University of Missouri Press, 2022 Paper: 978-0-8262-2264-0 | eISBN: 978-0-8262-6558-6 | Cloth: 978-0-8262-1687-8 Library of Congress Classification GV863.M82S7 2006 Dewey Decimal Classification 796.357640977866
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
ABOUT THIS BOOK
The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a tale of two teams: one the city’s lovable losers, the other a formidable dynasty.
The St. Louis Cardinals are the most successful franchise in National League history, while the St. Louis Browns were one of the least successful, yet most colorful, American League teams. Now Richard Peterson has collected the writings of some of baseball’s greatest storytellers to pay tribute to both these teams. His book, the first anthology devoted exclusively to the Cardinals and Browns, covers the rich history of St. Louis baseball from its late-nineteenth-century origins to the modern era.
The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a celebration of the many legendary stars and colorful characters who wore St. Louis uniforms and the writers who told their stories, including Alfred Spink, Roger Angell, George Will, and Baseball Hall of Fame writers Bob Broeg, J. Roy Stockton, Red Smith, and Fred Lieb. Here, too, are John Grisham, who grew up a Redbirds fan in Mississippi, and Jack Buck, the most identifiable voice in Cardinal history. Great players—Grover Cleveland Alexander, Rogers Hornsby, Marty Marion, and Satchel Paige—tell their own stories, while Bill Veeck offers an account of his wild ride as the last Browns owner and Whitey Herzog shares regrets about the play that cost the Cardinals the 1985 World Series.
From the days of the Gas House Gang to the 1944 “Streetcar Series,” from Bill Veeck’s legendary stunts to Mark McGwire’s pursuit of Roger Maris’s home-run record, the Reader will bring back memories for every fan. It takes in all of the magic of the ballpark—whether recounting the unhittable pitching of Bob Gibson, the slugging prowess of Stan “The Man” Musial, or the sterling glove-work of Ozzie Smith—along with reflective commentaries that tell how Jackie Robinson confronted racism and Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause.
St. Louis is a city blessed with a memorable baseball history, and The St. Louis Baseball Reader perfectly captures the joy and heartbreak of its winning and losing teams. It’s a book that will delight current fans of the Cardinals and old-timers who fondly recall the Browns.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Richard “Pete” Peterson is Professor Emeritus of English at Southern Illinois University and the commentator for the Reading Baseball series on SIU's NPR station. He is the author and editor of several baseball books, including Growing Up With Clemente, Pops: The Willie Stargell Story, and Extra Innings: Writing on Baseball. He lives in Makanda, Illinois.
REVIEWS
“As a Chicago Cubs fan, I believe—no, I know—that the St. Louis Cardinals are fully paid-up, card-carrying members of the Axis of Evil. Nevertheless, as this splendid volume shows, the Cardinals do have a history worth savoring.”—George F. Will
“Over the years, many baseball books have been written about the St. Louis Cardinals; not much has been written about the St. Louis Browns. The St. Louis Baseball Reader covers them both and is a must for every true baseball fan. Richard Peterson couldn’t have written it better. I thoroughly enjoyed every word.”
—Whitey Herzog, Manager, St. Louis Cardinals, 1980–1990
“Only Pete Peterson could lovingly craft such a rich history of baseball in St. Louis. The breadth and depth of The St. Louis Baseball Reader—from the topics it discusses to the unique perspectives it affords—will delight all baseball fans, especially the fans from the best baseball city in America. He leaves no stone unturned—and unturns many that others would ignore—in compiling these essays. This is a truly wonderful collection.”—Rob King, Anchor, Fox Sports Network
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction 1
Fans, Broadcasters, and Writers
Growing Up with the Game 00
JOHN GRISHAM
Bob Costas Will Never Be As Young As He Looks Today 00
BOB COSTAS
Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech 00
JACK BUCK
Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech 00
HARRY CARAY
The Gas House Gang 00
J. ROY STOCKTON
The Mystery of Stan Musial 00
BOB BROEG
The Beginnings of St. Louis Baseball
Jeremiah Fruin 00
ALFRED H. SPINK
The First Baseball Games in St. Louis 00
MERRITT W. GRISWOLD
Alfred H. Spink 00
STEVEN GIETSCHIER
A Charter Member/Der Poss Bresident 00
FREDERICK J. LIEB
The St. Louis Browns Are Champions 00
STAFF REPORTER
Farewell to Chris Von der Ahe 00
JON DAVID CASH
The American League Browns
Browns in American League since 1902 00
FREDERICK J. LIEB
Jimmy Austin 00
LAWRENCE S. RITTER
Rickey Tells How He'll Boss Browns 00
HUNT STROMBERG
The Dazzling Record of George Sisler 00
F. C. LANE
Will George Sisler Equal Ty Cobb 00
HUGH JENNINGS
The Beginning of a St. Louis Dynasty
The Rise of Baseball in St. Louis, 1920-1925 00
STEVE STEINBERG
From Rags to Riches: A Baseball Success Story 00
J. ROY STOCKTON
Grover Cleveland Alexander 00
FRANCIS J. POWERS
Bob O'Farrell 00
LAWRENCE S. RITTER
Country Boy 00
RED SMITH
Fans in Nine Hour Rampage 00
STAFF REPORTER
Me an Underminer? Not on Your Life 00
ROGERS HORNSBY
The 1928 World's Series 00
FREDERICK J. LIEB
The Gas House Gang
The Cardinals' First Publicity Man 00
GENE KARST
Bill Hallahan 00
DONALD HONIG
Redbird Who Stole a World Series 00
RAY ROBINSON
Admits He Would Like to Be a Manager Some Day 00
SID KEENER
The Fordham Flash Becomes a Manager 00
F. C. LANE
Dizzy Dean 00
BOB BROEG
Muscles and Me 00
ROBERT HOOD
St. Louis Swifties and the Streetcar Series
Billy Southworth's St. Louis Swifties 00
E. G. FISCHER
A St. Louis Harbinger: The 1942 Browns 00
BILL BORST
Marty Marion 00
LYALL SMITH
Branch Rickey Is Named President of the Brooklyn Dodgers 00
J. ROY STOCKTON
Morton Cooper 00
JOHN P. CARMICHAEL
World Series Review 00
SGTS. ROBERT W. BROEG and ROBERT H. MYERS
Full House 00
TIM WILES
Slaughter's Dash and the Brownies' Flight
Cards Champs Sixth Time Because of Old Fight 00
FREDERICK J. LIEB
Enos Dash to Destiny Revived 00
BOB BROEG
A Troubling Year 00
JAMES N. GIGLIO
I'm From Missouri--Momentarily 00
BILL VEECK
Hail the Prodigal Rajah 00
FRANK GRAHAM
The Day Veeck Played a Midget 00
BOB BROEG
Maybe I'll Pitch Forever 00
SATCHEL PAIGE
The Gibson Sixties
Distance 00
ROGER ANGELL
Dick Groat 00
DANNY PEARY
October 1964 00
DAVID HALBERSTAM
Redhead Cool Operator in Redbird Hot Seat 00
ROBERT L. BURNES
Gibson Pitches Three-Hitter in 7-2 Finale 00
ROBERT L. BURNES
Tim Hails `Vicious Desire' by Hoot 00
ED WILKS
Untamed Tigers Savor Sweet, Sweet Victory 00
LOWELL REIDENBAUGH
The `Silly' Series: Heroes, Goats, Turning Points, Tears 00
BOB BROEG
Dred Scott in Spikes 00
GEORGE WILL
Whitey Ball and a Big Mac Attack
Cardinals Fire Schoendienst 00
BOB BROEG
Larcenous Lou Laughs Off Pressure 00
NEAL RUSSO
World Champs: Cardinals Wrap It Up 00
RICK HUMMEL
Clutch Base Hits Came in Bunches 00
KEVIN HORRIGAN
St. Louis' Wizard of Ozzie 00
JIM MURRAY
Signatures 00
WHITEY HERZOG
Twins Are Champs 00
RICK HUMMEL
Our Casey 00
TOM BOSWELL
The Manager 00
GEORGE F. WILL
For Mark McGwire, It Was the Culmination of a Season-Long Quest 00
MIKE EISENBATH
Over and Out 00
JOE STRAUSS
The House That Busch Built
A Toast to Busch 00
TIM O'NEIL
Acknowledgments 00
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
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University of Missouri Press, 2022 Paper: 978-0-8262-2264-0 eISBN: 978-0-8262-6558-6 Cloth: 978-0-8262-1687-8
The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a tale of two teams: one the city’s lovable losers, the other a formidable dynasty.
The St. Louis Cardinals are the most successful franchise in National League history, while the St. Louis Browns were one of the least successful, yet most colorful, American League teams. Now Richard Peterson has collected the writings of some of baseball’s greatest storytellers to pay tribute to both these teams. His book, the first anthology devoted exclusively to the Cardinals and Browns, covers the rich history of St. Louis baseball from its late-nineteenth-century origins to the modern era.
The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a celebration of the many legendary stars and colorful characters who wore St. Louis uniforms and the writers who told their stories, including Alfred Spink, Roger Angell, George Will, and Baseball Hall of Fame writers Bob Broeg, J. Roy Stockton, Red Smith, and Fred Lieb. Here, too, are John Grisham, who grew up a Redbirds fan in Mississippi, and Jack Buck, the most identifiable voice in Cardinal history. Great players—Grover Cleveland Alexander, Rogers Hornsby, Marty Marion, and Satchel Paige—tell their own stories, while Bill Veeck offers an account of his wild ride as the last Browns owner and Whitey Herzog shares regrets about the play that cost the Cardinals the 1985 World Series.
From the days of the Gas House Gang to the 1944 “Streetcar Series,” from Bill Veeck’s legendary stunts to Mark McGwire’s pursuit of Roger Maris’s home-run record, the Reader will bring back memories for every fan. It takes in all of the magic of the ballpark—whether recounting the unhittable pitching of Bob Gibson, the slugging prowess of Stan “The Man” Musial, or the sterling glove-work of Ozzie Smith—along with reflective commentaries that tell how Jackie Robinson confronted racism and Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause.
St. Louis is a city blessed with a memorable baseball history, and The St. Louis Baseball Reader perfectly captures the joy and heartbreak of its winning and losing teams. It’s a book that will delight current fans of the Cardinals and old-timers who fondly recall the Browns.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Richard “Pete” Peterson is Professor Emeritus of English at Southern Illinois University and the commentator for the Reading Baseball series on SIU's NPR station. He is the author and editor of several baseball books, including Growing Up With Clemente, Pops: The Willie Stargell Story, and Extra Innings: Writing on Baseball. He lives in Makanda, Illinois.
REVIEWS
“As a Chicago Cubs fan, I believe—no, I know—that the St. Louis Cardinals are fully paid-up, card-carrying members of the Axis of Evil. Nevertheless, as this splendid volume shows, the Cardinals do have a history worth savoring.”—George F. Will
“Over the years, many baseball books have been written about the St. Louis Cardinals; not much has been written about the St. Louis Browns. The St. Louis Baseball Reader covers them both and is a must for every true baseball fan. Richard Peterson couldn’t have written it better. I thoroughly enjoyed every word.”
—Whitey Herzog, Manager, St. Louis Cardinals, 1980–1990
“Only Pete Peterson could lovingly craft such a rich history of baseball in St. Louis. The breadth and depth of The St. Louis Baseball Reader—from the topics it discusses to the unique perspectives it affords—will delight all baseball fans, especially the fans from the best baseball city in America. He leaves no stone unturned—and unturns many that others would ignore—in compiling these essays. This is a truly wonderful collection.”—Rob King, Anchor, Fox Sports Network
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction 1
Fans, Broadcasters, and Writers
Growing Up with the Game 00
JOHN GRISHAM
Bob Costas Will Never Be As Young As He Looks Today 00
BOB COSTAS
Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech 00
JACK BUCK
Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech 00
HARRY CARAY
The Gas House Gang 00
J. ROY STOCKTON
The Mystery of Stan Musial 00
BOB BROEG
The Beginnings of St. Louis Baseball
Jeremiah Fruin 00
ALFRED H. SPINK
The First Baseball Games in St. Louis 00
MERRITT W. GRISWOLD
Alfred H. Spink 00
STEVEN GIETSCHIER
A Charter Member/Der Poss Bresident 00
FREDERICK J. LIEB
The St. Louis Browns Are Champions 00
STAFF REPORTER
Farewell to Chris Von der Ahe 00
JON DAVID CASH
The American League Browns
Browns in American League since 1902 00
FREDERICK J. LIEB
Jimmy Austin 00
LAWRENCE S. RITTER
Rickey Tells How He'll Boss Browns 00
HUNT STROMBERG
The Dazzling Record of George Sisler 00
F. C. LANE
Will George Sisler Equal Ty Cobb 00
HUGH JENNINGS
The Beginning of a St. Louis Dynasty
The Rise of Baseball in St. Louis, 1920-1925 00
STEVE STEINBERG
From Rags to Riches: A Baseball Success Story 00
J. ROY STOCKTON
Grover Cleveland Alexander 00
FRANCIS J. POWERS
Bob O'Farrell 00
LAWRENCE S. RITTER
Country Boy 00
RED SMITH
Fans in Nine Hour Rampage 00
STAFF REPORTER
Me an Underminer? Not on Your Life 00
ROGERS HORNSBY
The 1928 World's Series 00
FREDERICK J. LIEB
The Gas House Gang
The Cardinals' First Publicity Man 00
GENE KARST
Bill Hallahan 00
DONALD HONIG
Redbird Who Stole a World Series 00
RAY ROBINSON
Admits He Would Like to Be a Manager Some Day 00
SID KEENER
The Fordham Flash Becomes a Manager 00
F. C. LANE
Dizzy Dean 00
BOB BROEG
Muscles and Me 00
ROBERT HOOD
St. Louis Swifties and the Streetcar Series
Billy Southworth's St. Louis Swifties 00
E. G. FISCHER
A St. Louis Harbinger: The 1942 Browns 00
BILL BORST
Marty Marion 00
LYALL SMITH
Branch Rickey Is Named President of the Brooklyn Dodgers 00
J. ROY STOCKTON
Morton Cooper 00
JOHN P. CARMICHAEL
World Series Review 00
SGTS. ROBERT W. BROEG and ROBERT H. MYERS
Full House 00
TIM WILES
Slaughter's Dash and the Brownies' Flight
Cards Champs Sixth Time Because of Old Fight 00
FREDERICK J. LIEB
Enos Dash to Destiny Revived 00
BOB BROEG
A Troubling Year 00
JAMES N. GIGLIO
I'm From Missouri--Momentarily 00
BILL VEECK
Hail the Prodigal Rajah 00
FRANK GRAHAM
The Day Veeck Played a Midget 00
BOB BROEG
Maybe I'll Pitch Forever 00
SATCHEL PAIGE
The Gibson Sixties
Distance 00
ROGER ANGELL
Dick Groat 00
DANNY PEARY
October 1964 00
DAVID HALBERSTAM
Redhead Cool Operator in Redbird Hot Seat 00
ROBERT L. BURNES
Gibson Pitches Three-Hitter in 7-2 Finale 00
ROBERT L. BURNES
Tim Hails `Vicious Desire' by Hoot 00
ED WILKS
Untamed Tigers Savor Sweet, Sweet Victory 00
LOWELL REIDENBAUGH
The `Silly' Series: Heroes, Goats, Turning Points, Tears 00
BOB BROEG
Dred Scott in Spikes 00
GEORGE WILL
Whitey Ball and a Big Mac Attack
Cardinals Fire Schoendienst 00
BOB BROEG
Larcenous Lou Laughs Off Pressure 00
NEAL RUSSO
World Champs: Cardinals Wrap It Up 00
RICK HUMMEL
Clutch Base Hits Came in Bunches 00
KEVIN HORRIGAN
St. Louis' Wizard of Ozzie 00
JIM MURRAY
Signatures 00
WHITEY HERZOG
Twins Are Champs 00
RICK HUMMEL
Our Casey 00
TOM BOSWELL
The Manager 00
GEORGE F. WILL
For Mark McGwire, It Was the Culmination of a Season-Long Quest 00
MIKE EISENBATH
Over and Out 00
JOE STRAUSS
The House That Busch Built
A Toast to Busch 00
TIM O'NEIL
Acknowledgments 00
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE