126-641: The Gastonia Cardinals were a minor league baseball team based in Gastonia, North Carolina on two separate occasions, playing as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in both instances. The first Gastonia Cardinals team played as members of the Class D level North Carolina State League in 1938 and the Tar Heel League in 1939 and 1940, winning the 1939 league championship. Three decades later,
252-670: A Gold Glove -winning season) to replace Taveras. On June 16, 2015, the FBI and the Justice Department started an investigation on the Cardinals for possibly hacking the Houston Astros . The hacking incident was perpetrated by Scouting Director Chris Correa. For the first time since the 2007 – 2008 seasons , the Cardinals missed the playoffs in consecutive years, 2016 – 2017 . On July 14, 2018, following an 8–2 loss to
378-407: A battery , at 325 starts together going back to 2007. The previous record holding duo, Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan , had held the record since 1975. The Cardinals play their home games at Busch Stadium (also referred to as New Busch Stadium or Busch III ) in downtown St. Louis , straddling 7th and Clark near the intersection of Interstates 64 , 55 , and 44 . The stadium opened for
504-963: A Fire Marshal and four inspectors, the Administration consists of the Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, Training Chief, and two Administrative assistants. Gaston County EMS (GEMS) is the county ambulance service. All public K–12 schools in Gaston County, including the city of Gastonia, are part of the Gaston County Schools (GCS). GCS operates schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. There are five public high schools in Gastonia: Ashbrook High School , Forestview High School , Hunter Huss High School , and Highland School of Technology , and Warlick Academy . Warlick Academy
630-474: A colorful cardboard arrangement featuring cardinal birds on a table in a Presbyterian church in Ferguson, Missouri , at which he was speaking. The arrangement's production was by a woman named Allie May Schmidt. Schmidt's father, a graphic designer , helped Rickey make the logo a familiar staple on Cardinals uniforms. While the team had been known as the Cardinals for over 20 years by then, this logo changed
756-497: A concert from their 360° Tour in 2011. Ballpark Village is a mixed-use development located across Clark Street from Busch Stadium. Phase 1 of the development, completed for the start of the 2014 season, includes entertainment venues, restaurants , and retail. Anchored by Cardinals Nation (which includes the Cardinals Hall of Fame , a two-story Cardinals-themed restaurant and rooftop seating for 300+ fans with views of
882-472: A female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 3.05. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
1008-545: A history of animosity towards one another since the late 2000s as both teams often met frequently in the postseason. The Dodgers have not fared as well against the Cardinals in the postseason. In five prior postseason series matchups, the Cardinals have won four with the Dodgers winning only the 2009 NLDS and the 2021 National League Wild Card Game. The rivalry between the Cardinals and the New York Mets peaked during
1134-480: A jurist and United States Representative from North Carolina . The Loray Mill strike occurred in Gastonia in 1929. The role of organizers for Communist Party-affiliated National Textile Workers Union (NTWU) alienated religious leaders in Gastonia, who denounced the organizers' ideology, undermining support for the strike. The strike collapsed after the death of Gastonia's police chief, Orville Alderholt, led to
1260-455: A major renovation in 1977 and was greatly updated again in 2021. When the Cardinals began play at the ballpark in 1977, the renovation to Sims Legion Park was still ongoing, with the grandstands and locker rooms incomplete. For a time, the teams dressed at Wray Junior High School, which was three miles away from the ballpark. Still in use today, the ballpark is located at 1001 North Marietta Street. Gastonia, North Carolina Gastonia
1386-563: A murder trial of several militants including NTWU chief organizer Fred Beal . Beal was convicted in the killing but fled to the Soviet Union. The strike largely failed in attaining its goals of better working conditions and wages, and the American labor movement was never able to gain a foothold among textile workers in Gastonia. The strike, however, became for a while an international cause célèbre, figuring in several novels published in
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#17327718530961512-514: A revitalization with many locally owned businesses. This has created a unique atmosphere of local shopping experiences with events centered around the community. There are also a few more shopping centers across the city with other well-known national and local retailers. The Gastonia Ghost Peppers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball , a partner of Major League Baseball , began to play in 2024 at CaroMont Health Park , which
1638-528: Is Gastonia's city transit provider. The bus service operates on a fixed-route system covering most of the city and stops are clearly visible around town. Buses run Monday-Saturday, and transfer downtown Gastonia at the Bradley Station . Regular fare is $ 1.00, transfers are free. Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is Gastonia's commuter provider to Charlotte. The Gastonia Express (Route 85X) offers Monday-Friday bus service to/from uptown Charlotte, via
1764-596: Is St. Louis' highest since the franchise joined the National League. Musial was considered the most consistent hitter of his era and most accomplished in team history, winning three MVPs and seven batting titles . St. Louis then won the 1946 World Series on Slaughter's Mad Dash in Game 7. Breadon was forced to sell the team in 1947 but won six World Series and nine NL pennants as Cardinals owner. They remained competitive, finishing .500 or better in thirteen of
1890-546: Is considered one of the most lopsided trades in Major League history, as St. Louis received outfielder Lou Brock from the Cubs for pitcher Ernie Broglio . MVP third baseman Ken Boyer and pitcher Bob Gibson led the club to a World Series win the same year and Curt Flood , Bill White , Curt Simmons , and Steve Carlton also made key contributions in this decade. In 1967 , new arrival Orlando Cepeda won
2016-557: Is generally considered to be the first year of existence for the franchise which would later become known as the St. Louis Cardinals. The next season , St. Louis shortened their name to the Browns . Soon thereafter they became the dominant team in the AA, as manager Charlie Comiskey guided St. Louis to four pennants in a row from 1885 to 1888 . Pitcher and outfielder Bob Caruthers led
2142-433: Is located west of the city, near Kings Mountain . The park offers a number of hiking trails, as well as campgrounds, picnic areas, rock climbing, and fishing. Eastridge Mall , located at exit 20 on North New Hope Road, is the only indoor regional mall in the area. The mall is home to two anchors and over 80 specialty stores, a full-service food court and other services. Downtown Gastonia Historic District has undergone
2268-544: Is part of the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area . The city is a historic center for textile manufacturing and was the site of the Loray Mill Strike of 1929, which became a key event in the labor movement. While manufacturing remains important to the local economy, the city also has well-developed healthcare, education, and government sectors. Gastonia is named for William Gaston ,
2394-802: Is part of the Carolinas Geographical Union (CGU) and plays Division IV men's social rugby. The club plays in the fall (August - November) and spring (Feb - May) seasons. The club also hosts an annual rugby 7's tournament in Clover, South Carolina , during the Clover Scottish Games on the first or second Saturday in June. Gastonia's two roller derby teams are the G*Force (senior team) and Mini*Gs (junior team). Bouts take place at Kate's Skating Rink on Hudson Blvd. The city
2520-836: Is part of the Franklin Urban Sports and Entertainment (FUSE) District. The Gastonia Honey Hunters , also in the Atlantic League, played there from 2021 to 2023. Before the Honey Hunters' arrival, the Gastonia Grizzlies , a Coastal Plain League summer collegiate wood-bat team, played at Sims Legion Park from 2002 to 2020. Gastonia was home to minor league baseball , hosting the Gastonia Cardinals . The Cardinals played as members of
2646-926: Is served by the Gastonia Police Department , the Gaston County Police Department , and the Gaston County Sheriff's Office . Additionally, the Gaston College Police has jurisdiction over the city but, rarely patrols outside of the Gaston College campus. The Gastonia Fire Department consists of eight fire house spread throughout the communities within the City limits. The Gastonia Fire Department maintains 130 full-time firefighters working 3- to 24-hour shifts. The Life Safety division has
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#17327718530962772-459: Is the alternative placement schol. Students from outlying parts of Gastonia also attend Stuart W. Cramer High School , North Gaston High School , and Bessemer City High School . Private schools are also available in the city. Gaston Day School , Gaston Christian School are among various private schools offered in the Gastonia area. Gastonia also has a charter school, Piedmont Community Charter School, that serves K–12 grade students. Currently
2898-611: Is the most populous city in and the county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina , United States. It is the second-largest satellite city of the Charlotte area, behind Concord . The population was 80,411 in the 2020 census , up from 71,741 in 2010. Gastonia is the 13th-most populous city in North Carolina. It is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area , which
3024-522: The 1985 World Series , which the Royals won 4–3, and which remains their only post-season meeting. Since interleague play began in 1997 , the Cardinals and Royals have met in four to six games each season, evenly split between the two cities. As of 2021, the Cardinals lead the overall series 71–50. The rivalry heated up in 2015, when both teams held the best records in their respective leagues when they opened each of their two series. The Royals advanced to
3150-551: The 2006 season at a cost of $ 411 million and holds a normal capacity of 46,861. The Cardinals finished their inaugural season in the new Busch Stadium by winning the 2006 World Series , the first team to do so since the New York Yankees in 1923. This open-air stadium emulates the HOK Sport (now Populous )-designed " retro-style " baseball-only parks built since the 1990s. The open panoramic perspective over
3276-401: The 2011 World Series accommodated a baseball record of 47,399 by increasing the number of standing room only tickets. The attendance record for any sporting event is 48,263, in a 2013 association football (soccer) friendly match between Chelsea F.C. and Manchester City F.C. , made possible by on-field seating. The largest attendance (53,000) of any event at Busch belongs to U2 during
3402-411: The 2020 census , there were 80,411 people, 27,796 households, and 18,361 families residing in the city. At the 2010 census , there were 71,741 people, 27,770 households, and 18,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,420.6 inhabitants per square mile (548.5/km ). There were 31,238 housing units at an average density of 618.6 per square mile (238.8/km ). The racial composition of
3528-602: The Anderson Braves and Macon Peaches joining the league, which was divided into two four-team divisions. In their first season of the new league, the Cardinals placed second in the North Division of the South Atlantic League and qualified for the 1980 league playoffs. Gastonia finished the season with a 64–66 record, playing under manager Nick Leyva . The Cardinals finished 8.5 games behind
3654-500: The Cincinnati Reds , the St. Louis Cardinals announced they had dismissed manager Mike Matheny after 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 seasons. The team then named Mike Shildt interim manager, and he was made the permanent manager a month later. On November 19, 2018, the team announced that the "Victory Blue" uniforms, worn by the Cardinals during the late 1970s and 1980s, would be returning for the 2019 season. The uniforms, integrating
3780-615: The Class D level 1938 North Carolina State League and the Tar Heel League in 1939 and 1940, winning the 1939 league championship. Decades later, a second Cardinals team played from 1977 to 1982 as members of the Class A level Western Carolinas League and South Atlantic League , winning the 1977 league championship. The Cardinals teams hosted home games from 1938 to 1940 at the Gastonia High School Stadium and Sims Legion Park. The Gastonia Gargoyles play rugby at Gaston County's North Belmont Park. The team
3906-623: The East and Central divisions. In 1881, entrepreneur Chris von der Ahe purchased the Brown Stockings barnstorming club, renamed it the St. Louis Browns , and made it a charter member of the American Association baseball league. The team won four league championships, qualifying them to play in the era's professional baseball championship series , a forerunner of the modern World Series . In two of these championships,
Gastonia Cardinals - Misplaced Pages Continue
4032-580: The Gateway Arch , and a red "STL" wordmark, is placed on either sleeve. Caps are red and featured the aforementioned "STL" wordmark in white with navy blue trim. The team mascot is an anthropomorphic cardinal wearing the team's uniform named Fredbird . He is assisted by Team Fredbird , a group of eleven women who entertain fans from the field and on top of the dugouts. While unofficial, the Rally Squirrel became an unexpected phenomenon during
4158-490: The National League Central , and the rivalry faded soon after. The two teams would meet in the 2000 and 2006 National League Championship Series , briefly rekindling the rivalry. An investment group led by William DeWitt Jr. owns the St. Louis Cardinals, having bought the team from Anheuser-Busch (AB) in 1996. As with other periods of the Cardinals' transaction history, doubt loomed as to whether
4284-467: The Perfectos in 1899 would be the team's best finish between the AA era and Sam Breadon 's purchase of the team. As the "Perfectos", the team wore their jersey with a cardinal red trim and sock striping. Later that season, St. Louis Republic sportswriter Willie McHale included an account in a column of a female fan he heard remarking about the uniforms, "What a lovely shade of cardinal." Fans liked
4410-470: The Texas Rangers later that game with a walk-off home run from Freese. After winning that Series, La Russa retired and became the only manager to do so after winning a title. He also finished with the most wins for managers in franchise history with 1,408. La Russa's successor, Mike Matheny , helped extend St. Louis' playoff run as he became the first manager in the division play era to guide
4536-567: The Thomasville Tommies in the final regular season standings and qualified for the playoffs, where they were swept by the eventual champion Mooresville Moors in three games. Gastonia's Gene Nafie led the North Carolina State League with 27 home runs and 120 runs scored, while player/manager George Silvey topped the league with 80 stolen bases. In 1939, Gastonia continued play as a minor league affiliate of
4662-895: The farm system , Rogers Hornsby 's two batting Triple Crowns , Dizzy Dean 's 30- win season in 1934, Stan Musial 's 17 MLB and 29 NL records, Bob Gibson 's 1.12 earned run average (ERA) in 1968, Whitey Herzog 's Whiteyball , Mark McGwire 's single-season home run record in 1998 , the 2011 championship team's unprecedented comebacks, and Albert Pujols ’ 700th home run . The Cardinals have won 105 or more games in four seasons and won 100 or more nine times. Cardinals players have won 21 league MVPs , four batting Triple Crowns, and three Cy Young Awards . Baseball Hall of Fame inductees include Lou Brock , Dizzy Dean , Bob Gibson , Whitey Herzog , Rogers Hornsby , Tony LaRussa , Joe Medwick , Stan Musial , Enos Slaughter , Branch Rickey , Red Schoendienst , Ozzie Smith , Ted Simmons , Bruce Sutter , and Scott Rolen . In 2018, Forbes valued
4788-484: The minor league farm system , filling the role of today's general manager . With Rogers Hornsby at second base, he claimed Triple Crowns in 1922 and 1925 , and the Cardinals won the 1926 World Series , their first. St. Louis then won the league in 1928 , 1930 , and 1931 and the 1931 World Series . The Gashouse Gang edition claimed the 1934 World Series and the Cardinals amassed new thresholds of popularity far outside St. Louis via radio, which led to
4914-434: The poverty line . 32.5% of those under the age of 18 and 6.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Many shutdowns and job losses have plagued Gastonia over the past decade. Gastonia maintains a relatively strong manufacturing workforce, but many workers are laid off and many more are facing job losses. The city had an unemployment rate of 7.9% as of 2010; 12,536 of the 71,341 residents lived and worked in
5040-606: The "Gastonia Comers" played a partial season as members of the Class B level South Atlantic League . The first Gastonia Cardinals team was immediately preceded in minor league play by the 1938 "Gastonia Spinners," who played a portion of the season as members of the Independent level Carolina League in the final season of the league. After the Gastonia Spinners relocated during the 1938 North Carolina League season,
5166-474: The 1891 season and the Browns transferred to the National League. This time, the club entered an era of stark futility. Between 1892 and 1919 , St. Louis managed just five winning seasons, finished in last or next-to-last place sixteen times, and ended four seasons with 100 losses or more. The nadir was the 1897 season : a 29–102 record for a franchise-worst .221 winning percentage. St. Louis' 84–67 finish as
Gastonia Cardinals - Misplaced Pages Continue
5292-486: The 1930s. The City Hospital-Gaston Memorial Hospital , Craig Farmstead , Downtown Gastonia Historic District , First National Bank Building , Gaston County Courthouse, Gastonia High School , David Jenkins House , Loray Mill Historic District , Robinson-Gardner Building , Third National Bank Building , and William J. Wilson House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . According to
5418-698: The 1977 Western Carolinas League by the Asheville Tourists , Charleston Patriots , Greenwood Braves , Shelby Reds and Spartanburg Phillies . On April 16, 1977, the Gastonia Cardinals won their first game, a 12–4 victory, playing at the Spartanburg Phillies. The 1977 Gastonia Cardinals won the Western Carolinas League championship, playing the season under manager Hal Lanier . With a record of 82–57,
5544-582: The 1980s when both teams contended for National League East supremacy. The rivalry began with the 1983 trade that brought Keith Hernandez from the Cardinals to the Mets, essentially turning the latter into contenders. Between 1985 and 1988, the division was dominated by either of the two teams, and in three of those years, the NL East winner went on to the World Series. In 1994, the Cardinals were moved to
5670-621: The 2011 postseason. Making its "debut" in Game 3 of the NLDS on October 4, a squirrel ran across home plate in the middle of a pitch from Roy Oswalt of the Phillies to the Cardinals' Skip Schumaker . The Cardinals would win Game 4 and subsequently Game 5 (October 7) in Philadelphia to advance to the NLCS, symbolizing the squirrel's "role" in the victory. The squirrel was popularized as "Buschie
5796-446: The 2013 season. The modified jersey, cream-colored with red trim on the sleeves and down the front, retains the "birds on the bat" but is the first since 1932 in which "St. Louis" is used instead of "Cardinals". 2013 also saw the team adopt their red caps as their main cap for both home and away games for the first time since 1991; the navy cap was retained as an alternate, used when visiting other teams with red home caps. Starting with
5922-468: The 2019 season, the Cardinals have worn updated powder blue alternate uniforms during Saturday road games. Like the Saturday home cream alternates, it features red piping and "St. Louis" below the "birds on the bat" logo. In 2020, the Cardinals introduced a slightly updated version of their " StL " cap logo, which was "soft launched" in 2019 via their social media accounts and game broadcasts. In 2023,
6048-469: The 2021 season, the Cardinals added a new helmet to match their home Sunday alternate caps. The new birds on the bat design was modified again the next year, with yellow beaks and white eyes replacing the red beaks and yellow eyes of the 1998 version. Uniform numbers also returned to the front of the jerseys in 1999 after a two-year absence. On November 16, 2012, the Cardinals unveiled a new alternate uniform to be worn at home games on Saturdays beginning with
6174-486: The Bradley Station. One-way fare to/from uptown Charlotte is $ 4.40; transfer is free when transferring to any other CATS services. Greyhound Lines serves the city. Alongside Gastonia Transit, Greyhound utilizes downtown's Bradley Station. Amtrak 's Crescent (trains 19, 20) connects Gastonia (GAS) with the cities of (to the north) New York , Philadelphia , Baltimore , Washington , and Charlotte, and (to
6300-739: The Browns met the Chicago White Stockings, now the Chicago Cubs , launching the enduring Cardinals–Cubs rivalry . In 1892, the Browns – also called the Perfectos – joined the National League . In 1900, the team was renamed the Cardinals . (Two years later, an unrelated St. Louis Browns team joined the American League .) Notable Cardinals achievements include manager/owner Branch Rickey 's invention of
6426-481: The Cardinals abandoned Robison Field and returned to the original Sportsman's Park and became tenants of their American League rivals, the St. Louis Browns . In 1953, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery purchased the Cardinals and the new owner subsequently also purchased Sportsman's Park from the Browns and renamed it Busch Stadium, later becoming Busch I. The Browns then left St. Louis for Baltimore after
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#17327718530966552-771: The Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs . The rivalry is also known as the Downstate Illinois rivalry or the I-55 Series (in earlier years as the Route 66 Series ) as both cities are located along Interstate 55 (which itself succeeded the famous U.S. Route 66 ). The Cubs lead the series 1,253–1,196, through October 2021, while the Cardinals lead in National League pennants with 19 against the Cubs' 17. The Cubs have won 11 of those pennants in Major League Baseball's Modern Era (1901–present), while all 19 of
6678-551: The Cardinals at $ 1.9 billion, the 7th-highest among MLB clubs and far more than the $ 147 million paid in 1995 by owner William DeWitt Jr. 's investment group. In 2017, the team took in revenue of $ 319 million on an operating income of $ 40.0 million. John Mozeliak is the President of Baseball Operations, Mike Girsch is the general manager , and Oliver Marmol is the manager . The Cardinals are renowned for their strong fan support: despite being in one of
6804-578: The Cardinals captured the league pennant, finishing 1.0 game ahead of the second place Ashville Tourists in the overall standings. Gastionia was the second half winner of the split-season schedule and played the first half winner, the Greenwood Braves in the playoff. Gastonia defeated the Braves three games to one in the Final to capture the league championship. In 1978, the Cardinals placed fifth in
6930-414: The Cardinals changed their caps to solid blue with a red " StL ", removing the red bill. Also, for that season only, the Cardinals wore a script "Cardinals" wordmark on their uniforms excluding the "birds on the bat". An updated version of the "birds on the bat" logo returned in 1957 with the word "Cardinals" written in cursive beneath the bat; this logo, with some incremental changes along the way, has been
7056-468: The Cardinals failed to repeat as World Series champions, blowing a 3–1 lead to the underdog Detroit Tigers . In the 1970s, catcher/third baseman Joe Torre and first baseman Keith Hernandez each won MVPs, but the team's best finishes were second place and 90 wins . The team found their way back to the World Series three times in the 1980s, starting with manager Whitey Herzog and his Whiteyball style of play and another trade that altered course of
7182-438: The Cardinals finished second among MLB franchises in home game attendance, surpassed only by the Los Angeles Dodgers each season. The Cardinals since 1987 , have surpassed 3 million in 25 years, with the 25th season on September 18, 2023 . The Cardinals have had few logos throughout their history, although those logos have evolved over time. The first logo associated with the Cardinals was an interlocking "SL" that appeared on
7308-471: The Cardinals have played their home games at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. One of the nation's oldest and most successful professional baseball clubs, the Cardinals have won 11 World Series championships , the most of any NL team and second in MLB only to the New York Yankees . The team has won 19 National League pennants , third-most of any team behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants . St. Louis has also won 15 division titles in
7434-401: The Cardinals introduced Stifel as its first uniform sponsor. The Stifel patch, which has red letters with the background color corresponding to the team's uniform, is placed on either sleeve depending on a player's handedness. In 2024, the Cardinals unveiled their City Connect uniform. The red-based uniform with white pants maintained the trademark "birds on the bat" logo in front, but with
7560-509: The Cardinals to the NLCS and playoffs in his first two seasons. In 2014 , the Cardinals extended their NLCS streak to 4, with their 3–1 series victory over the Dodgers , in the NLDS . Ten days after being eliminated from the postseason by the San Francisco Giants , rookie outfielder Oscar Taveras was killed in a car accident while traveling to his hometown Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic . On November 17, they acquired Atlanta Braves right-fielder Jason Heyward (who had just come off
7686-469: The Cardinals' pennants have been won since 1926. The Cardinals also have an edge when it comes to World Series successes, having won 11 championships to the Cubs' 3. Games featuring the Cardinals and Cubs see numerous visiting fans in either Busch Stadium in St. Louis or Wrigley Field in Chicago. When the National League split into two and then three divisions, the Cardinals and Cubs remained together. This has added excitement to several pennant races over
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#17327718530967812-501: The Cardinals. The Cardinals' first 28 seasons in the NL were a complete reversal of their stay in the AA – with a .406 winning percentage, they compiled 1,632 wins, 2,425 losses and 74 ties. St. Louis baseball commenced a renaissance : since 1926 the Cardinals have won eleven World Series and nineteen NL pennants. Breadon spurred this revival when he bought out the majority stake in 1920 and appointed Rickey as business manager, who expanded scouting, player development, and pioneered
7938-408: The City of Gastonia and Gaston County governments, the Gaston County Schools system, CaroMont Regional Medical Center , and retailers Walmart and Advance Auto Parts , with two and six stores (plus a distribution center) respectively. Gastonia and the surrounding areas feature several notable attractions. The Schiele Museum of Natural History features a number of permanent exhibits, including
8064-454: The Gastonia "Cardinals" began play. On July 22, 1938, the Shelby Cardinals franchise of the eight-team, Class D level North Carolina State League relocated to Gastonia. Shelby had a record of 47–23 at the time of the move and were a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals . The Shelby/Gastonia team ended the regular season in second place with a record of 66–45, playing under manager George Silvey. Gastonia finished 9.0 games behind
8190-453: The Gastonia franchise continued play in the South Atlantic League, becoming the Gastonia Expos , as a minor league affiliate of the Montreal Expos . From 1938 to 1940, the Gastonia Cardinals of the North Carolina State League and Tar Heel League hosted home games at the Gastonia High School Stadium. The ballpark had a capacity of 3,000, with field dimensions of (Left-Center-Right): 340-415-355 in 1939 and 325-360-360 in 1940. The ballpark
8316-424: The Gastonia franchise. The 1977 Gastonia Cardinals were reformed as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals , playing as members of the six-team, Class A level Western Carolinas League , as the league expanded from four teams to six, adding Gastonia and the Shelby Reds franchises. The Cardinals were preceded in Western Carolinas League play by the 1974 Gastonia Rangers . The Cardinals were joined in
8442-456: The Hall of North Carolina Natural History and the Henry Hall of the American Indian. The museum is also home to the James H. Lynn Planetarium, the only planetarium in the Charlotte area. The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is located just southeast of the city in Belmont on NC 279 . The U.S. National Whitewater Center (on the Catawba River ) is located east of the city in neighboring Mecklenburg County . Crowders Mountain State Park
8568-402: The MVP, helping to propel St. Louis to the World Series . The Cardinals won the league the following year behind their Major League-leading 2.49 staff ERA in what was an all-round record-breaking season of pitching dominance . Posting a modern-day record low ERA of 1.12 and striking out a one-game World Series -record of 17, Gibson won both the MVP and Cy Young awards that year. However,
8694-545: The Rally Squirrel". As a tribute to the popularity of the squirrel, a small depiction of the Rally Squirrel is also included on the official World Series rings the team received. It shows up under the "STL" logo on the side of the ring. Fredbird sparked controversy in May 2015, when he was asked by a fan for a photograph and handed him a sign that said "Police Lives Matter". The team later claimed that Fredbird should not be involved in any political activity or social commentary. The Cardinals–Cubs rivalry refers to games between
8820-410: The South Atlantic League, the Cardinals finished in fifth place. The Cardinals ended the season with a record of 54–89. Playing the season under manager Lloyd Merritt , Gastonia finished 43.0 games behind the first place and eventual league champion Greensboro Hornets in the North Division. The Gastonia Cardinals' final game was on August 31, 1982, an 8–7 loss against the Spartanburg Traders . In 1983,
8946-447: The St. Louis Cardinals, while joining a newly formed league. The 1939 Gastionia Cardinals became charter members of the six-team, Class D level Tar Heel League. The Hickory Rebels , Lenoir Indians , Newton-Conover Twins , Shelby Nationals and Statesville Owls joined Gastonia in beginning league play. In their first season of league play, the Gastonia Cardinals won the 1939 Tar Heel League pennant and championship. The Cardinals ended
9072-690: The Tar Heel League regular season with a record of 72–36, placing first in the standings, finishing 10.5 games ahead of the second place Lenoir Indians. Al Unser served as the Gastonia manager. In the first round of the four-team playoffs, Gastonia defeated the Shelby Nationals three games to one to advance. In the Finals, Gastonia defeated the Statesville Owls in seven games to win the championship. Hooper Triplett of Gastonia won
9198-510: The United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52.22 square miles (135.2 km ), of which 51.99 square miles (134.7 km ) is land and 0.23 square miles (0.60 km ) (0.44%) is water. Gastonia occupies 14% of the total area of Gaston County. Gastonia is approximately 21 miles (34 km) west of Charlotte , 22 miles (35 km) east of Shelby , and 37 miles (60 km) south of Hickory . As of
9324-457: The World Series, where they faced and ultimately defeated the New York Mets , while the Cardinals lost in the NLDS. Had the Cardinals made it to the World Series, they would have faced the Royals in a rematch of 1985. Primarily a playoff rivalry; since 1892, The Cardinals and Dodgers have met 6 times in the postseason with 2 meetings in the NLCS won by the Cardinals. Both teams have recently grown
9450-604: The annual lighting of the Christmas tree in the Rotary Pavilion. He was invited to light the tree along with one of the city's councilmen. St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis . The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central Division . Since the 2006 season ,
9576-472: The brewery took control and hired Joe Torre to manage late in 1990 , then sold the team to an investment group led by William DeWitt Jr. in 1996 . Tony La Russa replaced Torre in the spring of 1996. In 1998, Mark McGwire competed with the Cubs' Sammy Sosa for a barrage of home runs in their pursuit of the single-season home run record . From 2000 to 2013 , the Cardinals reestablished their way to
9702-421: The city was 62.8% White , 27.5% Black or African American , 2.0% Asian , 0.4% Native American , 5.2% some other race , and 3.0% two or more races . 9.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino American of any race. As of the 2010 census, there were 27,770 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were headed by married couples living together, 19.0% had
9828-549: The city with a major domestic/international gateway and is located 18 miles (29 km) east, in Charlotte. American Airlines has the airline's second largest hub operation at Charlotte. Gastonia has two sister cities : Gotha was Gastonia's first sister city in 1994. Santiago de Surco became an official partner in March 2004. Mayor Jennie Stultz visited Gotha in 2007. In December 2007, the mayor of Santiago de Surco visited for
9954-593: The city, with a daytime population change of +10,610. The city is the international corporate headquarters for textile company Parkdale Mills, the number one manufacturer of spun yarn in the world. The company also operated two production facilities in Gastonia and several in surrounding communities. Parkdale, like many other companies, has closed plants and moved production to other countries. Other manufacturers in Gastonia include Wix Filtration Corp., Freightliner Trucks , Stabilus, Curtiss-Wright Controls Engineered Systems and Radici Group . Other major employers include
10080-583: The city. The Gaston Gazette is Gastonia's main newspaper. It is published daily, and covers Gastonia city, Gaston County, and surrounding areas. The Charlotte Observer (North Carolina's largest newspaper) is also available, citywide. Gastonia is served by numerous FM and AM radio stations, mainly based in nearby Charlotte. The city has one licensed AM station: WGNC 1450 AM; it has two licensed FM stations: WGNC 101.1FM and WBAV 101.9 FM. Interstate 85 (I-85) links Gastonia directly with Charlotte , Greensboro , Durham , and Petersburg / Richmond (to
10206-557: The club in St. Louis. In March 1996, AB sold the team for $ 147 million to a partnership headed by Southwest Bank's Drew Baur , Hanser and DeWitt Jr. Civic Center Redevelopment, a subsidiary of AB, held the parking garages and adjacent property and also transferred them to the Baur ownership group. Baur's group then sold the garages to another investment group, lowering the net franchise purchase price to about $ 100 million, about $ 10 million less than Financial World 's value of
10332-697: The coining of the term " Cardinal Nation ". Dizzy Dean led the Gang, winning the 1934 MVP , and leading the NL multiple times in wins , strikeouts , innings , complete games and shutouts . Johnny Mize and Joe Medwick emerged as two power threats, with Medwick claiming the last Triple Crown for a Cardinal in 1937 . In the 1940s, a golden era emerged as Rickey's farm system became laden with such talent as Marty Marion , Enos Slaughter , Mort Cooper , Walker Cooper , Stan Musial , Max Lanier , Whitey Kurowski , Red Schoendienst and Johnny Beazley . It
10458-431: The crew-neck collar became a V-neck. Another trend in baseball led the Cardinals to change their road uniforms from gray to light blue from 1976 to 1984; the player numbers were worn on the sleeves in 1979 and 1980. In 1992, the Cardinals returned to wearing traditional button-down shirts and pants with belts. That same year, they also brought back the all-navy cap with a red " StL ", which were last worn in 1964, for use on
10584-473: The division winner Greensboro Hornets. In the first round of the four-team playoffs, Gastonia lost to Greensboro two games to one. Ralph Citarella of Gastonia led South Atlantic League pitchers with a 1.64 ERA. The South Atlantic League expanded in 1982, becoming a ten-team league, as the Spartanburg Phillies and Florence Blue Jays became new members. The Gastonia Cardinals placed fourth in
10710-411: The field across the street), a 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m ) Budweiser Brew House, FOX Sports Midwest Live! and PBR , the $ 100 million phase 1 development of Ballpark Village is intended to be a gathering space throughout the year, not just during the baseball season. Busch Stadium is the Cardinals' fourth home ballpark and the third to bear that name. The Cardinals' original home ballpark
10836-413: The five-team North Division in 1981, missing the South Atlantic League playoffs. Playing the season under manager Joe Rigoli , Gastonia ended the regular season with a 68–76 record to finish 31.5 games behind the division champion Greensboro Hornets. Greensboro was the eventual league champion. Gastonia played their final season as the "Cardinals" in 1982. Continuing play in the five-team North Division of
10962-466: The following season. In 1920, the "SL" largely disappeared from the team's uniforms, and for the next 20 years the team wore caps that were white with red striping and a red bill. In 1922, the Cardinals wore uniforms for the first time that featured two cardinal birds perched on a baseball bat over the name "Cardinals" with the letter "C" of the word hooked over the bat. The concept of the birds originated after general manager Branch Rickey noticed
11088-619: The franchise: in 1982 , shortstop Garry Templeton was shipped to the Padres for fellow shortstop Ozzie Smith . Widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in history, Smith ranks first all-time among shortstops in Gold Glove Awards (13), All-Star games (15), assists (8,375), and double plays (1,590). St. Louis won the 1982 World Series from the Milwaukee Brewers that fall. The Cardinals again won
11214-625: The largest games-won deficit after 130 games (at 10.5) to upstage the Atlanta Braves on the final day for the wild card playoff berth. In Game 3 of the World Series , Pujols became just the third player to hit three home runs in a World Series game. In Game 6, third baseman David Freese and outfielder Lance Berkman each tied the score on the Cardinals' final strike—the first such occurrence in any game in MLB history—and St. Louis defeated
11340-481: The league in 1985 and 1987 . In the 1985 Series , they faced-off with cross-state rivals Kansas City Royals for the first time in a non-exhibition game, but they lost the series after a controversial call in Game 6; the 1987 series saw them face off against the Minnesota Twins , but could only win all three of their games played at home in the seven-game series. After Gussie Busch died in 1989 ,
11466-506: The league in ERA (2.07) and wins (40) in 1885 and finished in the top six in both in each of the following two seasons. He also led the AA in OBP (.448) and OPS (.974) in 1886 and finished fourth in batting average in 1886 (.334) and fifth in 1887 (.357). Outfielder Tip O'Neill won the first batting triple crown in franchise history in 1887 and the only one in AA history. By winning
11592-486: The league triple crown, hitting .391 with 27 home runs and 115 RCI. Teammate Miles Gardner had 17 wins to lead the Tar Heel league in that category. The Cardinals continued play as the 1940 Tar Heel League remained with the original six teams, in what proved to be the final season of the first Gastonia Cardinals team. Gastonia finished second in the regular season standing and qualified for the playoffs. The Cardinals ended
11718-518: The moniker "Cardinals" and, the next year in 1900, popularity for the nickname induced an official change to Cardinals . In 1902 , an American League team moved from Milwaukee into St. Louis, renamed themselves the St. Louis Browns and built a new park on the site of the Cardinals' old stadium , striking a rivalry that lasted five decades. Breadon bought a minority interest in the Cardinals in 1917 and in 1919 Browns manager Branch Rickey joined
11844-473: The next season , St. Louis joined the National League as a charter member, finishing in third place at 45–19. George Bradley hurled the first no-hitter in Major League history . The NL expelled St. Louis from the league after 1877 due to a game-fixing scandal and the team went bankrupt. Without a league, they continued play as a semi-professional barnstorming team through 1881. The magnitudes of
11970-526: The next seventeen seasons, but fell short of winning the league or World Series until 1964 . In 1953 the Anheuser-Busch brewery bought the Cardinals and August "Gussie" Busch became team president, spurring the Browns' departure in 1953 to Baltimore to become the Orioles , and making the Cardinals the only major league club in town. More success followed in the 1960s, starting with what
12096-430: The northeast) and Spartanburg , Greenville , Atlanta and Montgomery (to the southwest). Gastonia's transportation network is supplemented by one additional freeway ( US 321 ), the freeway portion of which directly connects Gastonia with transcontinental I-40 and the city of Hickory , 35 miles (56 km) north of Gastonia. Gastonia is also served by three federal highways: US 29 , US 74 (US 29 and US 74 follow
12222-545: The outfield wall offers a remarkable view of St. Louis' downtown skyline featuring the distinctive Gateway Arch . A replica of the Eads Bridge spans the entrance to the park on the third base side, while the statue of Stan Musial stands in front of that entrance. Other statues at the corner of 8th and Clark include Hall of Famers Rogers Hornsby , Ozzie Smith , George Sisler , Cool Papa Bell , Bob Gibson , Jack Buck , and others. Due to increased demand, Game 7 of
12348-656: The pennant, the Browns played the NL pennant winner in a predecessor of the World Series . The Browns twice met the Chicago White Stockings—the predecessor to the Chicago Cubs — tying one in a heated dispute and winning the other , thus spurring the vigorous St. Louis-Chicago rivalry that ensues to this day. During the franchise's ten seasons in the AA, they compiled an all-time league-high of 780 wins and .639 winning percentage. They lost just 432 contests while tying 21 others. The AA went bankrupt after
12474-488: The perception from the color to the bird. The now-famous "birds on the bat" design initially appeared with the birds perched on a black bat and "Cardinals" in printed letters. An alternate version of this logo with "St. Louis" replacing "Cardinals" appeared in 1930 and was the primary logo in 1931 and 1932 before "Cardinals" returned. In 1940, the now-familiar " StL " logo was introduced on the team's caps. The interlocking " StL " has undergone several slight modifications over
12600-556: The powder blue color with the team's current "Saturday alternate" jersey design, were to be worn 13 times on the road during the 2019 season. The Cardinals acquired Paul Goldschmidt in a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks on December 5, 2018. On September 14, 2022, long-time starting pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina set the NL/AL record for most starts as pitcher and catcher duo, also referred to as
12726-411: The purchaser would keep the team in St. Louis, due to the city's status as a "small market", which appears to handicap a club's competitiveness. Such was the case when Sam Breadon put the Cardinals up for sale in 1947: then-NL President Ford Frick proposed moving the Cardinals to Chicago . When AB placed the Cardinals for sale in 1995, they publicly expressed intention to find a buyer who would keep
12852-509: The red caps were the only cap worn by the team full-time. In 1967, the birds on the bat emblem on the jersey was again tweaked, making the birds more realistic and changing the position of their tails relative to the bat and this version remained on all Cardinals game jerseys through 1997. In 1971, following the trend in baseball at the time, the Cardinals replaced the traditional flannel front-button shirts and pants with belts with new pullover knit jerseys and beltless elastic waist pants. In 1973,
12978-494: The regular season with a 64–44 record, playing under manager Milt Bocek , while finishing 8.0 games behind the first place Statesville Owls. In the playoffs, the Cardinals were swept in three games by the Hickory Rebels. Player/manager Mile Bocek led the Tar Heel League with both a .367 average and 109 RBI. Gastonia folded and did not return to play in the 1941 Tar Heel League, as the league expanded to eight teams without
13104-404: The reorganizations, following the 1877 and 1881 seasons, are such that the 1875–1877 and 1878–1881 Brown Stockings teams are not generally considered to share continuity as a franchise with the current St. Louis Cardinals. For the 1882 season , Chris von der Ahe purchased the team, reorganized it, and made it a founding member of the American Association (AA), a league to rival the NL. 1882
13230-423: The road only while wearing the same red and white cap for home games. In 1998, the "birds on the bat" was updated for the first time in 30 years with more detailed birds and bolder letters. That year, St. Louis introduced a cap featuring a single cardinal bird perched on a bat worn for Sunday home games only. Up until 2020, the alternate "bird" caps were paired with their primary " StL " red batting helmets, but in
13356-935: The same route through the city), and US 321. US 29 parallels I-85 through the Carolinas, while US 74 provides direct east–west links to Charlotte and Wilmington (east), and Asheville and Cherokee (to the west). US 321 links Gastonia to central South Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwest North Carolina. State highways include: NC 7 , NC 274 , NC 275 and NC 279 . Franklin Boulevard, Garrison Boulevard, Hudson Boulevard and Ozark/Long/Airline/Gaston Avenues are major east–west city thoroughfares. New Hope Road, Chester Street/York Road, and Marietta Street/Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, are major north–south city thoroughfares. Gastonia Transit (GT)
13482-553: The school has an Elementary campus along with a Secondary campus. A new High School campus is presently under construction. The new campus is set to open for the 2020–2021 school year. Although there are no colleges or universities within the city limits of Gastonia, higher education is well represented in the greater Gastonia area. Gaston County is home to Belmont Abbey College (Belmont; four-year) and Gaston College ( Dallas , Lincolnton (Lincoln County), and Belmont; two-year). The Gaston County Public Library has three locations in
13608-477: The script "The Lou" in white trimmed in navy blue instead of either the city or team name. "The Lou" paid homage to rapper Nelly , a St. Louis native who once coined the city's nickname on his 2000 single Country Grammar . Darker red wavy pinstripes were an allusion to the Mississippi River where St. Louis is situated. A red circular patch containing a yellow fleur-de-lis , a navy blue illustration of
13734-688: The season, becoming the Orioles. The Cardinals built Busch Memorial Stadium , or Busch II, in downtown St. Louis, opened it during the 1966 season and played there until 2005. It was built as the multi-purpose stadium home of both the baseball Cardinals and the NFL football Cardinals , who are now the Arizona Cardinals ; the NFL's Rams also played the first four games of their home schedule upon their arrival in St. Louis in 1995. The current Busch Stadium
13860-514: The second Cardinals team played from 1977 to 1982 as members of the Class A level Western Carolinas League (winning the 1977 league championship) and its 1980 successor, the South Atlantic League . The Cardinals teams hosted home minor league games from 1938 to 1940 at the Gastonia High School Stadium and subsequently at Sims Legion Park , which is still in use today. Gastonia first hosted minor league baseball in 1923, when
13986-413: The six team Western Carolinas League. Gastonia ended the season with a 69–71 record, finishing 13.5 games behind the first place Greenwood Braves in the final standings. Buzzy Keller was the Gastonia manager. No playoffs were held as Greenwood won both halves of the split season schedule. The Western Carolinas League played its final season in 1979. The Cardinals again placed fifth in the final standings of
14112-575: The six-team league. Playing the season under manager Johnny Lewis, Gastonia compiled a record of 65–74, finishing 13.5 games behind the first place Greenwood Braves. Gastonia did not qualify for the playoffs, won by Greenwood. Cardinal pitcher Jerry Johnson led the Western Carolinas League with a 2.65 ERA. In 1980, the Western Carolinas League was renamed as the league evolved to become the eight-team Class A level South Atlantic League . The six Western Carolinas franchises remained, with
14238-404: The south) Atlanta, Birmingham , and New Orleans . The unmanned Amtrak station is situated at 350 Hancock Street. General service: Gastonia Municipal Airport (AKH) handles most of the city's private air service needs. It is located in the southeast part of the city on Gaston Day School Road, off NC 274 (Union Road). Commercial service: Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT) provides
14364-568: The sport's mid-level markets, they routinely see attendances among the league's highest, and are consistently among the top three in MLB in local television ratings. Through 2024, the Cardinals' all-time win-loss record is 11,285–10,402–152 (.520). Professional baseball began in St. Louis with the inception of the Brown Stockings in the National Association (NA) in 1875 . The NA folded following that season, and
14490-592: The team at the time $ 110 million. Current Cincinnati Reds owners Bob Castellini and brothers Thomas Williams and W. Joseph Williams Jr. each once owned a stake in the Cardinals dating back to the Baur-DeWitt group's purchase of the team. To allow their purchase of the Reds in 2005, the rest of the group bought out Castellini's and the Williams brothers' shares, totaling an estimated 13 percent. At that time,
14616-482: The team to a major-league best 105 wins and take the NL pennant . In 2006 , beset with injuries and inconsistency, they won the World Series , beating Detroit in five games to set an all-time record-low of 83 wins for a World Series winner. In 2009 , the Cardinals reached 10,000 wins, dating to when they first played in the American Association (AA). St. Louis returned to the playoffs in 2011 , first surmounting
14742-463: The team's caps and or sleeves as early as 1899 or 1900 (depending on the source). Those early uniforms usually featured the name "St. Louis" on white home and gray road uniforms which both had cardinal red accents. During an 1899 road trip to Chicago, a girl in the stands remarked, "Oh, isn't that a lovely shade of cardinal." The team, known as the Perfectos at the time, changed its name to Cardinals
14868-471: The team's logo since. In 1962, the Cardinals became the first National League team (and the second in all of Major League Baseball after the Chicago White Sox in 1960) to display players' names on the back of their jerseys. In 1964, while retaining their blue caps for road games, the Cardinals changed their home caps to all red with first a blue, than a white, interlocking " StL ". The next year,
14994-555: The top with ten playoff appearances, four NL pennants , two World Series titles and 1,274 regular season wins against 993 losses for a .560 winning percentage, leading the National League and second in MLB only to the New York Yankees . With the addition of Jim Edmonds , Albert Pujols , and Scott Rolen , the Cardinals featured three prominent sluggers and defenders nicknamed "MV3;" Pujols won three MVPs and hit .328 with 445 home runs in his Cardinals career. In 2004 , playoff stalwart Chris Carpenter 's 3.09 ERA and 15 wins helped power
15120-432: The years but has appeared on the team's caps every year since. The first appearance of the "STL" in 1940 coincided with the introduction of navy blue as a uniform color. From 1940 until 1955, the team wore navy blue caps with red bills and a red interlocking " StL " while the jerseys featured both cardinal red and navy blue accents. In 1951, the "birds on the bat" logo was changed to feature a yellow baseball bat. In 1956,
15246-492: The years. The Cardinals and Cubs have played each other once in the postseason, 2015 National League Division Series , which the Cubs won 3–1. The Cardinals have an interleague and intrastate rivalry with the Kansas City Royals , dubbed the "Show-Me Series" after the nickname of the team's home state, Missouri ; or the "I–70 Series" after the interstate highway that connects the cities. The teams first met in
15372-402: Was Sportsman's Park from 1882 to 1892 when they played in the American Association and were known as the Browns. In 1893 , the Browns moved to a new ballpark five blocks northwest of Sportsman's Park which would serve as their home from 1893 to 1920. The new park was originally called New Sportsman's Park but became more commonly referred to as Robison Field . Midway through the 1920 season,
15498-440: Was 38.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males. In 2011 the estimated median income for a household in the city was $ 36,881, and the median income for a family was $ 44,576. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 38,151 versus $ 29,590 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,277. 20.9% of the population and 18.3% of families were below
15624-604: Was constructed partly atop the site of Busch Memorial Stadium. The Cardinals home field in spring training is Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida . They share the complex, which opened in 1998, with the Miami Marlins . Before moving to Jupiter, the Cardinals hosted spring training at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1937 to 1997. The Cardinals have exceeded the attendance total of 3 million every season from 2004 to 2019. Every season from 2013 to 2019,
15750-414: Was located at Gastonia High School between west 7th Street and West 8th Street. The high school building still exists today, repurposed as a residential building and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The 1977 to 1982 Gastonia Cardinals hosted minor league home games at Sims Legion Park . The original Sims Legion Park was built in 1950. The ballpark was essentially reconstructed with
15876-414: Was one of the most successful decades in franchise history with 960 wins and 580 losses for a winning percentage higher than any other Major League team at .623. With Billy Southworth managing, they won the World Series in 1942 and 1944 (in the only all-St. Louis series against the Browns ), and won 105 or more games each in 1942 , 1943 , and 1944 . Southworth's managerial winning percentage (.642)
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