The story goes that, after the inaugural 1901 season of the American League, founder Ban Johnson was convinced the circuit could compete in the same major cities as the National League. However, the AL had one issue: Its last-place Milwaukee club needed to be rescued. Thus was born the St. Louis Browns. Relocated thanks to… Read more »
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Sport: Baseball
Bryan Properties
Speak to anyone who runs a successful business, especially in Springfield, and they make one thing clear right away: If you don’t give back to your community, you’re not truly successful. A prime example is Bryan Properties. Not long after it launched in 1985, it began sponsoring a number of sporting events and organizations in… Read more »
Jack Buck
Jack Buck, with over 40 years of broadcasting in St. Louis, is a popular and versatile figure in the industry. He is the sports director of KMOX/CBS Radio and has announced the Cardinals baseball games for 38 years. Buck has received nationwide recognition through his appearances on Monday Night Football on the CBS Radio Network,… Read more »
Mark Buehrle
On the day he threw the 18th perfect game in Major League Baseball history, Mark Buehrle was as surprised as anyone. “I never thought I’d throw a no-hitter, never thought I’d throw a perfect game and I never thought I’d hit a home run,” Buehrle told the Chicago Tribune that day, July 23, 2009. “Never… Read more »
John Burgi
He had left his hometown of Carthage in 1975 to play college baseball and figured he would see where life would take him. And then the phone call came in. From his old high school coach. For John Burgi, returning home to coach? There were good reasons and understandable reservations, but mostly good. “I just… Read more »
Bob Burnes
Robert Liston “The Benchwarmer” Burnes was a sportswriter for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat for over 50 years. After attending St. Louis University, he started writing for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat in 1936, then became sports editor in 1943, a position he held until the newspaper closed in 1986. During this time he was best known… Read more »
Steve Busby
A bright prospect, Busby won 56 games in his first three full seasons, only to have his career derailed by a rotator cuff tear. Drafted by the Royals in 1971 in the second round, the University of Southern California graduate made his debut the following season and stuck in the major leagues for good in… Read more »
August A. “Gussie” Busch, Jr.
August Busch Jr., head of Anheuser-Busch, purchased the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953. The team experienced considerable difficulty in the 1950’s, but the investment later paid off. In 1964, the Cardinals won their first of three World Series with Busch as their number-one fan. Busch has been selected “Man of the Year” by the St.… Read more »
Billy Butler
Amid the champagne celebration after the Kansas City Royals won the American League pennant, Billy Butler stood off in a corner of the clubhouse, encircled by media and doused in suds by teammates. “Being part of this organization for 10 years, to see us come from the bottom to the top and through rebuilding processes,”… Read more »
Lorenzo Cain
In December 2010, a phone call found its way to Lorenzo Cain. It was his mom, who saw on TV that he had been traded from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Kansas City Royals. Stunned? That was putting mildly. After all, Cain had made his big-league debut that July after spending five seasons in the… Read more »
Capahas Baseball
The longtime manager of the Capahas baseball program – a man who coached the team for 50 seasons – may have said it best. “I just hope people recognize it for what it is,” Jess Bolen said. “It’s not my team. It’s Cape’s team.” Indeed, Capahas baseball, a semi-pro amateur team for college players… Read more »
1964 St. Louis Cardinals
The 1964 St. Louis Cardinals went 93–69 during the season and finished first in the National League, edging the co-runners-up Cincinnati and Philadelphia by one game each on the last day of the regular season to claim their first pennant since 1946 and went on to beat the New York Yankees in seven games of the World… Read more »
1967 St. Louis Cardinals
When first base coach Joe Schultz nicknamed the 1967 St. Louis Cardinals “El Birdos,” the team was picked to finish the National League season no better than sixth — and worse in some polls. However, few could factor in the Musial effect. Hall of Famer slugger Stan “The Man” Musial took over as general manager… Read more »
Chris Carpenter
In sports, you can measure an athlete’s height, weight and the speed of his fastball. However, there is no way to size up the true heart of a champion until they deliver on the field – a motto that defines St. Louis Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter. The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to… Read more »
Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Cepeda is considered one of Major League Baseball’s pioneers, because he was instrumental in breaking down barriers for Latin American players. “The Baby Bull”, is the son of legendary Puerto Rican baseball star Perucho “The Bull” Cepeda. As a 20 year old rookie in 1958, Orlando belted a home run to help the San… Read more »
Mike Claiborne
He climbed the ladder the right way, with his college years spent broadcasting football and basketball games on the school’s WRFN station and working for the student paper before, at the onset of his professional career, writing for a hometown newspaper. Then came a subtle but notable break for Mike Claiborne. In the early 1980s,… Read more »