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101-640: 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 , 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,

202-611: 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

303-404: 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

404-565: A nonprofit organization that builds baseball fields, helps youth baseball programs, and awards grants to children's boards. Through January 2017, Cardinals Care had distributed some $ 900,000 a year. As of 2013, the organization has built 18 baseball fields in the Greater St. Louis area. Since 2004, the organization has run Redbird Rookies, a network of 20 leagues for nearly 4,500 children around Greater St. Louis and in rural sections of Missouri and Illinois . who would not otherwise have

505-596: 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

606-511: 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 the franchise: in 1982 , shortstop Garry Templeton

707-534: A Browns game, wearing DeWitt's jersey to the plate. He earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University in economics in 1963 and an M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1965. DeWitt was part of an investment group led by Francis L. Dale that purchased the Cincinnati Reds for $ 8 million from his father, Bill Sr., on December 5, 1966 . DeWitt joined Cincinnati investment firm Gradison & Co . in 1974. In 1979, along with Mercer Reynolds , he founded

808-473: 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

909-495: 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

1010-543: 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

1111-524: A mixed-use retail, entertainment, hotel, residential and office space known as Ballpark Village was planned for development adjacent to Busch Stadium. However, several years of delays postponed the groundbreaking and construction until spring of 2013. In 2009 , the Cardinals hosted the All-Star Game . DeWitt began emphasizing developing talent as much as possible through the minor leagues , rather than relying mainly on free agents . Seventeen of

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1212-525: 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

1313-540: 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

1414-551: 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

1515-705: Is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of the Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since

1616-618: Is one of the few majority-privately funded MLB stadiums, along with the San Francisco Giants ' Oracle Park and the Los Angeles Dodgers ' Dodger Stadium . Busch Stadium cost $ 45 million (12%) in a long-term loan from St. Louis County , while, by comparison the Milwaukee Brewers ' American Family Field ended up drawing 77.5% in public funding . In conjunction with opening the new Busch Stadium,

1717-545: Is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in

1818-522: 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

1919-481: 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

2020-400: 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

2121-599: 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

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2222-504: The China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with

2323-660: The Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles . In 1984, one of DeWitt's business ventures, the oil company Spectrum 7 , bought George W. Bush 's Arbusto Energy , which, in turn, merged with Harken Energy in 1986. When Eddie Chiles prepared to sell the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989, DeWitt and Bush gathered investors to buy the team. DeWitt has also held shares in the National Football League 's Cincinnati Bengals and

2424-436: 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

2525-471: The Forbes valued the Cardinals at about $ 370 million. However, after reabsorbing that stake into the remainder of the group, they decided to make it available to new investors in 2010. Amid later allegations that the Cardinals owed the city profit shares, DeWitt revealed that their profitability had not reached the threshold to trigger that obligation. Professional baseball Professional baseball

2626-579: 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

2727-402: The Houston Astros ' database of players, scouting reports and proprietary statistics. It was regarded as the first known case of corporate espionage involving computer network hacking in professional sports . On September 19, 2015, the Cardinals became the first team in MLB to clinch a playoff spot that season . It also extended a franchise record of five consecutive seasons of reaching

2828-485: 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

2929-464: 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

3030-683: 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, the Browns met the Chicago White Stockings, now the Chicago Cubs , launching the enduring Cardinals–Cubs rivalry . In 1892,

3131-405: 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

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3232-479: 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

3333-420: 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

3434-700: The 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues,

3535-520: 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

3636-525: 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 , the brewery took control and hired Joe Torre to manage late in 1990 , then sold

3737-621: 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

3838-444: 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

3939-466: 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,

4040-468: 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

4141-656: The 25 players on the Cardinals' 2011 World Series roster were Cardinals' draftees. In January 2014 , the city of Memphis cleared the Cardinals to purchase the Memphis Redbirds from the MRF. Ballpark Village construction was completed and it opened in March 2014. The Cardinals also announced the rechristening of the team Hall of Fame Museum , with an annual selection process commencing in 2015. Twenty-two former Cardinals players and personnel were announced for induction into

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4242-502: The 27th-most valuable sports franchise in the world, and sixth-principal franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB). It was an increase from an $ 800 million pricing and eighth in the echelon in 2014 . Their revenue was $ 294 million while their operating income was $ 73.6 million, and their overall assessment was approximately $ 200 million higher than the MLB average of $ 1.2 billion. Mike Ozanian of Forbes remarked that

4343-642: 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 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 ,

4444-481: 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

4545-698: 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

4646-546: 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

4747-414: 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

4848-437: 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

4949-564: 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 the East and Central divisions. In 1881, entrepreneur Chris von der Ahe purchased the Brown Stockings barnstorming club, renamed it

5050-400: 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

5151-629: 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

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5252-562: The Cardinals were "baseball's biggest anomaly", with outsize value outpacing their status as one of baseball's "smallest markets ", and Ballpark Village was a popular destination for dining and entertainment . The Cardinals' local television ratings (7.76) graded the highest among all major league teams . Reports surfaced on June 16, 2015 , that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were reviewing an alleged incident involving Cardinals' front office officials hacking into

5353-523: 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

5454-545: 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

5555-639: The Hall of Fame for the inaugural class of 2014. Closed since 2008, when the International Bowling Hall of Fame moved to Texas , this reincarnation of the museum is located in the newly constructed Ballpark Village within the same building as the Cardinal Nation Restaurant. The Cardinals' value exceeded $ 1 billion for the first time in 2015 when Forbes appraised the Cardinals outright at $ 1.4 billion, making them

5656-574: 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, the Cardinals failed to repeat as World Series champions, blowing

5757-550: The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in the United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ")

5858-592: 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

5959-457: 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

6060-554: 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

6161-531: The club. Since DeWitt bought the team, the Cardinals have won two World Series ( 2006 and 2011 ), four National League pennants , 11 division titles, and have made 15 total playoff appearances. Forbes estimated that the team was worth $ 1.4 billion in 2014 and $ 2.1 billion in July 2019. The Cardinals are one of the largest privately held firms in St. Louis, bringing in an estimated $ 233 million in revenue in 2012. In 1997, DeWitt established Cardinals Care,

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6262-633: 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

6363-431: 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

6464-409: 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

6565-464: 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

6666-610: The former Cincinnati Stingers of the World Hockey Association . DeWitt was part owner of the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati on December 3, 1979, when 11 people were killed prior to a concert by The Who . In 1995, DeWitt and Stephen F. Brauer purchased the St. Louis Cardinals from Anheuser-Busch for $ 150 million. He oversees all league, financial, operational and baseball affairs for

6767-634: The investment firm Reynolds, DeWitt & Co. The firm owns 63 Arby's franchises, whose value has been estimated at $ 50.4 million and is an investor in Cincinnati -based U.S. Playing Card Company , with an estimated value of about $ 120 million. It also holds a $ 40 million stake in Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky . DeWitt is also involved with DeWitt Capital Group, a private equity firm registered in 2012. DeWitt has been part owner of

6868-514: 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

6969-502: 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

7070-670: The major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at a black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. William DeWitt Jr. DeWitt,

7171-467: 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

7272-472: 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

7373-523: 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

7474-767: The opportunity. It provides equipment and other necessities to the players, training for coaches and organizers, and workshops for parents. The Cardinals have purchased three of their minor league affiliates since the DeWitt group took over. In 1998, DeWitt purchased the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League ( minor league A-ball) and, in 2005, the Springfield Cardinals of the Texas League (AA). As of April 2013,

7575-510: The other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to the major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly

7676-542: 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

7777-654: 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

7878-487: 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

7979-670: The postseason, a record which the club had set in 2014 . In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed DeWitt to be on the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and tapped his wife, Kathy, to serve on the National Endowment for the Arts . DeWitt and his wife, Katharine "Kathy" Cramer DeWitt, live in Indian Hill, Ohio . They have four children, Katie, Bill, Andrew, and Margot and twelve grandchildren. Bill DeWitt III

8080-554: 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

8181-410: 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

8282-509: 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,

8383-401: 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

8484-423: 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

8585-477: 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

8686-687: 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

8787-404: The son of longtime Major League Baseball executive Bill DeWitt and Margaret H. DeWitt, was born in St. Louis, Missouri , where he attended St. Louis Country Day School . He was around baseball constantly as a child; his father owned the St. Louis Browns and Cincinnati Reds , and DeWitt served as a Browns batboy. On August 19, 1951, the little person Eddie Gaedel served as a pinch hitter at

8888-565: 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

8989-515: The stadium from the city while Memphis will upgrade the park. In 2013, Forbes listed the Redbirds as one of the ten most valuable minor league franchises. To expand the Cardinals' international presence, DeWitt opened baseball academies in the Dominican Republic and placed representatives in six foreign countries. In 2006, the Cardinals moved from their old home, Busch Memorial Stadium , to Busch Stadium in 2006 . The $ 365 million stadium

9090-590: 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,

9191-625: The team had negotiated to purchase the Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League ( AAA ) from the Memphis Redbirds Foundation (MRF), a local non-profit entity. However, talks went on hold due to defaulted bonds on the building of AutoZone Park . On November 16, 2013, the Cardinals announced a resolution to purchase the team while the city purchased the stadium. The Cardinals agreed to lease

9292-474: 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

9393-520: 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 the top with ten playoff appearances, four NL pennants , two World Series titles and 1,274 regular season wins against 993 losses for

9494-463: 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

9595-471: 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,

9696-431: 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,

9797-492: 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

9898-401: 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,

9999-604: 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,

10100-412: 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)

10201-528: 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 the league in 1985 and 1987 . In

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