St. Louis Cardinals

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Lore & Background

The Cardinals–Dodgers rivalry was particularly intense from 1941 through 1949. In his 1948 autobiography, Dodgers manager Leo Durocher called the Cardinals 'our old rivals.' During that period, the Cardinals won the National League pennant four times, with the Dodgers finishing second twice. In 1942, the Cardinals overcame a 10-game Dodger lead in early August to win the pennant. In 1946, the teams finished tied for first, and the Cardinals won the first-ever National League playoff tiebreaker. Cardinal Hall of Famer Enos Slaughter said, 'We loved to hate them and they loved to hate us.' After the 1942 season, Branch Rickey, who built the Cardinals' farm system, moved to become the Dodgers' general manager. In 1947, after Rickey signed Jackie Robinson, there were rumors that southerners on the Cardinals planned to boycott games, though players later denied it. The Cardinals were latecomers to integration; owner Fred Saigh refused to sign black players, and their ballpark was the last in the majors to abolish segregated seating. This lack of black players hurt the Cardinals' performance in the 1950s, while the Dodgers, with Robinson, Don Newcombe, Roy Campanella, and Jim Gilliam, made the World Series six times from 1949 to 1959, winning in 1955 and 1959. The 1951 season included a 14-game winning streak for the Dodgers against the Cardinals, the longest such streak in the rivalry.

In Their Own Story

The rivalry renewed in 1963 when the Cardinals won 19 out of 20 games to almost overtake a large Dodger lead, though the Dodgers ultimately won the pennant. The streak reminded Stan Musial of the 1942 performance. From 1963 to 1968, either the Cardinals or Dodgers represented the National League in the World Series: Los Angeles in 1963, 1965, and 1966; St. Louis in 1964, 1967, and 1968. By the 1960s, the Cardinals were more open to players of color, with stars like Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Curt Flood, Orlando Cepeda, and Bill White. The 1970s were a dim period for the Cardinals, finishing with a .496 winning percentage, while the Dodgers made three World Series (1974, 1977, 1978) but lost all three. The first postseason matchup came in the 1985 National League Championship Series, best known for Ozzie Smith's dramatic walk-off home run in Game 5—his first career home run batting left-handed—and Jack Clark's series-winning homer in Game 6. Smith's home run was voted the greatest moment in Busch Stadium history in 2005, and prompted Jack Buck's call, 'Go crazy, folks! Go crazy!' In 1988, the teams completed a blockbuster trade: John Tudor to the Dodgers for Pedro Guerrero. Tudor went 4–3 with a 2.41 ERA in nine starts down the stretch, helping the Dodgers win the 1988 World Series. Guerrero signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals and hit .311/.391/.477 with 17 home runs, 117 RBIs, and a league-leading 42 doubles in 1989, finishing third in NL MVP voting.

Did You Know?

• The Cardinals and Dodgers first met during the 1884 season as members of the American Association.
• In 1942, the Cardinals overcame a 10-game Dodger lead in early August to win the pennant.
• The 1951 season included a 14-game winning streak for the Dodgers against the Cardinals, the longest such streak in the rivalry.
• Ozzie Smith's Game 5 walk-off home run in the 1985 NLCS was his first career home run batting left-handed.
• On August 10, 1995, the Cardinals-Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium was forfeited after fans threw giveaway baseballs onto the field.