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The St. Louis Cardinals: A Franchise History Deep-Dive
Welcome to the ultimate test of your Redbirds knowledge. From the "Gashouse Gang" to the modern dynasty led by icons like Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, the St. Louis Cardinals represent the pinnacle of National League excellence. Do you have what it takes to be called a "Cardinal Way" expert?
1. Before becoming the "Cardinals" in 1900, what was the original name of the franchise when it joined the American Association in 1882?
A) St. Louis Perfectos B) St. Louis Brown Stockings C) St. Louis Terriers D) St. Louis Redbirds
Answer: B) St. Louis Brown Stockings The Story Behind the Stat: The team was known as the Brown Stockings (later shortened to Browns) until 1899, when they were renamed the "Perfectos." The "Cardinals" name was adopted in 1900 after a sportswriter overheard a woman complimenting the "lovely shade of cardinal" on the team's uniforms.
2. Which legendary pitcher holds the modern-era record for the lowest single-season ERA, posting a 1.12 mark for the Cardinals in 1968?
A) Steve Carlton B) Dizzy Dean C) Bob Gibson D) Adam Wainwright
Answer: C) Bob Gibson The Story Behind the Stat: Gibson's 1968 season was so dominant that MLB actually lowered the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10 inches the following year to give hitters a fighting chance.
3. Stan "The Man" Musial spent his entire 22-year career in St. Louis. How many career hits did he finish with?
A) 3,000 B) 3,415 C) 3,630 D) 4,256
Answer: C) 3,630 The Story Behind the Stat: In one of the most incredible statistical coincidences in sports history, Musial had exactly 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 hits on the road.
4. In the 1946 World Series, which player executed the famous "Mad Dash" from first base to home to win Game 7?
A) Enos Slaughter B) Red Schoendienst C) Marty Marion D) Whitey Kurowski
Answer: A) Enos Slaughter The Story Behind the Stat: Slaughter scored from first on a single by Harry Walker, catching the Boston Red Sox defense off guard and securing the franchise's 6th World Series title.
5. The "Gashouse Gang" is the nickname for which championship-winning Cardinals team?
A) 1926 B) 1934 C) 1944 D) 1967
Answer: B) 1934 The Story Behind the Stat: Led by the Dean brothers and Frankie Frisch, the team earned the name because of their unwashed uniforms and rough-and-tumble style of play.
6. Which Cardinals shortstop was famously known as "The Wizard" for his defensive acrobatics?
A) Garry Templeton B) Royce Clayton C) Ozzie Smith D) Edgar Renteria
Answer: C) Ozzie Smith The Story Behind the Stat: Smith won 13 consecutive Gold Gloves and was famous for his celebratory backflip when taking his position on the field.
7. How many World Series titles has the St. Louis Cardinals franchise won (as of 2024)?
A) 9 B) 10 C) 11 D) 13
Answer: C) 11 The Story Behind the Stat: The Cardinals hold the record for the most World Series championships of any National League franchise, trailing only the New York Yankees (27) in all of MLB.
8. Rogers Hornsby set a modern National League record by batting what average for the Cardinals in 1924?
A) .401 B) .424 C) .398 D) .412
Answer: B) .424 The Story Behind the Stat: Hornsby's .424 average remains the highest single-season mark in the modern era (post-1900) for any National League player.
9. Who was the manager of the "Whiteyball" era in the 1980s, leading the team to three World Series appearances?
A) Tony La Russa B) Whitey Herzog C) Joe Torre D) Mike Matheny
Answer: B) Whitey Herzog The Story Behind the Stat: Herzog emphasized speed, defense, and pitching to take advantage of the large turf field at Busch Stadium II, winning the World Series in 1982.
10. In 1998, Mark McGwire captivated the sports world by hitting how many home runs to break the single-season record?
A) 61 B) 66 C) 70 D) 73
Answer: C) 70 The Story Behind the Stat: McGwire's race with Sammy Sosa revitalized baseball. While Barry Bonds later broke the record with 73, McGwire's 70 remains a legendary moment in franchise history.
11. Which Cardinals legend holds the franchise record for career stolen bases with 888?
A) Vince Coleman B) Lou Brock C) Willie McGee D) Curt Flood
Answer: B) Lou Brock The Story Behind the Stat: Brock was acquired in what is considered one of the most lopsided trades in history, coming from the Cubs in exchange for pitcher Ernie Broglio.
12. David Freese became a postseason legend in 2011. In which game of the World Series did he hit his iconic walk-off home run?
A) Game 4 B) Game 5 C) Game 6 D) Game 7
Answer: C) Game 6 The Story Behind the Stat: Freese was down to his last strike in the 9th inning when he hit a triple to tie the game, before hitting the walk-off homer in the 11th.
13. Albert Pujols won how many National League MVP awards during his first stint with the Cardinals (2001–2011)?
A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4
Answer: C) 3 The Story Behind the Stat: Pujols won the MVP in 2005, 2008, and 2009. He finished in the top 10 of MVP voting in every single one of his first 11 seasons in St. Louis.
14. Which pitcher won 30 games for the Cardinals in 1934, the last NL pitcher to achieve that milestone?
A) Paul Dean B) Mort Cooper C) Dizzy Dean D) Jesse Haines
Answer: C) Dizzy Dean The Story Behind the Stat: Dizzy and his brother Paul "Daffy" Dean combined for 49 wins in 1934, leading the team to a World Series title.
15. What was the name of the Cardinals' home stadium before they moved into the original Busch Memorial Stadium in 1966?
A) Robison Field B) Sportsman's Park C) League Park D) Gateway Park
Answer: B) Sportsman's Park The Story Behind the Stat: The Cardinals shared Sportsman's Park with the St. Louis Browns of the American League until the Browns moved to Baltimore in 1954.
16. Which Cardinals catcher won 9 Gold Glove Awards and helped lead the team to two World Series titles in the 21st century?
A) Ted Simmons B) Tom Pagnozzi C) Mike Matheny D) Yadier Molina
Answer: D) Yadier Molina The Story Behind the Stat: Molina is considered one of the greatest defensive catchers in MLB history, spending his entire 19-year career with the Cardinals.
17. Tony La Russa is the winningest manager in franchise history. How many wins did he accrue with St. Louis?
A) 1,055 B) 1,408 C) 1,612 D) 2,320
Answer: B) 1,408 The Story Behind the Stat: La Russa managed the Cardinals from 1996 to 2011, winning two World Series (2006, 2011) and three NL Pennants.
18. In 1944, the Cardinals played the World Series against which team that also called St. Louis home?
A) St. Louis Browns B) St. Louis Stars C) St. Louis Terriers D) St. Louis Maroons
Answer: A) St. Louis Browns The Story Behind the Stat: Known as the "Streetcar Series," every game was played at Sportsman's Park since both teams shared the stadium. The Cardinals won 4 games to 2.
19. Which Cardinals outfielder won the NL MVP in 1985 while leading the league with a .353 batting average?
A) Lonnie Smith B) Vince Coleman C) Willie McGee D) Andy Van Slyke
Answer: C) Willie McGee The Story Behind the Stat: McGee was a central figure of the 1980s Cardinals, winning two batting titles and three Gold Gloves during his time in St. Louis.
20. The Cardinals retired the number 42 for Jackie Robinson, but which Cardinals Hall of Fame reliever also had his number 42 retired by the team?
A) Todd Worrell B) Bruce Sutter C) Lee Smith D) Jason Isringhausen
Answer: B) Bruce Sutter The Story Behind the Stat: Sutter was the master of the split-finger fastball and recorded the final out of the 1982 World Series. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
How did you score?
15-20: Hall of Famer 10-14: All-Star Starter 5-9: Utility Player 0-4: Back to the Minors!
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