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The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. They play in Major League Baseball as part of the National League Central Division. Since the 2006 season, they have played their home games at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. The Cardinals are one of the oldest and most successful teams in baseball history, having won 11 World Series championships, the most of any team in the National League and second only to the New York Yankees.
The team began in 1881 when entrepreneur Chris von der Ahe bought a club called the Brown Stockings and renamed it the St. Louis Browns. They joined the National League in 1892 and became the Cardinals in 1900. Over the years, the Cardinals have achieved many great things, including winning many league championships and developing famous players and managers. Notable moments include Stan Musial’s many records, Bob Gibson’s amazing pitching, and Mark McGwire’s famous home run record in 1998.
Today, the Cardinals are valued at over $1.9 billion, according to Forbes, and are led by President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom and manager Oliver Marmol. The team is loved by fans, often having some of the highest attendance numbers in baseball, even though they are located in a city that is not the largest in the sport. Through 2025, the Cardinals have an all-time record of 11,363 wins, 10,486 losses, and 152 ties.
History
Main article: History of the St. Louis Cardinals (1875–1919)
Before the Cardinals (1875–1881)
Professional baseball began in St. Louis with the Brown Stockings of the National Association (NA) in 1875. The NA folded after that season, and the next year, St. Louis joined the National League as a founding member, finishing third with a record of 45–19. George Bradley threw the first no-hitter in Major League history. The NL removed St. Louis from the league after 1877 due to a game-fixing scandal, and the team went bankrupt. Without a league, they played as a semi-professional barnstorming team through 1881.
Most historians do not consider the 1875–1877 and 1878–1881 Brown Stockings teams as part of the current Cardinals' history.
American Association and early National League eras (1882–1919)
For the 1882 season, Chris von der Ahe bought the team, reorganized it, and made it a founding member of the American Association (AA), a league to rival the NL. 1882 is generally seen as the first year of existence for the team that would become the St. Louis Cardinals.
The next season, St. Louis shortened their name to the Browns. Soon after, they became the top team in the AA, as manager Charles Comiskey led St. Louis to four straight pennants from 1885 to 1888. Pitcher and outfielder Bob Caruthers led the league in ERA (2.07) and wins (40) in 1885 and finished in the top six in both for the next two seasons. He also led the AA in OBP (.448) and OPS (.974) in 1886 and finished fourth in batting average (.334) in 1886 and fifth in 1887 (.357). Outfielder Tip O'Neill won the first batting triple crown in franchise history in 1887 and the only one in AA history. By winning the pennant, the Browns played the NL pennant winner in a predecessor of the World Series. The Browns twice faced the Chicago White Stockings—the predecessor to the Chicago Cubs—tying one in a heated dispute and winning the other, sparking the strong St. Louis–Chicago rivalry that continues today. During their ten seasons in the AA, they had an all-time league-high of 780 wins and a .639 winning percentage. They lost only 432 contests while tying 21 others.
The AA folded after the 1891 season, and the Browns moved to the National League. This time, the club entered a period of poor performance. Between 1892 and 1919, St. Louis had only five winning seasons, finished last or next-to-last sixteen times, and ended four seasons with 100 losses or more. The worst was the 1897 season: a 29–102 record for a franchise-worst .221 winning percentage. St. Louis' 84–67 finish as the Perfectos in 1899 would be the team's best finish between the AA era and Sam Breadon's purchase of the team. As the "Perfectos", the team wore their jersey with a cardinal red trim and sock striping. Later that season, St. Louis Republic sportswriter Willie McHale mentioned a female fan remarking about the uniforms, "What a lovely shade of cardinal." Fans liked the name "Cardinals" and, the next year in 1900, popularity for the nickname led to an official change to Cardinals.
In 1902, an American League team moved from Milwaukee to St. Louis, renamed themselves the St. Louis Browns and built a new park on the site of the Cardinals' old stadium, creating a rivalry that lasted five decades. Breadon bought a minority interest in the Cardinals in 1917, and in 1919, Browns manager Branch Rickey joined the Cardinals. The Cardinals' first 28 seasons in the NL were a complete reversal of their time in the AA—with a .406 winning percentage, they had 1,632 wins, 2,425 losses and 74 ties.
Breadon era (1920–1952)
Main article: History of the St. Louis Cardinals (1920–1952)
St. Louis baseball began a revival: since 1926 the Cardinals have won eleven World Series and nineteen NL pennants. Breadon started this comeback when he bought the majority stake in 1920 and appointed Rickey as business manager, who expanded scouting, player development, and started the minor league farm system, which is the role of today's general manager. With Rogers Hornsby at second base, he won Triple Crowns in 1922 and 1925, and the Cardinals won the 1926 World Series, their first. St. Louis then won the league in 1928, 1930, and 1931 and the 1931 World Series.
The Gashouse Gang edition won the 1934 World Series and the Cardinals gained new popularity far outside St. Louis through radio, leading to the term "Cardinals Nation". Dizzy Dean led the Gang, winning the 1934 MVP, and leading the NL multiple times in wins, strikeouts, innings, complete games and shutouts. Johnny Mize and Joe Medwick became two power threats, with Medwick winning the last Triple Crown for a Cardinal in 1937.
In the 1940s, a golden era began as Rickey's farm system produced talent like Marty Marion, Enos Slaughter, Mort Cooper, Walker Cooper, Stan Musial, Max Lanier, Whitey Kurowski, Red Schoendienst and Johnny Beazley. It was one of the most successful decades in franchise history with 960 wins and 580 losses for a winning percentage higher than any other Major League team at .623. With Billy Southworth managing, they won the World Series in 1942 and 1944 (in the only all-St. Louis series against the Browns), and won 105 or more games each in 1942, 1943, and 1944. Southworth's managerial winning percentage (.642) is St. Louis' highest since joining the National League. Musial was considered the most consistent hitter of his era and the most successful in team history, winning three MVPs and seven batting titles. St. Louis then won the 1946 World Series on Slaughter's Mad Dash in Game 7. Breadon was forced to sell the team in 1947 but won six World Series and nine NL pennants as owner. They stayed competitive, finishing .500 or better in thirteen of the next seventeen seasons, but didn't win the league or World Series until 1964.
Gussie Busch era (1953–1989)
Main article: History of the St. Louis Cardinals (1953–1989)
In 1953, the Anheuser-Busch brewery bought the Cardinals and Gussie Busch became team president, causing the Browns to leave in 1953 to Baltimore to become the Orioles, making the Cardinals the only major league club in town. More success followed in the 1960s, starting with one of the most lopsided trades in Major League history, as St. Louis received outfielder Lou Brock from the Cubs for pitcher Ernie Broglio. MVP third baseman Ken Boyer and pitcher Bob Gibson led the club to a World Series win that year and Curt Flood, Bill White, Curt Simmons, and Steve Carlton also helped in this decade. In 1967, new arrival Orlando Cepeda won the MVP, helping St. Louis reach the World Series. The Cardinals won the league the next year behind their Major League-leading 2.49 staff ERA in a season of pitching dominance. Posting a modern-day record low ERA of 1.12 and striking out a one-game World Series-record of 17, Gibson won both the MVP and Cy Young awards that year. However, the Cardinals failed to repeat as World Series champions, losing to the underdog Detroit Tigers.
In the 1970s, catcher/third baseman Joe Torre and first baseman Keith Hernandez each won MVPs, but the team's best finishes were second place and 90 wins. The team returned to the World Series three times in the 1980s, starting with manager Whitey Herzog and his Whiteyball style of play and another trade that changed the franchise: in 1982, shortstop Garry Templeton was traded to the Padres for fellow shortstop Ozzie Smith. Widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in history, Smith ranks first all-time among shortstops in Gold Glove Awards (13), All-Star games (15), assists (8,375), and double plays (1,590). St. Louis won the 1982 World Series from the Milwaukee Brewers that fall. The Cardinals again won the league in 1985 and 1987. In the 1985 World Series, they faced cross-state rivals Kansas City Royals for the first time in a non-exhibition game, but lost the series after a controversial call in Game 6; the 1987 World Series saw them face the Minnesota Twins, but they could only win all three of their games played at home in the seven-game series.
Bill DeWitt era (1996–present)
Main article: History of the St. Louis Cardinals (1990–present)
After Gussie Busch died in 1989, the brewery took control and hired Joe Torre to manage late in 1990, then sold the team to an investment group led by William DeWitt Jr. after the 1995 season. Tony La Russa replaced Torre in spring 1996. In 1998, Mark McGwire competed with Sammy Sosa of the Cubs for a chase for the single-season home run record. From 2000 to 2013, the Cardinals returned to the top with ten playoff appearances, four NL pennants, two World Series titles and 1,274 regular season wins against 993 losses for a .560 winning percentage, leading the National League and second in MLB only to the New York Yankees. With the addition of Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols, and Scott Rolen, the Cardinals had three prominent hitters and defenders nicknamed "MV3;" Pujols won three MVPs and hit .326 with 469 home runs in his Cardinals career. In 2004, playoff regular Chris Carpenter's 3.09 ERA and 15 wins helped the team to a major-league best 105 wins and the NL pennant. In 2006, despite injuries and inconsistency, they won the World Series, beating Detroit in five games to set an all-time record-low of 83 wins for a World Series winner.
In 2009, the Cardinals reached 10,000 wins, dating to when they first played in the American Association (AA). St. Louis returned to the playoffs in 2011—led by Pujols, Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday, Chris Carpenter, and Yadier Molina—first overcoming the largest games-won deficit after 130 games (at 10.5) to overtake the Atlanta Braves on the final day for the wild card playoff spot. In Game 3 of the World Series, Pujols became just the third player to hit three home runs in a World Series game. In Game 6, David Freese and Berkman each tied the score on the Cardinals' final strike—the first such occurrence in any game in MLB history—and St. Louis defeated the Texas Rangers later that game with a walk-off home run from Freese. After winning that Series, La Russa retired and became the only manager to do so after winning a title. He also finished with the most wins for managers in franchise history at 1,408.
La Russa's successor, Mike Matheny, helped extend St. Louis' playoff run as he became the first manager in the division play era to guide the Cardinals to the NLCS and playoffs in his first two seasons. In 2014, the Cardinals extended their NLCS streak to 4, with their 3–1 series victory over the Dodgers, in the NLDS. Ten days after being eliminated from the postseason by the San Francisco Giants, rookie outfielder Oscar Taveras died in a car accident while traveling to his hometown Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. On November 17, they acquired Atlanta Braves right-fielder Jason Heyward (who had just come off a Gold Glove-winning season) to replace Taveras. On June 16, 2015, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department started an investigation on the Cardinals for possibly hacking the Houston Astros. The hacking incident was carried out by Scouting Director Chris Correa. For the first time since the 2007–2008 seasons, the Cardinals missed the playoffs in consecutive years, 2016–2017.
After a rough start to the 2018 season, the Cardinals fired Matheny and named Mike Shildt interim manager. Shildt was made the permanent manager a month later.
For the 2019 season, the team announced that the "Victory Blue" uniforms, worn during the late 1970s and 1980s, would return. The uniforms, integrating the powder blue color with the team's current "Saturday alternate" jersey design, were to be worn during Saturday road games. The Cardinals traded for multi-time all stars Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, and Albert Pujols returned to the team for his final season in 2022.
In 2022, long-time starting pitcher-catcher duo Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina set the NL/AL record for most starts as a duo, also called a battery, at 325 starts together going back to 2007. The previous record-holding duo, Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan, had held the record since 1975.
Ballpark
Main articles: Busch Stadium, Busch Memorial Stadium, Sportsman's Park, and Robison Field
The St. Louis Cardinals play their home games at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. This stadium opened in 2006 and can hold over 46,000 fans. It was built to look like older baseball parks and offers a great view of the city's skyline, including the famous Gateway Arch. The Cardinals won the World Series in their first season at this stadium.
Before Busch Stadium, the team played in three other ballparks. The first was Sportsman's Park, then they moved to Robison Field, and later returned to Sportsman's Park, which was renamed Busch Stadium. In 1966, they built another stadium called Busch Memorial Stadium, which they used until 2005.
In spring training, the Cardinals practice at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, sharing it with the Miami Marlins.
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Logos and uniforms
The St. Louis Cardinals have had only a few logos, but they have changed over time. The first logo was an interlocking "SL" on the team's caps and sleeves as early as 1899 or 1900. Early uniforms said "St. Louis" on white home and gray road shirts, both with red details.
In 1922, the team introduced a new logo with two birds on a baseball bat over the name "Cardinals". This idea came from a woman named Allie May Schmidt, whose father helped create the logo. In 1940, the team started using the "StL" logo on their caps, which they still use today. The team also added navy blue to their uniforms that year.
Over the years, the Cardinals have updated their uniforms many times. They added players' names to the back of jerseys in 1962 and changed from flannel shirts to knit jerseys in 1971. In 2023, they added a sponsor patch to their uniforms, and in 2024, they introduced a special uniform called "City Connect" that honored the city of St. Louis.
Support
Main article: Cardinals Nation
Main articles: Fredbird and Rally Squirrel
The team's mascot is an anthropomorphic cardinal named Fredbird. He wears the team's uniform and is helped by a group of eleven women called Team Fredbird, who entertain fans during games.
During the 2011 postseason, an unexpected event happened. A squirrel ran across home plate during a game, and the team went on to win. This squirrel became known as the Rally Squirrel and is even featured on the team's World Series rings.
Rivalries
Chicago Cubs
Main article: Cardinals–Cubs rivalry
The Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs have a long-standing rivalry called the Downstate Illinois rivalry or the I-55 Series. Both cities are along Interstate 55, which replaced the famous U.S. Route 66. The Cubs lead in total games played, but the Cardinals have more league championships and World Series wins. These games are always exciting, with many fans traveling to either Busch Stadium in St. Louis or Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Kansas City Royals
Main article: Show Me Series
The Cardinals also have a rivalry with the Kansas City Royals, called the "Show-Me Series" after the nickname of their home state, Missouri. The teams first met in the 1985 World Series, which the Royals won. Since 1997, they have played several games each season, with the Cardinals leading overall. The rivalry became more intense in 2015 when both teams were top contenders.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Main article: Cardinals–Dodgers rivalry
The Cardinals and the Dodgers have a strong rivalry, especially in the playoffs. They have met many times in postseason games since 1892, with the Cardinals winning most of these matchups. Recently, both teams have often faced each other in important playoff series.
New York Mets
The rivalry between the Cardinals and the New York Mets was strongest in the 1980s when both teams fought for the top spot in their division. This rivalry began when the Mets acquired Keith Hernandez from the Cardinals. Though it faded after the Cardinals moved divisions in 1994, it flared up again when they met in the playoffs in 2000 and 2006.
Executives and club officials
See also: List of St. Louis Cardinals owners and executives
An investment group led by William DeWitt Jr. owns the St. Louis Cardinals. They bought the team from Anheuser-Busch in 1996. There were worries that the team might leave St. Louis because the city is smaller, but the new owners kept the team there.
As of 2024, Forbes valued the Cardinals at $2.55 billion, ranking tenth among all MLB teams. In 2024, the team earned $372 million in revenue and had an operating income of $57 million. Their television deal with FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, signed in 2015, is worth $1 billion through 2032.
The Cardinals also own three minor league teams:
- Palm Beach Cardinals, Florida State League
- Florida Complex League Cardinals, Florida Complex League
- Dominican Summer League Cardinals, Dominican Summer League
Executives
Franchise Principals
- Chairman & CEO: William DeWitt Jr.
- President: Bill DeWitt III
- Sr. Vice President & General Counsel: Mike Whittle
- Vice President, Business Development: Dan Good
Baseball Operations
- President of Baseball Operations: Chaim Bloom
- Vice President and Sr. Advisor: Mike Girsch
- Assistant General Manager, Major League Operations & International Scouting: Moisés Rodríguez
- Assistant General Manager & Director of Scouting: Randy Flores
- Assistant General Manager, Player Development & Performance: Rob Cerfolio
- Special Assistant to President, Baseball Operations: Willie McGee
- Special Assistant to President, Baseball Operations: Yadier Molina
All valuations per Forbes.
1 Based on current stadium deal (unless new stadium is pending) without deduction for debt, other than stadium debt.
(2024: market $1,070 mil., stadium $540 mil., sport $590 mil., brand management $350 mil.)
(2018: market $715 mil., stadium $447 mil., sport $493 mil., brand management $245 mil.)
(2017: market $666 mil., stadium $411 mil., sport $488 mil., brand management $235 mil.)
(2016: market $613 mil., stadium $378 mil., sport $406 mil., brand management $219 mil.)
(2015: market $548 mil., stadium $338 mil., sport $331 mil., brand management $197 mil.)
(2014: market $339 mil., stadium $211 mil., sport $156 mil., brand management $124 mil.)
(2013: market $291 mil., stadium $182 mil., sport $151 mil., brand management $91 mil.)
(2012: market $240 mil., stadium $157 mil., sport $119 mil., brand management $78 mil.)
(2011: market $206 mil., stadium $136 mil., sport $111 mil., brand management $65 mil.)
2 Net of stadium revenues used for debt payments.
3 Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
4 Includes benefits and bonuses.
5 Compares the number of wins per player payroll relative to the rest of MLB. Playoff wins count twice as much as regular season wins. A score of 120 means that the team achieved 20% more victories per dollar of payroll compared with the league average in 2010.
Main article: List of St. Louis Cardinals managers
Managers with one or more years managing, and the current manager are included here.
Table key
- *All-time franchise leader. ** Franchise leader since 1900.
| St. Louis Cardinals' financial value since 2009 | ||||||
| Year | $ Value (mil.)1 | $ Revenue (mil.) 2 | $ Operating Income (mil.) 3 | $ Player Expenses (mil.) 4 | Win-to-Player Cost Ratio 5 | Ref |
| 2009 | $486 | $195 | $ 7 | $120 | 87 | |
| 2010 | $488 | $195 | $12.8 | $111 | 100 | |
| 2011 | $518 | $207 | $19.8 | $110 | 94 | |
| 2012 | $591 | $233 | $25.0 | $123 | 116 | |
| 2013 | $716 | $239 | $19.9 | $134 | 102 | |
| 2014 | $820 | $283 | $65.2 | $133 | 118 | |
| 2015 | $1,400 | $294 | $73.6 | $133 | 111 | |
| 2016 | $1,600 | $300 | $59.8 | $145 | 115 | |
| 2017 | $1,800 | $310 | $41 | $173 | 86 | |
| 2018 | $1,900 | $319 | $40 | $165 | 89 | |
| 2019 | $2,100 | $356 | $65 | $176 | 90 | |
| 2020 | $2,200 | $383 | $72 | $182 | 95 | |
| 2021 | $2,200 | $109 | -$79 | $88 | 76 | |
| 2022 | $2,500 | $287 | -$34 | $191 | 78 | |
| 2023 | $2,600 | $358 | $43 | $174 | 100 | |
| 2024 | $2,600 | $372 | $57 | $169 | 85 | |
| 2025 | $2,600 | $373 | $ 6.7 | $219 | 92 | |
| Dates | Name | W-L Record | % | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1883–89, 1891 | Charles Comiskey† | 563–273 | .673* | Highest winning-percentage in franchise history; Four consecutive World Series appearances, one title |
| 1895, 96, 97 | Chris von der Ahe | 3–14 | .176 | |
| 1901–03 | Patsy Donovan | 175–236 | .426 | |
| 1904–05 | Kid Nichols† | 80–88 | .476 | |
| 1906–08 | John McCloskey | 153–304 | .335 | |
| 1909–12 | Roger Bresnahan† | 255–352 | .420 | |
| 1913–17 | Miller Huggins† | 346–415 | .455 | |
| 1918 | Jack Hendricks | 51–78 | .395 | |
| 1919–25 | Branch Rickey† | 458–485 | .486 | |
| 1925–26 | Rogers Hornsby† | 153–116 | .569 | One World Series win (player-manager) |
| 1927 | Bob O'Farrell | 92–61 | .601 | |
| 1928–29 | Bill McKechnie† | 129–88 | .594 | One NL pennant |
| 1929, 1940–45 | Billy Southworth† | 620–346 | .642** | Second-highest winning-percentage in franchise history (highest modern); Two World Series (1942, 1944) wins |
| 1929, 1930–33 | Gabby Street | 312–242 | .563 | Two NL pennants and one World Series win |
| 1933–38 | Frankie Frisch† | 458–354 | .564 | One World Series win |
| 1939–40 | Ray Blades | 106–85 | .555 | |
| 1946–50 | Eddie Dyer | 446–325 | .578 | One World Series win |
| 1951 | Marty Marion | 81–73 | .526 | |
| 1952–55 | Eddie Stanky | 260–238 | .522 | |
| 1956–58 | Fred Hutchinson | 232–220 | .513 | |
| 1959–61 | Solly Hemus | 190–192 | .497 | |
| 1961–64 | Johnny Keane | 317–249 | .560 | One World Series win |
| 1965–76, 1980, 1990 | Red Schoendienst† | 1041–955 | .522 | Two NL pennants and one World Series win |
| 1977–78 | Vern Rapp | 89–90 | .497 | |
| 1978–80 | Ken Boyer | 166–190 | .466 | |
| 1980–90 | Whitey Herzog† | 822–728 | .530 | Three NL pennants and one World Series win |
| 1990–95 | Joe Torre† | 351–354 | .498 | |
| 1996–2011 | Tony La Russa† | 1408*–1182* | .544 | Most managerial wins and seasons (16) in team history; Two World Series (2006, 2011) wins |
| 2012–18 | Mike Matheny | 591–474 | .555 | One NL pennant |
| 2018–21 | Mike Shildt | 252–199 | .559 | |
| 2022–present | Oliver Marmol | 325–323 | .502 | |
W-L | Total number of wins and losses |
WPct | Winning percentage: Number of wins divided by total of wins and losses |
Bold | Franchise leader |
† | Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame |
Players
See also: St. Louis Cardinals all-time roster
Current roster
Coaching staff
Further information: List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches
Selected individual achievements and awards
- Darryl Kile Award: Two awards are presented each year, one to a St. Louis Cardinal and one to a Houston Astro, each of whom shows good qualities like being a good teammate and friend. The winner is chosen by local baseball writers. See: St. Louis Cardinals award winners and league leaders § Darryl Kile Good Guy Award.
- No-hitters: Cardinal pitchers have thrown 10 no-hitters, with the most recent in 2001. The Cardinals have never been part of a perfect game.
- Cy Young Awards: Two Cardinal pitchers have won Cy Young Awards: Bob Gibson in 1968 and 1970, and Chris Carpenter in 2005.
- MVP Awards: 17 different Cardinal players have won a total of 21 Most Valuable Player awards, the most recent being Paul Goldschmidt in 2022. Albert Pujols and Stan Musial have each won three MVPs. The Cardinals are second only to the New York Yankees' 24 MVP awards.
- Rookie of the Year: Six Cardinals have won the Rookie of the Year award, the most recent being Albert Pujols in 2001.
- Hitting for the cycle: 19 different Cardinal players have hit for the cycle a total of 21 times, the most recent being Nolan Arenado in 2022.
- Triple Crown: Four of the 16 batting Triple Crowns in the major leagues were by Cardinals. Tip O'Neill won the only American Association Triple Crown in 1887. Rogers Hornsby became the only two-time winner in NL history in 1922 and 1925. Joe Medwick's Triple Crown in 1937 is the last in the history of the National League.
- Home runs and RBI in a game: Jim Bottomley drove in 12 runs in a game in 1924, a record that still stands. Mark Whiten tied that record and hit four home runs in a game in 1993.
- Four home runs in a row by consecutive batters: Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman, Juan Yepez, and Dylan Carlson hit consecutive home runs in 2022. This has only happened eleven times in Major League Baseball history.
- Two grand slams in a single inning: Fernando Tatís is the only player in Major League history to hit two grand slam home runs in the same inning, in 1999.
Team captains
- Leo Durocher 1934–1937
- Terry Moore 1942–1948
- Ken Boyer 1959–1965
- Ted Simmons and Reggie Smith 1976
Hall of Famers
Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Main article: List of St. Louis Cardinals in the Baseball Hall of Fame
See also: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and List of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame
St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum
In 2014, the Cardinals reopened their Hall of Fame after a six-year break. A formal selection process each year recognizes former players as Cardinals Hall of Famers. To be eligible, a player must have been a member of the Cardinals for at least three seasons. There are now 61 members of the Cardinals Hall of Fame.
Positions that are listed were played the equivalent of a full season for the Cardinals.
Players who have been nominated, but not inducted, include Joaquín Andújar, Steve Carlton, George Hendrick, Brian Jordan, and Lee Smith.
After receiving the most fan votes on the 2023 ballot, David Freese later declined his induction into the Cardinals Hall of Fame.
Inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
Main article: Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
Retired numbers
See also: List of Major League Baseball retired numbers
The Cardinals have retired 13 jersey numbers—second in MLB only to the New York Yankees' 22—in honoring 15 former players and club personnel on the left field wall at Busch Stadium. A 16th, Jackie Robinson, is honored by all MLB teams. For most of Rogers Hornsby's career, the Cardinals did not have numbers on their uniforms. When the Cardinals tried numbers on uniforms in 1923, Hornsby briefly wore number 4. He switched to 6 the next season before the team stopped using them. When he returned to the team in 1933, Hornsby wore number 4 again before being traded later that year. The club chose to honor his name with no number attached in 1997.
Notes:
- Hornsby: When honored in 1997, '"SL"' was used instead of a number because he played mostly when there were no numbers.
- 42: Jackie Robinson's number 42 was retired throughout baseball in 1997. The Cardinals retired 42 again in September 2006 to honor Sutter, who was elected to the Hall of Fame earlier that year.
- 85: Cardinal fans honored Busch with the number 85 on his 85th birthday in 1984.
Out of circulation, but not officially retired
- 4: Yadier Molina's number has not been reissued since he retired after the 2022 season.
- 5: Albert Pujols' number has not been reissued since he retired after the 2022 season.
- 50: Adam Wainwright's number has not been reissued since he retired after the 2023 season.
- 51: Willie McGee's number has not been reissued since late in the 2001 season, except when he became a coach and was reissued the number.
| Bold | Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame |
|---|---|
† | Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Cardinal |
| Bold | Recipient of the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award |
| No. | Name | Years with Cardinals franchise | Position(s) | Year elected | Committee selection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Jim Bottomley† | 1922–1932, 1939, 1955 | 1B, Broadcaster, Scout | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 14 | Ken Boyer | 1955–1965, 1971–1972, 1978–1980 | 3B, Manager, Coach | 2014 | Inaugural |
| — | Sam Breadon | 1917–1947 | Owner | 2016 | Team |
| 31 | Harry Brecheen | 1940, 1943–1952 | P | 2018 | Red Ribbon |
| 20 | Lou Brock† | 1964–1979 | LF | 2014 | Inaugural |
| — | Jack Buck | 1954–1959, 1961–2001 | Broadcaster | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 85 | Gussie Busch | 1953–1989 | Owner | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 29 | Chris Carpenter | 2004–2012 | P | 2016 | Fan |
| 29 | Vince Coleman | 1985–1990 | LF | 2018 | Fan |
| — | Charles Comiskey | 1882–1889, 1891 | 1B, Manager | 2022 | Team |
| 13, 14, 24, 25, 30 | Mort Cooper | 1938–1945 | P | 2019 | Red Ribbon |
| 17 | Dizzy Dean† | 1930, 1932–1937, 1941–1946 | P, Broadcaster | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 18 | Dave Duncan | 1996–2011 | Coach | 2024 | Team |
| 15 | Jim Edmonds | 2000–2007, 2016–2024 | CF, Broadcaster | 2014 | Fan |
| 21, 42 | Curt Flood | 1958–1969 | CF | 2015 | Red Ribbon |
| 31, 37 | Bob Forsch | 1974–1988 | P | 2015 | Fan |
| 3 | Frankie Frisch† | 1927–1938 | 2B, Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 31, 45, 58 | Bob Gibson† | 1959–1975, 1995 | P, Coach | 2014 | Inaugural |
| — | Chick Hafey† | 1924–1931 | OF | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 16 | Jesse Haines† | 1920–1937 | P | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 18, 37 | Keith Hernandez | 1974–1983 | 1B | 2021 | Fan |
| 28 | Tom Herr | 1979–1988 | 2B | 2020 | Fan |
| 24 | Whitey Herzog† | 1980–1990 | Manager, General Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 7, 15 | Matt Holliday | 2009–2016 | LF | 2022 | Fan |
| 4 | Rogers Hornsby† | 1915–1926, 1933 | 2B, SS, Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 39 | Al Hrabosky | 1970–1977, 1985–present | P, Broadcaster | 2025 | Red Ribbon |
| 44 | Jason Isringhausen | 2002–2008 | P | 2019 | Fan |
| 25 | Julián Javier | 1960–1971 | 2B | 2022 | Red Ribbon |
| — | Walt Jocketty | 1994–2007 | General Manager | 2025 | Team |
| 3 | George Kissell | 1940–1942, 1946–2008 | Coach, Instructor, Scout | 2015 | Team |
| 1, 5 | Whitey Kurowski | 1941–1949 | 3B | 2024 | Red Ribbon |
| 21, 23, 30, 32, 40 | Max Lanier | 1938–1946, 1949–1951 | P | 2023 | Red Ribbon |
| 12, 16 | Ray Lankford | 1990–2001, 2004 | CF | 2018 | Fan |
| 10 | Tony La Russa† | 1996–2011 | Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 4 | Marty Marion | 1940–1951 | SS, Manager, Coach | 2014 | Red Ribbon |
| 1, 2, 10, 11, 28 | Pepper Martin | 1928, 1930–1940, 1944 | OF, 3B | 2017 | Red Ribbon |
| 9, 15, 20, 51 | Tim McCarver | 1959–1969, 1973–1974, 2014–2019 | C, Broadcaster | 2017 | Fan |
| 51 | Willie McGee | 1982–1990, 1996–1999, 2018–present | OF, Coach, Advisor | 2014 | Fan |
| 25 | Mark McGwire | 1997–2001, 2010–2012 | 1B, Coach | 2017 | Fan |
| 7, 12, 21, 28 | Joe Medwick† | 1932–1940, 1947–1948 | LF | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 10 | Johnny Mize† | 1936–1941 | 1B | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 4, 41 | Yadier Molina | 2004–2022, 2024–present | C, Advisor | 2026 | Fan |
| 2, 8, 11 | Terry Moore | 1935–1942, 1946–1952, 1956–1958 | CF, Coach | 2016 | Red Ribbon |
| 35 | Matt Morris | 1997–2005 | P | 2024 | Fan |
| 6 | Stan Musial† | 1941–1944, 1946–1963, 1967 | OF, 1B, General Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 5, 11, 91 | José Oquendo | 1986–1995, 1997–present | 2B, Coach | 2023 | Team |
| 5 | Albert Pujols | 2001–2011, 2022 | 1B, LF | 2026 | Fan |
| 3 | Édgar Rentería | 1999–2004 | SS | 2025 | Fan |
| — | Branch Rickey | 1919–1942 | Manager, General Manager, President | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 16, 27 | Scott Rolen | 2002–2007 | 3B | 2019 | Fan |
| 2, 6 | Red Schoendienst† | 1945–1956, 1961–1976, 1979–1995 | 2B, Manager, Coach | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 18, 28 | Mike Shannon | 1962–1970, 1972–2021 | 3B, RF, Broadcaster | 2014 | Team |
| 25 | Bill Sherdel | 1918–1930, 1932 | P | 2026 | Red Ribbon |
| 23 | Ted Simmons† | 1968–1980 | C | 2015 | Fan |
| 9 | Enos Slaughter† | 1938–1942, 1946–1953 | RF | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 1 | Ozzie Smith† | 1982–1999 | SS, Broadcaster | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 30, 40 | Billy Southworth† | 1926–1927, 1929, 1940–1945 | RF, Manager | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 42 | Bruce Sutter | 1981–1984 | P | 2014 | Inaugural |
| 9, 22 | Joe Torre | 1969–1974, 1990–1995 | 3B, 1B, Manager | 2016 | Fan |
| 30, 48 | John Tudor | 1985–1988, 1990 | P | 2020 | Fan |
| 7, 12, 26 | Bill White | 1959–1965, 1969 | 1B | 2020 | Red Ribbon |
| St. Louis Cardinals in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame | |||||
| No. | Name | Years with Cardinals franchise | Position(s) | Year elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Lou Adamie | 1941–1982 | Scorekeeper | 2007 | |
| — | Jack Buck | 1954–1959, 1961–2001 | Broadcaster | 1980 | |
| — | Bing Devine | 1957–1964, 1967–1978 | GM | 1996 | |
| — | Charlie Grimm | 1918 | 1B | 1966 | |
| — | Walt Jocketty | 1994–2007 | GM | 2007 | |
| — | Mark Lamping | 1994–2008 | President | 2021 | |
| — | Branch Rickey | 1919–1942 | Manager, GM, President | 1965 | |
| 0, 13 | Kerry Robinson | 2001–2003 | OF | 2024 | |
| 1 | Ozzie Smith | 1982–1999 | SS, Broadcaster | 1997 | |
| 2, 6 | Red Schoendienst | 1945–1956, 1961–1976, 1979–1995 | 2B, LF, Manager, Coach | 1987 | |
| 2, 8, 11 | Terry Moore | 1935–1942, 1946–1952, 1956–1958 | CF, Coach | 1992 | |
| 3 | Frankie Frisch | 1927–1938 | 2B, 3B, Manager | 1972 | |
| 3 | George Kissell | 1940–1942, 1946–2008 | Coach, Instructor, Scout | 2003 | |
| 4, 6 | Rogers Hornsby | 1915–1926, 1933 | 2B, SS, 3B, Manager | 1972 | |
| 4 | Marty Marion | 1940–1951 | SS, Manager, Coach | 1992 | |
| 5, 22 | Don Gutteridge | 1936–1940 | 2B, 3B, SS | 2001 | |
| 6 | Stan Musial | 1941–1944, 1946–1963, 1967 | OF, 1B, GM | 1963 | |
| 7, 12, 21, 28 | Joe Medwick | 1932–1940, 1947–1948 | LF | 2019 | |
| 7, 15 | Matt Holliday | 2009–2016 | LF | 2022 | |
| 8 | Hal McRae | 2005–2009 | Coach | 2004 | |
| 8, 14 | Mickey Owen | 1937–1940 | C | 2012 | |
| 9 | Roger Maris | 1967–1968 | RF | 2013 | |
| 9 | Terry Pendleton | 1984–1990 | 3B | 2020 | |
| 9 | Enos Slaughter | 1938–1942, 1946–1953 | RF | 1999 | |
| 9 | Bill Virdon | 1955–1956 | CF | 1983 | |
| 9, 15, 20, 51 | Tim McCarver | 1959–1969, 1973–1974, 2014–2019 | C, 1B, Broadcaster | 2004 | |
| 10 | Tony La Russa | 1996–2011 | Manager | 2006 | |
| 14 | Ken Boyer | 1955–1965, 1971–1972, 1978–1980 | 3B, CF, Manager, Coach | 1992 | |
| 15 | Jim Edmonds | 2000–2007, 2016–2024 | CF, Broadcaster | 2012 | |
| 15 | Darrell Porter | 1981–1985 | C | 2000 | |
| 15, 28 | Joe Cunningham | 1954, 1956–1961 | 1B, RF | 2012 | |
| 16 | Jamie Quirk | 1983 | C, 3B | 2012 | |
| 17 | Dizzy Dean | 1930, 1932–1937, 1941–1946 | P, Broadcaster | 1970 | |
| 17 | Joe Garagiola | 1946–1951, 1955–1962 | C, Broadcaster | 1970 | |
| 18 | Dave Duncan | 1996–2011 | Coach | 2014 | |
| 18 | Andy Van Slyke | 1983–1986 | CF, 1B, 3B | 2021 | |
| 18, 28 | Mike Shannon | 1962–1970, 1972–2021 | 3B, RF, Broadcaster | 1999 | |
| 18, 37 | Keith Hernandez | 1974–1983 | 1B | 2008 | |
| 19 | Tom Pagnozzi | 1987–1998 | C, 1B | 2010 | |
| 19 | Preacher Roe | 1938 | P | 1998 | |
| 20 | Lou Brock | 1964–1979 | LF | 1998 | |
| 21, 42 | Curt Flood | 1958–1969 | CF | 2013 | |
| 22 | David Eckstein | 2005–2007 | SS, 2B | 2013 | |
| 22, 44 | Mike Matheny | 2000–2004, 2012–2018 | C, Manager | 2011 | |
| 23 | Bernard Gilkey | 1990–1995 | LF | 2018 | |
| 23 | Charlie James | 1960–1964 | OF | 2015 | |
| 23 | Ted Simmons | 1968–1980 | C, 1B | 2005 | |
| 24 | Dick Groat | 1963–1965 | SS | 2012 | |
| 24 | Whitey Herzog | 1980–1990 | Manager, GM | 1994 | |
| 24, 49, 66 | Rick Ankiel | 1999–2001, 2004, 2007–2009 | CF, P | 2018 | |
| 25 | Gabby Street | 1929–1933 | C, Manager | 1966 | |
| 28 | Tom Herr | 1979–1988 | 2B | 2011 | |
| 28, 30 | Orlando Cepeda | 1966–1968 | 1B, LF | 2000 | |
| 28, 40 | Dan Quisenberry | 1988–1989 | P | 1997 | |
| 29 | Chris Carpenter | 2004–2012 | P | 2013 | |
| 29 | Vince Coleman | 1985–1990 | LF | 2017 | |
| 31, 37 | Bob Forsch | 1974–1988 | P | 2002 | |
| 31, 40, 41 | Alan Benes | 1995–2001 | P | 2020 | |
| 31, 45, 58 | Bob Gibson | 1959–1975, 1995 | P, Coach | 1996 | |
| 32, 34 | Mark Littell | 1978–1982 | P | 2016 | |
| 33, 44, 47 | Ken Reitz | 1972–1975, 1977–1980 | 3B | 2009 | |
| 34 | Danny Cox | 1983–1988 | P | 2022 | |
| 34, 51 | Darold Knowles | 1979–1980 | P | 2012 | |
| 37 | Dennis Higgins | 1971–1972 | P | 2013 | |
| 37 | Jeff Suppan | 2004–2006, 2010 | P | 2019 | |
| 38 | Todd Worrell | 1985–1989, 1992 | P | 2009 | |
| 39 | Al Hrabosky | 1970–1977 | P | 2003 | |
| 40 | Andy Benes | 1996–1997, 2000–2002 | P | 2020 | |
| 40 | Rick Sutcliffe | 1994 | P | 2004 | |
| 42 | Bruce Sutter | 1981–1984 | P | 2007 | |
| 44 | Jason Isringhausen | 2002–2008 | P | 2016 | |
| 47 | Lee Smith | 1990–1993 | P | 2018 | |
| 49 | Ricky Horton | 1984–1987, 1989–1990 | P | 2014 | |
| 49 | Jerry Reuss | 1969–1971 | P | 2016 | |
| 50 | Tom Henke | 1995 | P | 2000 | |
| 50 | Lee Thomas | 1970–1988 | Coach, Instructor | 2008 | |
| 50, 60 | Adam Wainwright | 2005–2010, 2012–2023 | P | 2023 | |
| 51 | Willie McGee | 1982–1990, 1996–1999, 2018–present | OF, Coach, Advisor | 2014 | |
| 85 | Gussie Busch | 1953–1989 | Owner | 1975 | |
Cardinals records
Main article: List of St. Louis Cardinals team records
Minor league affiliations
Main article: List of St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates
See also: St. Louis Cardinals minor league players
The St. Louis Cardinals have a group of six teams that help develop players for the main team. These teams are called minor league affiliates.
Radio and television coverage
See also: List of St. Louis Cardinals broadcasters
In St. Louis, the team’s games are broadcast on KMOX, a radio station owned by Audacy. It reaches over 145 stations across several states, including Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, bringing the games to millions of fans.
The TV broadcasts are led by FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, which shows every game in high definition. Some games are also shown on Apple TV+, Fox, and ESPN. The team also has special shows for young fans and weekly magazine programs.
Opening Day lineups
Opening Day salaries
The St. Louis Cardinals have had different amounts of money to spend on players each year since 2000. In 2020, the season was shorter, so the amount of money they used changed from $168,930,500 to $69,461,295.
| Opening Day salary (ML contracts plus pro-rated signing bonuses) | ||||
| Year | Salary | |||
| 2000 | $ 63,900,000 | |||
| 2001 | $ 78,538,333 | |||
| 2002 | $ 74,660,875 | |||
| 2003 | $ 83,786,666 | |||
| 2004 | $ 83,228,333 | |||
| 2005 | $ 92,106,833 | |||
| 2006 | $ 88,891,371 | |||
| 2007 | $ 90,286,823 | |||
| 2008 | $ 99,624,449 | |||
| 2009 | $ 88,528,409 | |||
| 2010 | $ 94,220,500 | |||
| 2011 | $109,048,000 | |||
| 2012 | $111,858,500 | |||
| 2013 | $116,790,787 | |||
| 2014 | $111,250,000 | |||
| 2015 | $122,066,500 | |||
| 2016 | $145,553,500 | |||
| 2017 | $148,152,933 | |||
| 2018 | $159,698,667 | |||
| 2019 | $162,620,267 | |||
| 2020 | $ 69,461,295 | |||
| 2021 | $163,542,500 | |||
| 2022 | $154,987,997 | |||
| 2023 | $176,587,308 | |||
| 2024 | $175,158,567 | |||
| 2025 | $137,955,865 | |||
Images
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on St. Louis Cardinals, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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