76. 1946 World Champion St Louis Cardinals v. 117. 1972 World Champion Oakland A's
The '44 Cards have already advanced; we've seen a Philadelphia A's team advance, this is the last Oakland team remaining in the field.
Cardinals 98-58 Mgr. Eddie Dyer
Won NL Pennant
d. Red Sox in WS
d. #53 1915 Red Sox (MVP-Del Rice)
All-Stars 3B Whitey Kurowski, SS Marty Marion, 1B Stan Musial (NL MVP) SP Howie Pollet (4th NL MVP) 2B Red Schoendienst, OF Enos Slaughter (3rd NL MVP)
Hall of Famers: Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, Enos Slaughter
A's 93-62 Mgr. Dick Williams
1st in AL West
d. Tigers in ALCS
d. Reds in WS
d. #12 1942 Yankees (MVP-Ken Holtzman/Catfish Hunter)
All-Stars: 3B Sal Bando, SS Bert Campaneris, SP Ken Holtzman, SP Catfish Hunter (4th AL Cy Young) OF Reggie Jackson, OF Joe Rudi (2nd AL MVP)
Hall of Famers: Orlando Cepeda, Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi
A's-Dick Williams
LF Rudi (25) 151 4.9
CF Jackson (26) (LH) 149 4.7
1B Epstein (29) (LH) 163 4.5
3B Bando (28) 116 4.6
C Duncan (26) 105 2.4
RF Mangual (25) 97
2B Cullen (30) 88 .4
SS Campaneris (30) 84 4.4
SP Holtzman (26) (LH) 114 4
Bench:
RF Alou (33) (LH) 110 .3
C Tenace (25) 97
2B Brown (32) 38
CF Hendrick (22) 54
P Hunter (26) 140 6.3
SP3 Odom (27) 115 1.4
A's platooning in RF, Alou should play in game 3. Whichever catcher shows a hot bat is likely to play.
Cards-Eddie Dyer
RF Slaughter (30) (LH) 133 4.1
1B Musial (25) (LH) 183 7.9
3B Kurowski (28) 138 4.9
2B Schoendienst (23) (SH) 86 2.5
LF Sisler (25) (LH) 86
CF Walker (27) (LH) 78 .3
C Garagiola (20) (LH) 73 .5
SS Marion (29) 80 3.2
P Pollet (25) (LH) 165 5.8
Bench
C Rice (23) 89 .3
CF Moore (34) 85 .4
LF Dusak (25) 95 1
LF/CF Adams (31) 73
C Klutz (28) 76
2B Klein (27) 46
SP2 Brecheen (31) (LH) 139 5.2
SP3 Burkhart (29) 120 1.5
WAR Advantage:
C-A's
1B-Cards
2B-Cards
SS-A's
3B-Cards
LF-A's
CF-A's
RF-Cards
SP1-A's
SP2-Cards
SP3-Push
Bullpen: Push
WAR: A's 5 Cards 5 -- so, Cards have seed advantage, WAR is a push, Cards have the best player (Musial) we'll say the Cards are favored to claim the 19th spot in the round of 32
GAME ONE
1st: Sportsman's Park. Game One. Howie Pollet for the hometown Cards. 25 year old lefty, 21-10, 2.10. Pollet wasn't on the '44 team that advanced, he was in the military, but he was on the '43 team we saw lose in this round so we've discussed him. This was his first year back after two years away and he had his career year, finishing 4th in the MVP. He gives up a Joe Rudi single, and two outs later a Sal Bando single, that's all.
1st: Ken Holtzman was co-MVP for the A's round one win; he's a 26 year old lefty, 19-11, 2.51. He was 19 when he came up with the Cubs in '65, this is his first season in Oakland, they got him for Rick Monday. He and Reggie get sent to Baltimore in '76 for Don Baylor and Mike Torrez. Holtzman's already advanced; he's in the pen for that '77 Yankees team - and he ends back with the Cubs in '79. 1-2-3
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: After the first out - Joe Rudi homers to left center and the A's have taken the lead. Rudi came up in '67 at 20, he's 2nd in the MVP this year and then finishes 2nd in '74. He signs with the Angels in '77, and finishes back in Oakland in '82. Mike Epstein singles with 2 out, that's all. A's 1 Cards 0
3rd: 1-2-3, Holtzman gets through the order.
4th: Angel Mangual singles with one out, he came up with the Pirates in '69, dealt to the A's for Mudcat Grant in '70, 3rd in Rookie of the Year in '71. He's with Oakland the rest of his career, ending in '76. That's all.
4th: Enos Slaughter singles, St Louis has a baserunner. Country Slaughter was in the military in both '43 and '44 - he came up in '38, 2nd in the MVP in '42, then missed 3 seasons and this is his first year back and he finishes 3rd. He'll have top 10 finishes in '48, '49, '52. In '54 he goes to the Yankees for Bill Virdon and finishes his career at the age of 43 with the Braves in '59. Musial doubles - second and third and nobody out -- Whitey Kurowski singles home the tying run. Holtzman gets an out and then the second run scores on a Dick Sisler groundout. A's 1 Cards 2
5th: 1-2-3
5th: Joe Garagiola walks, he's a 20 year old rookie, he Pollet and Ted Wilks are are dealt to Pittsburgh in '51. His last year is '54, with that Giant team that won the World Series. Holtzman gets two, then walks Slaughter, but that's all. Tight as we go to the 6th here in game one.
6th: Mike Epstein singles. He came up with Baltimore in '66, came to the A's last year from the Senators with Donald Knowles for Paul Lindblad and Don Mincher. That's all.
6th: Harry Walker hits a 2 out triple. We've seen him with the '43 team that lost, he's back after two years in the military, They send him to the Phillies next season - he comes back to St Louis, finishes up in '55. Holtzman leaves him there.
7th: Mangual singles again and an out later, Bert Campaneris doubles. Campy's 30, came up in '64, led the league in steals from '65-'68, then again in '70 and this year. He leaves for Texas in '77 and finishes with the Yankees in '83. Mike Hegan had a strong year off the A's bench, hitting .329. He hits for Holtzman -- and comes through - a bases clearing double to left center and Oakland regains the lead. 29 year old RH Murry Dickson enters for the Cards, he's got a 2.88 ERA -- he gives up a base hit to Rudi -- Hegan comes around -- and is nailed at the plate by Sisler. Huge roar from this St Louis crowd -- Sisler guns down a run at the plate for the second out of the inning. Reggie doubles - that gives the A's men on second and third - two out - the Cards decide to intentionally walk Mike Epstein to pitch to Sal Bando -- and Dickson gets him. A's 3 Cards 2
7th: 30 year old lefty Donald Knowles had a great year - a 1.37 ERA and 11 saves. 1-2-3
8th: Dave Duncan singles. Duncan was 18 when he came up in '64, he made his only All Star team last year, and will head to Cleveland with George Hendrick in '73 for Ray Fosse. He finishes in Baltimore in '76 and will spend a couple of decades as a pitching coach with Tony LaRussa. That's all.
8th: Just 4 hits for the Cardinals. Whitey Kurowski gets the 5th, a one out single. He was with both the '43 and '44 teams. He made his 3rd All Star squad this season. That's it though - we head to the 9th.
9th: Rudi singles with 2 out - but nothing else and we go to the bottom. Can the A's hold on?
9th: 25 year old Rollie Fingers needs 3 outs to secure game one. He's got a 2.51 ERA, 11 wins and 21 saves. Fingers came up in '68, he'll be 4th in the MVP in '75, 8th in the Cy in '76 and then he leaves for San Diego. Fingers wins the Cy Young and MVP for the Brewers in '81, and retires in '85.
Harry Walker is first. Strikeout.
Garagiola is next - grounder to Campy - two out.
Marty Marion then walks. Tying run on. Winning run to the plate.
Del Rice was MVP of round one and he comes off the bench here.
Strikeout.
A's 3
Cards 2
WP Holtzman
LP Pollet
3 A's pitchers scatter 5 hits and Oakland takes game one.
For Oakland
Rudi had 4 hits w/HR
Epstein reached 3x
Mangual had 2 hits
For the Cards
Slaughter reached twice
Kurowski had 2 hits
One more in St Louis -- gotta figure the Cards must win to maintain any real hope.
LF Rudi (25) 151 4.9
CF Jackson (26) (LH) 149 4.7
1B Epstein (29) (LH) 163 4.5
3B Bando (28) 116 4.6
C Tenace (25) 97
RF Mangual (25) 97
2B Cullen (30) 88 .4
SS Campaneris (30) 84 4.4
P Hunter (26) 140 6.3
RF Slaughter (30) (LH) 133 4.1
1B Musial (25) (LH) 183 7.9
3B Kurowski (28) 138 4.9
2B Schoendienst (23) (SH) 86 2.5
LF Sisler (25) (LH) 86
CF Walker (27) (LH) 78 .3
C Garagiola (20) (LH) 73 .5
SS Marion (29) 80 3.2
SP2 Brecheen (31) (LH) 139 5.2
GAME TWO
1st: Harry Brecheen gets the ball for St Louis. 31 year old lefty. 15-15. 2.49. He was on both the '43 and '44 teams. He's 2 years away from his best season, he's 5th in the NL MVP in '48. He gives up a single to Rudi - Rudi homered with four hits as the A's offensive star in game one comes right back with a single to lead off this one. That's it.
1st: Catfish was a co-MVP in round one; 21-7, 2.04. Broke in in '65 at 19, 4th this year in the Cy Young, 3rd next year and then he wins in '74. He signs with the Yankees in '75 and finishes second. He's on that '77 Yankee team that already advanced and stops after '79. Slaughter singles, scores on a Musial double and just like that it's 1-0. Two outs later Sisler singles and it's A's 0 Cards 2
2nd: Gene Tenace walks. The 25 year old is behind the plate today; broke in in '69, really underrated bat, career OPS+ is 136. This year is probably the worst year at the plate of his career, at least getting any real playing time. He heads to San Diego in '77 and finishes with the Pirates in '83. Two outs later Campaneris singles, that's it.
2nd: Marty Marion singles with one out, he was the shortstop on both the '43 and '44 teams, winning the MVP in '44. He makes the All Star team this year. That's all.
3rd: Reggie Jackson singles with one out. Obviously, Reggie's on the '77 Yankees who are into the next round. His only MVP is coming in '73. How did Mr. October fare in the postseason? Yeah, he was good. 17 series, 281 at bats, hit .278 with 18 bombs. He missed the '72 World Series with a hamstring. Epstein singles and Bando hits a sac fly to give the A's their first run. Tenace then singles and that's all. A's 1 Cards 2
3rd: Musial doubles again. Musial's on both the '43 team and the '44 team. He hit .256 in 86 career at bats, only 1 homer. That's all.
4th: Tim Cullen singles. Cullen's 30 in his last big league season and his only year in Oakland after spending most of a 7 year career with the Senators. He got a total of 142 career at bats in Oakland but here he is as their starting second baseman. Campaneris doubles, and the A's have two in scoring position. Catfish grounds out - but that's enough to tie the score and when Rudi hits a flyball to the right field track - that scores the go ahead run. A's 3 Cards 2
4th: Harry Walker singles, but that's all.
5th: Epstein singles, that's it.
5th: 1-2-3
6th: 1-2-3
6th: 1-2-3, 8 straight for Catfish.
7th: Rudi singles. Nothing else.
7th: 1-2-3, 11 straight, the Cards just have 6 hits. The A's pitching really getting it done.
8th: 1-2-3
8th: 1-2-3, 14 straight for Catfish - are the A's about to sweep both games in St Louis?
9th: Cullen singles. 2 outs later Rudi singles again. Reggie flies out to the deepest part of left center and we go to the bottom of the 9th.
9th: Rollie Fingers takes the ball.
Red Schoendienst is first. He singles to right.
Dick Sisler then singles and we got action here -- 2 on and nobody out.
Harry Walker flies to right. One away.
Fingers strikes out Garagiola -- two away.
Two on. Two out. Can the Cards somehow find a run?
Fingers walks Marion. Bases loaded.
Erv Dusak comes off the bench to hit. 25 year old right hander.
He singles to right center -- Schoendienst scores the tying run -- Sisler comes around -- Mangual throws home -- SAFE.
SAFE.
The Cards were one strike from death, going down 2-0 and home and come from behind against Rollie Fingers to even this up. Huge celebration here at Sportsman's Park.
A's 3
Cards 4
WP Brecheen
LP Fingers
For the Cards
Slaughter has reached 3x
Kurowski had 2 hits
Musial 2x in game 2
Sisler had 2 hits in game 2
Marion reached twice in game 2
And Dusak came through with the huge, huge pinch single
For Oakland
Rudi has 7 hits w/HR
Epstein reached 5x
Tenace reached 2x
Mangual had 2 hits
Cullen two hits in game 2
Campaneris two hits in game 2
The Series shifts to Oakland - can the A's shake off this devastating loss?
RF Slaughter (30) (LH) 133 4.1
1B Musial (25) (LH) 183 7.9
3B Kurowski (28) 138 4.9
2B Schoendienst (23) (SH) 86 2.5
LF Sisler (25) (LH) 86
CF Walker (27) (LH) 78 .3
C Garagiola (20) (LH) 73 .5
SS Marion (29) 80 3.2
SP3 Burkhart (29) 120 1.5
LF Rudi (25) 151 4.9
CF Jackson (26) (LH) 149 4.7
1B Epstein (29) (LH) 163 4.5
RF Alou (33) (LH) 110 .3
3B Bando (28) 116 4.6
C Tenace (25) 97
2B Cullen (30) 88 .4
SS Campaneris (30) 84 4.4
SP3 Odom (27) 115 1.4
GAME THREE
1st: Northern California has only one team remaining in the tournament - this A's team and so as the series shifts to Oakland, it may be the final time we see this region. Blue Moon Odom is a 27 year old RH, 15-6, 2.50. He came up at 19, made the All Star team in '68-'69. He'll be an A until '75 when he's dealt to Cleveland for Dick Bosman and Jim Perry and finish with the White Sox in '76. He gives up back to back singles to Slaughter and Musial, but that's all.
1st: The Cards were as close to dead and buried as you can be in game 2 of a 5 game series - but now it's a game apiece and they look to take command here. Ken Burkhart is a 29 year old RH, 6-3, 2.88. He came up a year prior, is dealt to the Reds in '48 and finishes in '49. 1-2-3
2nd: Dick Sisler doubles to right. Son of a Hall of Famer, Sisler is a rookie in '46, he's sent to the Phillies in '48, comes back to the Cards in '52 and stops in '53. Two outs later Garagiola singles, but that's all.
2nd: Matty Alou doubles. The 33 year old Alou is getting his first action of the series, one of the trio of Alou brothers. He came up with the Giants in '60, was sent to the Pirates in '66 for Ozzie Virgil and he led the league in batting average. He's a late season add by the A's; Alou plays a total of 32 regular season games for Oakland and then moves on to the Yankees in '73, finishing with the Padres the following season. He's driven home by a Bando single and it's Oakland who jumps on top. Tenace singles and Tim Cullen doubles home Bando to make it 2-0. Burkhart gets an out, but then gives up a two run scoring single to Odom. The A's break out of any post game 2 malaise with 4 in the 2nd. Cards 0 A's 4
3rd: After an out, Slaughter singles - and then Musial hits a two run homer to cut the lead in half. Kurowski walks, that's it. Cards 2 A's 4
3rd: Burkhart's day is over and the Cards game 2 starter, Harry Brecheen, gets the call to come back. Big roll of the dice here, how many pitches are left in his arm today after 8 innings in game 2? And this will take Brecheen out of a possible game 5 start. He walks Reggie, that's it.
4th: 1-2-3
4th: Cullen doubles with one out, that's it.
5th: With one out, Slaughter and Musial walk, Kurowski then singles and the Cards have loaded them up. But Odom works out of it.
5th: 1-2-3; can't expect much more from Brecheen - he went 8 in game 2 and 3 scoreless here.
6th: Walker singles. Garagiola walks and the Cards are in business again. After a double play Del Rice comes on to hit for the pitcher and he singles home Walker. Slaughter then singles to put men on the corners with two out for Musial. Big - big - big spot here and Dick Williams calls for the intentional walk.
The A's put Musial on to load the bases. It doesn't work. Odom walks Kurowski to tie the score.
Donald Knowles enters for the A's -- and he walks Schoendienst and now the Cards have come all the way back to the take the lead and this Oakland crowd is abjectly miserable. Cards 5 A's 4
6th: Murry Dickson comes on now for the Cards. 1-2-3. Eddie Dyer's big move to bring in Brecheen looks like it maybe has paid off; the Cards have the lead headed to the 7th.
7th: 1-2-3
7th: Cullen, unexpected hitting star of the series, singles. And two outs later - Joe Rudi drives him home with a double that ties the game. 30 year old RH Ted Wilks enters and the inning ends. Cards 5 A's 5
8th: 34 year old Bob Locker is the third A's pitcher; After two outs, Musial walks, the A's want absolutely nothing to do with Stan Musial. The inning ends.
8th: 30 year old RH Freddy Schmidt is the next Cardinal pitcher - With one out, Alou singles and Bando walks - but nothing else.
9th: Walker doubles with 2 out -- potential go ahead run in scoring position for St Louis -- but that's it. Bottom of the 9th.
9th: 31 year old RH is the new Cardinal pitcher. Can the A's find a run? Cullen singles again. Again! But that's all. And we head to the 10th. Big, big game 3.
10th: 34 year old Joe Horlen is the new A's pitcher. He gets 2 and then walks Slaughter.
That brings up Musial. He singles. Slaughter goes to third and the Cards have them on the corners with 2 out. But they do not score.
10th: 32 year old lefty Al Brazle is the new Cardinal pitcher. He gets one, Mike Epstein singles, Matty Alou walks . Winning run in scoring position. One out. Brazle gets Bando. Two outs. And Gene Tenace singles to left -- Epstein rounds third -- there's a play at the plate --
Safe.
Tenace singles home Mike Epstein - the A's have taken game 3 and are now just one win away from advancing - huge Oakland pile up at home plate and the Bay Area is rocking and rolling after game 3.
Cards 5
A's 6
WP Horlen
LP Brazle
The Cards walk off Oakland in the 9th in game 2 - the A's return the favor in game 3 and Oakland is a game from advancing.
For Oakland
Rudi has 8 hits w/HR
Epstein reached 6x
Tenace reached 4x and singles home GW run in game 3
Alou reached 3x
Bando reached 2x in game 3
Mangual had 2 hits
Cullen 6 hits in game 2-3
Campaneris two hits in game 2
For the Cards
Slaughter has reached 8x
Kurowski has reached 5x
Musial 8x in game 2-3 w/HR
Sisler had 3 hits in game 2-3
Marion reached twice in game 2
Walker two hits in game 3
Garagiola 2x in game 3
And Dusak came through with the huge, huge pinch single in game 2
One more in Oakland - game one starting pitchers return.
3B Kurowski (28) 138 4.9
1B Musial (25) (LH) 183 7.9
RF Slaughter (30) (LH) 133 4.1
LF Dusak (25) 95 1
C Rice (23) 89 .3
CF Moore (34) 85 .4
2B Schoendienst (23) (SH) 86 2.5
SS Marion (29) 80 3.2
P Pollet (25) (LH) 165 5.8
LF Rudi (25) 151 4.9
CF Jackson (26) (LH) 149 4.7
1B Epstein (29) (LH) 163 4.5
3B Bando (28) 116 4.6
C Tenace (25) 97
RF Mangual (25) 97
2B Cullen (30) 88 .4
SS Campaneris (30) 84 4.4
SP Holtzman (26) (LH) 114 4
GAME FOUR
1st: Ken Holtzman was co-MVP in round one and then won game 1 of this series - he can close it out today. Holtzman pitched in 13 postseason games in his career over 7 series. 2.30 ERA over 70 innings. 6-4. He started 2 World Series games this year, 1-0, 2.13. 1-2-3
1st: Lot of pressure on Howie Pollet today, the Cards looking to extend the series to game 5. He pitched ten career postseason innings. Gave up 4 earned. 1-2-3
2nd: Erv Dusak has had one at bat in the series - his 9th inning single won game two. He's starting in left today and hits the first pitch he sees over the wall in left center to give the Cards the lead. Dusak came up in '41 but wasn't with either the '43 or '44 Cards, he's dealt to the Bucs in '51 and stops the next season. Terry Moore singles with one out, he's also getting his first start today; that's where it ends. Cards 1 A's 0
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Kurowski singles with one out, nothing else.
3rd: 1-2-3, Pollet is through the order.
4th: Del Rice singles with one out. Rice was MVP in round one and this is his first start. Rice in his second season of what will be a 17 year big league career. He'll make one All Star team, 1953 and be sent to the Braves in '55. He finishes with the Angels in '61. Terry Moore singles and the Cards have them on the corners. Schoendienst grounds out - scoring a run. Cards 2 A's 0
4th: Epstein and Bando walk back to back -- Tenace walks and Oakland has loaded the bases. Pollet gets two -- but Campaneris lines a single to center that scores 2 runs and now it's tied. Cards 2 A's 2
5th: Musial singles with 2 out, Slaughter then walks - it ends here.
5th: Joe Rudi doubles. An out later Pollet hits Epstein - but that's it. We go to the 6th, another tight one.
6th: Terry Moore singles with one out. Moore broke in back in '35, made All Star teams from '39-'42 and then missed 3 years for the War. At the age of 34 he came back this year, his bat never comes back and he stops in '48. He comes all the way around to score on a Schoendienst double and the Cards regain the lead. Cards 3 A's 2
6th: Tenace reaches via error and an out later is doubled to third by Cullen. But that's all.
7th: Donald Knowles enters. Can he keep Oakland in this one? He walks Kurowski and Musial, and an out later walks Dusak. Bases loaded. Just one out. Cards are real close to sending this one to a game 5. But Knowles buckles down and gets through it and a huge, huge roar from this Oakland crowd.
7th: Joe Rudi singles, just Oakland's 4th hit - but that's all.
8th: Bob Locker enters. Can he keep Oakland in this one? 1-2-3
8th: Tenace walks with one out and Mangual singles. Pollet gets the second - and then Bert Campaneris - who drove in the A's only 2 runs -- Hits a 3 Run Homer -- Campaneris had 8 homers all year - but hits a 3 run homer now and Oakland goes up 5-3! Campaneris hits a 3 run homer and the A's go up 5-3! Murry Dickson comes on to end the inning. Cards 3 A's 5
9th: Rollie Fingers blew game 2 -- but he's back now and can close this series out.
Whitey Kurowski singles.
Musial to the plate. He's the tying run. He grounds to the right side - Cullen throws to first. Big out - Kurowski is now at second, but the Cards are down to the last 2 outs.
Slaughter singles to right - Kurowski stops at third. Men on the corners. Just one out.
And Erv Dusak does it again - he doubles to right. Kurowski scores - Slaughter has to stop at third. But now it's 5-4 A's, two men in scoring position and just one out. Fingers in trouble here.
Del Rice....pops up. Campaneris. 2 away. Big out there.
Terry Moore..pops up...first base...Epstein. Ballgame.
Cards 4
A's 5
WP Locker
LP Pollet
The A's get just 6 hits - but two of them lead to 5 Campaneris RBI and they advance.
The MVP was won in this game - it's Campaneris - drove in all 5 A's runs, hit that 3 run homer -- Bert Campaneris leads these A's into the next round.
