In May of 1925, Wilson was slumping so badly he lost his job in left field. His slump continued most of the season, and was sent to the minor league Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association.

The Chicago Cubs wallowing in last place would claim Hack Wilson that winter on waivers when the Giants failed to protect him. The Giants right-fielder Ross Youngs at the time offered the prophetic words "They let go the best outfielder I ever played beside, and they're going to regret."

Getting claimed on waivers by the Cubs Wilson would win the center field job, and is his first season on the north side of Chicago, he hit a league leading 21 home runs with 109 RBI. The Cubs went from last to fourth place finishing 10 games over .500.  Over the next three seasons he would hit 30 or more home runs including leading the league in 1927-1928.  The 39 home runs he hit in 1929 would help lead the Cubs to the National League pennant.  In 1930, Wilson would have an offensive season for the ages. He would hit 56 home runs, a first in the National League with a major league baseball record of 191 RBI. The RBI record is believed by many to be a record that will never be broken. He finished the season with a slash line  of .356/.454/.723. 

After the great season of 1930, Wilson's drinking became very heavy. He reported for spring training in 1931 twenty pounds overweight.  He went into a long slump during the season, and the last straw for the Cubs came when he got into a fight with reports on a train in Cincinnati. He was suspended by the Cubs for the rest of the season. He had hit only .261 with 13 home runs. In December the Cubs shipped the troubled outfielder to the St. Louis Cardinals. They in turn traded him the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

He bounced back in Brooklyn during the 1932 season hitting 23 home runs with 123 RBI. His career like his drinking was spiraling out of control. He would retire from baseball in 1935. Wilson died broke in 1948, National League President Ford Frick paid for the funeral when Wilson's wouldn't claim the body.  Wilson would be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 by the veterans committee. 

In his final interview with CBS Radio Wilson left us with these words of advice: "Talent isn't enough. You need common sense and good advice. If anyone tries to tell you different, tell them the story of Hack Wilson. ... Kids in and out of baseball who think because they have talent they have the world by the tail. It isn't so. Kids, don't be too big to accept advice. Don't let what happened to me happen to you."

Gentleman Jim Hickman

Hickman is remembered for delivering the game winning hit in the 1970 All-Star game in which Pete Rose blew up Ray Fosse at home plate.

Hickman broke in to the big leagues with the New York Mets after being selected in the expansion draft from the St. Louis Cardinals, and played with them from 1962-66. While in New York, Hickman became the first Met to hit for the cycle, and it was Hickman that hit the last home run in the Polo Grounds. He played the 1967 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers  before being sent packing to the Chicago Cubs.

He enjoyed his most productive year in 1970 with the Cubs. Hickman blasted 32 home runs with 115 RBI, and finished with a .315 batting average. They were career highs in all three categories. He would provided the Cubs two more solid seasons before tapering off in 1973, and spent 1974 with the Cardinals.

As a young fan of the Cubs Jim Hickman was always one of my favorites among the non-star players. In my young mind, it seemed he was always delivering in the clutch.

St. Louis Cardinal Ken Boyer

Ken Boyer was only the second third baseman to cross the 250 home runs mark (Pie Traynor was the other at the time). He was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1949, and made his major league debut in 1955.  He would hit 18 home runs and knock in 62 runs in his rookie campaign, and would solidify the third base position for the Cardinals for 10 of the next 11 seasons (In 1957, he played centerfield).

From 1958-1964, he would hit over twenty home runs. Seven time he would drive in 90 or more runs in a season. Including a league leading 119 in 1964.  He would finish his career with 282 home runs and 1,141 RBI. He was the 1964 National League Most Valuable Player.  Boyer was a National League All-Star eleven times, was a member of the 1964 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. He was a five-times Gold Glove winner.

In October 1965, St. Louis traded him to the New York Mets, where played until be traded to the Chicago White Sox. Boyer signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in May of 1968 after being released by the White Sox. Boyer would retire after the 1969 season. He managed the St. Louis Cardinals 1978-1980. Tragically, he would die from cancer at the age of 51, and the St. Louis Cardinals retired his #14. He is also a member of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame, but didn't get enough support for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Detroit Tigers Mickey Lolich

In the 1968 World Series southpaw Mickey Lolich registered three complete game wins, and walked away with the MVP trophy. He sparked the Tigers to comeback from a 3 games to 1 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals.  He his three complete game victories haven't been matched in World Series play since. It wasn't until 2001, when another southpaw Randy Johnson would get three World Series wins. In game two of the World Series (8-1 Tiger win), he would hit the only home run of his career.

Lolich would sign with the Detroit Tigers out of high school and toiled in their farm system for five seasons until making his major league debut in the fifth season in 1963, when he went 5-9 splitting time between being a starter and reliever. It all changed in when he had a won-loss record of 18-9, tossed six shutouts finished with an ERA of 3.26.  Lolich would be a consistent starter for the Tigers, he won 14 or more games in 11 consecutive seasons.  From 1969 through 1974, Lolich would strike out 200 or more in six consecutive seasons. His best season would be in 1971, when he would lead MLB with 25 wins, 308 strike outs, 45 starts, 29 complete games, 376 innings pitched. He was an American League all-star three times in 1969, and 1971-1972. He would follow up the 1971 with 22 wins in 1972, and sending the Tigers into postseason as the American League East champions.

Lolich would be traded after the 1975 season to the New York Mets. He went 8-13 with a 3.22 ERA, and retired at the end of the season. After sitting out the 1977 season, he signed as a free agent with the San Diego Padres pitching two seasons making only seven starts in 47 appearances. 

He retired with a career won-loss record of 217-191 with an ERA of 3.44, and 2,832 strike outs. 

Jim "Mudcat" Grant

Jim "Mudcat" Grant made his Major League debut in 1958 with the Cleveland Indians. He was given the nickname Mudcat by roomate Larry Doby. Who claimed he was "ugly as a Mississippi Mudcat." The name stuck, and Grant won ten games in his rookie season winning, in which he made 28 starts and 14 appearances out of the bullpen.

Grant would write his own chapter into baseball history by becoming the first black pitcher in the American League to win twenty games. He did it in 1965 with the Minnesota Twins, when he went 21-7 with an ERA 3.30. His 21 wins were the best in the American League, along with a league leading 6 shutouts in the leading the Twins to the American League pennant. In the World Series, he would become the first black pitcher to win a World Series game, and in game six of the series he launched a three run homer, making him only the second pitcher from the American League history in accomplish the feat.  He was honored by The Sporting News that season as their Pitcher of the Year.

Grant was an American League all-star in 1963 and 1965. After 1966, he worked out of the bullpen, and as with many relief pitchers it was have arm will travel.  He made stops with the Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, Montreal Expos, Pittsburgh Pirates and two tours with the Oakland Athletics.  He finished with a won-loss record of 145-119 with a career ERA of 3.63. He earned 54 saves along the way.

Grant wrote a book titled The Black Aces: Baseball's Only African-American Twenty-Game Winners. Featuring a chapter on each of the African-American pitchers who have accomplished the feat.  A book I can recommend.

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Bob Gibson Throws A No-hitter

August 14, 1971. Bob Gibson hurls a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was Gibson's first no-hitter in his Hall of Fame career. Gibson fanned ten Pirates with only three walks.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Adam Wainwright Hits Home Run In First At Bat

May 24, 2006. Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a home run on the first pitch to him. The St. Louis Cardinals go on to beat the San Francisco Giants 10-4 at AT & T Park in San Francisco. Tossing three innings of relief, Wainwright earns his first career win.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Don Cardwell No-Hits The St. Louis Cardinals

May 15, 1960. Two days after being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies, Don Cardwell of the Chicago Cubs no-hits the St. Louis Cardinals. Don Cardwell became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to pitch a no-hitter in his first appearance for a new team.

He would finish 8-14 with an ERA of 4.37 for the Cubs that season. He would go 30-44 for the Cubs in his three seasons with the team. He later pitched for the 1969 World Series champion New York Mets. His 5-0 stretch after stumbling to a 3-9 start was instrumental in helping the Mets catch and pass the fading Chicago Cubs.

Spending most of his career with second division clubs Cardwell finished career with a won-loss record of 102-138 and an ERA of 3.92 with 1,211 strikeouts. 

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Trevor Hoffman's 400th Save

May 6, 2005. The San Diego Padres Trevor Hoffman notches his 400th career saves over the St. Louis Cardinals. He is only the third reliever to notch 400 career saves with Lee Smith at 478, and John Franco with 424.

Defensive Wizard Omar Vizquel

May 6, 2012. Omar Vizquel becomes the oldest shortstop in major league history when he starts for the Toronto Blue Jays at 45. The Blue Jays dropped the game 4-3 to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He beat the record held by Baseball Hall of Fame member Bobby Wallace, who at 44 played in 12 games with the St. Louis Cardinals at shortstop.

Naval Academy Graduate Wins First Game

May 5, 2015, Mitch Harris of the St. Louis Cardinals fans Dexter Fowler of the Chicago Cubs, and becomes the first military academy graduate to earn a victory in a major league baseball game. Harris pitched a perfect fourth, and the Cardinals went on to win the game to earn Harris the victory. It was the first time in 94 years that a Naval Academy graduate had appeared in a major league uniform.

Kevin Mitchell Makes Barehand Catch

On April 26, 1989, San Francisco Giants Kevin Mitchell races into the left-field corner in an attempt to catch a slicing ball hit by Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals. He over runs the slicing ball reaches up to catch it with his bare hand.

Johnny Mize Establishes Home Run Mark

On this date in 1947 slugging first baseman Johnny Mize became the first major league baseball player to hit three home runs in a game five times. Mize hits his three off Johnny Sain of the Milwaukee Braves in a 6-2 Giants win at the Polo Grounds. Mize hit 359 home runs in his career with 1,337 RBI, The "Big Cat" as he was known finished with a.312 batting average. He played his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and finished  1953  with the New York Yankees. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Fernando Tatis Hits Two Grandslams

April 23, 1999,Cardinals third baseman Fernando Tatis becomes the only player in Major League Baseball history to hit two grand slams in the same inning. He also broke the record for most RBI in an inning with eight. The accomplishment came in the third inning off Los Angeles Dodgers starter Chan Ho Park.