A Historical Perspective Of St Louis Cardinals World Series Wins

Founded in 1882 as the Brown Stockings, the team joined the American National League in 1891 and changed their name to the St Louis Cardinals. They have won the World Series Championship a total of ten times, beating the New York Yankees three times and the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers twice each. The St Louis Browns, Philadelphia Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers have also ceded victories. The World Series is the culmination of the American baseball season and lasts from four to seven games.

In World Series history, the team, known affectionately as 'the Cards', have faced the New York Yankees on a total of five occasions (1926, 1928, 1942, 1943 and 1964). In 1926, when Calvin Coolidge was the President of the United States, pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander famously struck out Tony Lazeri - with bases loaded, Babe Ruth was picked off trying to steal second base, leading to the first World Series victory of St Louis, four games to three. Sixteen years later, the Cardinals decisively beat New York four games to one. It was a bad day at the office for Joe Dimaggio. In their final triumph over the Yankees, St Louis won the 1964 championship four games to three.

The Cardinals have won two out of three championship series' against the Boston Red Sox. In 1946, following the country's recent victory against the Axis powers, the Series went the whole seven games. Their final winning game made history for Enos Slaughter's Mad Dash. Just over two decades later in 1967, under the management of former All Star Red Schondienst, the Cards won in another four-three nail biter. In October of the same year, baseball legend Joe Dimaggio joined the Oakland A's as executive Vice President.

The first time the Detroit Tigers fell to the Cardinals in a World Series was in 1934, the year that saw 'It Happened One Night' sweep the top for honors in the Academy Awards. Dizzy ("It-ain't-bragging-if-you-can-do-it") Dean pitched the team to an 11-0 victory in the seventh and final game of the championship. It was to be another sixty-two years before St Louis once again demonstrated their superiority over Detroit, when they took the championship in 2006, this time in five games.

The Philadelphia Athletics won the 1930 Series against the Cardinals only to be beaten the following year four games to three. Veteran pitcher Burleigh Grimes distinguished himself by being the last legal spitball pitcher in baseball. October 1931 also saw Al Capone sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion and women in Spain gaining the right to vote.

World Series 1944 was a St Louis derby, pitching the Cards against the Browns. Embroiled as the nation was in the war between the Allies and the 'Axis of Evil', many players were engaged in a more serious battle. The tournament was decided in six games, with the Cardinals winning four. Their local rivals have not met them in a championship tournament since. During this time, French women acquired the right to vote and 'Ozzie and Harriet' made their CBS radio debut.

In their 1982 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, the team introduced a strategy known to this day as 'Whiteyball', named after manager Whitey Herzog. This Series was dubbed the 'Suds Series', because both teams housed Breweries; the Busch Brewery in Missouri and Millers in Wisconsin. On October 14th of this year, Epcot Center opened in Orlando, Florida and 6,000 couples were joined in holy matrimony in a mass wedding ceremony in Korea.

In their 120-year history in National League baseball, the St Louis Cardinals are the second most successful with ten World Series' to their name. Only the New York Yankees have taken more championships.