| St. Louis Cardinals | |||||
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 2025 St. Louis Cardinals season | |||||
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| Major league titles | |||||
| World Series titles(11) | |||||
| NLPennants(19) | |||||
| AA Pennants (4) | |||||
| Central Division titles(12) | |||||
| East Division titles (3)[d] | |||||
| Pre-modern World Series (1) | |||||
| Wild card berths(5)[e] | |||||
| Front office | |||||
| Principal owner | William DeWitt Jr.[4] | ||||
| President | Bill DeWitt III | ||||
| President of baseball operations | Chaim Bloom | ||||
| General manager | Vacant | ||||
| Manager | Oliver Marmol | ||||
| Mascot | Fredbird | ||||
| Website | mlb.com/cardinals | ||||
TheSt. Louis Cardinals are an American professionalbaseball team based inSt. Louis. The Cardinals compete inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of theNational League (NL)Central Division. Since the2006 season, the Cardinals have played their home games atBusch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. One of the nation's oldest and most successful professional baseball clubs, the Cardinals have won 11World Series championships, the most of any NL team and second in MLB only to theNew York Yankees.[5][6] The team has won 19National League pennants, third-most of any team behind theLos Angeles Dodgers andSan Francisco Giants. St. Louis has also won 15division titles in theEast and Central divisions.
In 1881, entrepreneurChris von der Ahe purchased theBrown Stockingsbarnstorming club, renamed it theSt. Louis Browns, and made it a charter member of theAmerican Association baseball league. The team won four league championships, qualifying them to play in the era'sprofessional baseball championship series, a forerunner of the modernWorld Series.[7] In two of these championships, the Browns met the Chicago White Stockings, now theChicago Cubs, launching the enduringCardinals–Cubs rivalry.
In 1892, the Browns – also called thePerfectos – joined the National League. In 1900, the team was renamed theCardinals (Two years later, an unrelatedSt. Louis Browns team joined theAmerican League).
Notable Cardinals achievements include manager/ownerBranch Rickey's invention of thefarm system,Rogers Hornsby's two battingTriple Crowns,Dizzy Dean's 30-win season in 1934,Stan Musial's 17 MLB and 29 NL records,Bob Gibson's 1.12earned run average (ERA) in 1968,Whitey Herzog'sWhiteyball dynasty of the 1980s,Mark McGwire'ssingle-season home run record in 1998, the2011 championship team's unprecedented comebacks,[8] andAlbert Pujols’ 700thhome run. The Cardinals have won 105 or more games in four seasons and won 100 or more nine times. Cardinals players have won 21league MVPs, four batting Triple Crowns, and threeCy Young Awards.Baseball Hall of Fame inductees includeLou Brock, Dizzy Dean,Frankie Frisch, Bob Gibson,Chick Hafey,Jesse Haines, Whitey Herzog, Rogers Hornsby,Tony La Russa,Joe Medwick,Johnny Mize, Stan Musial,Red Schoendienst,Ted Simmons,Enos Slaughter,Ozzie Smith, andBilly Southworth.
In 2018,Forbes valued the Cardinals at $1.9 billion, the 7th-highest among MLB clubs and far more than the $147 million paid in 1995 byownerWilliam DeWitt Jr.'s investment group. In 2017, the team took in revenue of $319 million on anoperating income of $40.0 million.[9][10][11]Chaim Bloom is the President of Baseball Operations andOliver Marmol is themanager.[12][13] The Cardinals are renowned for their strong fan support: despite being in one of the sport's mid-level markets, they routinely see attendances among the league's highest, and are consistently among the top three in MLB in local television ratings.[14][15]
Through 2025, the Cardinals' all-time win-loss record is11,363–10,486–152 (.520).[16]
Professional baseball began in St. Louis with theBrown Stockings of theNational Association (NA) in1875. The NA folded following that season, andthe next season, St. Louis joined theNational League as a charter member, finishing in third place at 45–19.George Bradley hurled the firstno-hitter inMajor League history. The NL expelled St. Louis from the league after1877 due to a game-fixing scandal and the team went bankrupt.[17] Without a league, they continued play as a semi-professionalbarnstorming team through 1881.
The magnitudes of the reorganizations following the 1877 and 1881 seasons are such that most historians do not count the 1875–1877 and 1878–1881 Brown Stockings teams as part of the current Cardinals' legacy.[18][19]
For the1882 season,Chris von der Ahe purchased the team, reorganized it, and made it a founding member of theAmerican Association (AA), a league to rival the NL.[20] 1882 is generally considered to be the first year of existence for the franchise which would later become known as the St. Louis Cardinals.[18][19][21][f]
The next season, St. Louis shortened their name to theBrowns. Soon thereafter they became the dominant team in the AA, as managerCharles Comiskey guided St. Louis to four pennants in a row from1885 to1888.[7][24]Pitcher andoutfielderBob Caruthers led the league inERA (2.07) andwins (40) in 1885 and finished in the top six in both in each of the following two seasons. He also led the AA inOBP (.448) andOPS (.974) in1886 and finished fourth inbatting average in 1886 (.334) and fifth in1887 (.357).[25] OutfielderTip O'Neill won the first battingtriple crown in franchise history in1887 and the only one in AA history.[26][27][28] By winning the pennant, the Browns played the NL pennant winnerin a predecessor of theWorld Series. The Browns twice met the Chicago White Stockings—the predecessor to theChicago Cubs—tying one in a heated dispute andwinning the other, thus spurring the vigorousSt. Louis–Chicago rivalry that ensues to this day.[29] During the franchise's ten seasons in the AA, they compiled an all-time league-high of 780 wins and .639 winning percentage. They lost just 432 contests while tying 21 others.[7]
The AA folded after the 1891 season and the Browns transferred to the National League. This time, the club entered an era of stark futility. Between1892 and1919, St. Louis managed just five winning seasons, finished in last or next-to-last place sixteen times, and ended four seasons with 100 losses or more. Thenadir was the1897 season: a 29–102 record for a franchise-worst .221 winning percentage.[7] St. Louis' 84–67 finishas thePerfectos in 1899 would be the team's best finish between the AA era andSam Breadon's purchase of the team.[22][30] As the "Perfectos", the team wore their jersey with acardinal red trim and sock striping.[22] Later that season,St. Louis Republic sportswriter Willie McHale included an account in a column of a female fan he heard remarking about the uniforms, "What a lovely shade of cardinal." Fans liked the moniker "Cardinals" and, the next year in1900, popularity for the nickname induced an official change toCardinals.[22][30][31][32]
In1902, an American League team moved fromMilwaukee into St. Louis, renamed themselves theSt. Louis Browns and built anew park on the site of the Cardinals' old stadium, striking a rivalry that lasted five decades.[33] Breadon bought a minority interest in the Cardinals in1917, and in1919, Browns managerBranch Rickey joined the Cardinals.[34][35] The Cardinals' first 28 seasons in the NL were a complete reversal of their stay in the AA—with a .406 winning percentage, they compiled 1,632 wins, 2,425 losses and 74 ties.[7]
St. Louis baseball commenced arenaissance: since1926 the Cardinals have won eleven World Series and nineteen NL pennants.[7] Breadon spurred this revival when he bought out the majority stake in1920 and appointed Rickey as business manager, who expanded scouting, player development, and pioneered theminor leaguefarm system, filling the role of today'sgeneral manager.[36] WithRogers Hornsby at second base, he claimed Triple Crowns in1922 and1925, and the Cardinals won the1926 World Series, their first.[28][37] St. Louis then wonthe league in1928,1930, and1931 and the1931 World Series.[22]
TheGashouse Gang edition claimed the1934 World Series[22] and the Cardinals amassed new thresholds of popularity far outside St. Louis via radio, which led to the coining of the term "Cardinals Nation".[38]Dizzy Dean led the Gang, winning the1934MVP, and leading the NL multiple times inwins,strikeouts,innings,complete games andshutouts.[39]Johnny Mize andJoe Medwick emerged as two power threats, with Medwick claiming the last Triple Crown for a Cardinal in1937.[28][22][40][41][42]
In the 1940s, a golden era emerged as Rickey's farm system became laden with such talent asMarty Marion,[43]Enos Slaughter,[44]Mort Cooper,[45]Walker Cooper,[46]Stan Musial,[47]Max Lanier,[48]Whitey Kurowski,[49]Red Schoendienst[50] andJohnny Beazley.[51] 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.[52] WithBilly Southworth managing, they won the World Series in1942 and1944 (in the only all-St. Louis series against theBrowns), and won 105 or more games each in1942,1943, and1944.[7] Southworth's managerial winning percentage (.642) is St. Louis' highest since the franchise joined the National League.[53][54] Musial was considered the most consistent hitter of his era and most accomplished in team history, winning three MVPs and sevenbatting titles.[47][55] St. Louis then won the1946 World Series onSlaughter's Mad Dash in Game 7.[56] Breadon was forced to sell the team in1947 but won six World Series and nine NL pennants as owner.[22] They remained competitive, finishing .500 or better in thirteen of the next seventeen seasons, but fell short of winning the league or World Series until1964.[7]
In1953, theAnheuser-Busch brewerybought the Cardinals andGussie Busch became team president,[58] spurring the Browns' departure in1953 toBaltimore to become theOrioles, and making the Cardinals the only major league club in town.[59] More success followed in the 1960s, starting with what is considered one of themost lopsided trades in Major League history, as St. Louis receivedoutfielderLou Brock from theCubs for pitcherErnie Broglio.[60] MVP third basemanKen Boyer and pitcherBob Gibson led the club to aWorld Series win thesame year[61] andCurt Flood,Bill White,Curt Simmons, andSteve Carlton also made key contributions in this decade.[62][63][64][65] In1967, new arrivalOrlando Cepeda won the MVP, helping to propel St. Louis to theWorld Series.[66][67] The Cardinals won the leaguethe following year behind their Major League-leading 2.49 staff ERA[68] in what was an all-round record-breaking season ofpitching dominance. Posting a modern-day record low ERA of 1.12 and striking out a one-gameWorld Series-record of 17,[69] Gibson won both the MVP and Cy Young awards that year.[70] However, the Cardinals failed to repeat asWorld Series champions, blowing a 3–1 lead to the underdogDetroit Tigers.
In the 1970s, catcher/third basemanJoe Torre and first basemanKeith Hernandez each won MVPs, but the team's best finishes were second place and90 wins.[22][71][72] The team found their way back to the World Series three times in the 1980s, starting with managerWhitey Herzog and hisWhiteyball style of play and another trade that altered course of the franchise: in1982, shortstopGarry Templeton was shipped to thePadres for fellow shortstopOzzie Smith.[73][74] Widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in history, Smith ranks first all-time among shortstops inGold Glove Awards (13),All-Star games (15),assists (8,375), anddouble plays (1,590).[75][76] St. Louis won the1982 World Series from theMilwaukee Brewers that fall.[77][78] The Cardinals again won the league in1985 and1987.[79] In the1985 World Series, they faced-off withcross-state rivalsKansas City Royals for the first time in a non-exhibition game, but they lost the series after acontroversial call in Game 6;[80] the1987 World Series saw them face off against theMinnesota Twins, but could only win all three of their games played at home in the seven-game series.
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AfterGussie Busch died in1989,[82]the brewery took control[83] and hiredJoe Torre to manage late in1990,[84] then sold the team to an investment group led byWilliam DeWitt Jr. after the1995 season.[85]Tony La Russa replaced Torre in the spring of 1996.[86] In 1998,Mark McGwire competed withSammy Sosa of theCubs for a barrage of home runs in their pursuit of thesingle-season home run record.[87] From2000 to2013, the Cardinals reestablished their way to the top with ten playoff appearances, fourNL 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 theNew York Yankees.[88] With the addition ofJim Edmonds,Albert Pujols, andScott Rolen, the Cardinals featured three prominent sluggers and defenders nicknamed "MV3;"[89] Pujols won three MVPs and hit .326 with 469 home runs in his Cardinals career.[90] In2004, playoff stalwartChris Carpenter's 3.09 ERA and 15 wins[81] helped power the team to amajor-league best 105 wins and take theNL pennant.[91] In2006, beset with injuries and inconsistency,[92] they won theWorld Series, beating Detroit in five games to set an all-time record-low of 83 wins for a World Series winner.[93][22][94]
In2009, the Cardinals reached 10,000 wins, dating to when they first played in theAmerican Association (AA).[g][95][96] St. Louis returned to the playoffs in2011–led by Pujols,Lance Berkman,Matt Holliday,Chris Carpenter, andYadier Molina–first surmounting the largest games-won deficit after 130 games (at 10.5) to upstage theAtlanta Braves on the final day for the wild card playoff berth.[97] In Game 3 of theWorld Series, Pujols became just the third player to hit three home runs in a World Series game.[98] 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 theTexas Rangers later that game with awalk-off home run from Freese.[99] 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 with 1,408.[100][101]
La Russa's successor,Mike Matheny, helped extend St. Louis' playoff run as he became the first manager in thedivision play era to guide the Cardinals to the NLCS and playoffs in his first two seasons.[102] In2014, the Cardinals extended their NLCS streak to 4, with their 3–1 series victory over theDodgers, in theNLDS. Ten days after being eliminated from the postseason by theSan Francisco Giants, rookie outfielderOscar Taveras was killed in a car accident while traveling to his hometown Puerto Plata in theDominican Republic.[103] On November 17, they acquiredAtlanta Braves right-fielderJason Heyward (who had just come off aGold Glove-winning season) to replace Taveras.[104] On June 16, 2015, theFederal Bureau of Investigation and theJustice Department started an investigation on the Cardinals for possibly hacking theHouston Astros. The hacking incident was perpetrated by Scouting Director Chris Correa.[105] For the first time since the2007–2008 seasons, the Cardinals missed the playoffs in consecutive years,2016–2017.
After a rough start to the2018 season, the Cardinals fired Matheny and namedMike Shildt interim manager. Shildt was made the permanent manager a month later.
For the2019 season, the team announced that the "Victory Blue" uniforms, worn during the late 1970s and 1980s, would be returning. The uniforms, integrating the powder blue color with the team's current "Saturday alternate" jersey design, were to be worn during Saturday road games.[106] The Cardinals traded for multi-time all starsPaul Goldschmidt andNolan Arenado, andAlbert Pujols returned to the team for his final season in2022.[107]
In 2022, long-time starting pitcher-catcher duoAdam Wainwright andYadier Molina set the NL/AL record for most starts as a duo, also referred to as abattery, at 325 starts together going back to 2007.[108] The previous record holding duo,Mickey Lolich andBill Freehan, had held the record since 1975.[109]
The Cardinals play their home games atBusch Stadium (also referred to asNew Busch Stadium orBusch III) indowntown St. Louis, straddling 7th and Clark near the intersection ofInterstates64,55, and44.[110] The stadium opened for the2006 season at a cost of $411 million and holds a normal capacity of 46,861.[111][112] The Cardinals finished their inaugural season in the new Busch Stadium by winning the2006 World Series, the first team to do so since theNew York Yankees in 1923.[113] This open-airstadium emulates the HOK Sport (nowPopulous Holdings)-designed "retro-style" baseball-only parks built since the 1990s.[114] The open panoramic perspective over the outfield wall offers a remarkable view of St. Louis' downtown skyline featuring the distinctiveGateway Arch.[115] A replica of theEads Bridge spans the entrance to the park on the third base side, while thestatue ofStan Musial stands in front of that entrance.[116] Other statues at the corner of 8th and Clark include Hall of FamersRogers Hornsby,Ozzie Smith,George Sisler,Cool Papa Bell,Bob Gibson,Jack Buck, and others.[117]
Due to increased demand, Game 7 of the2011 World Series accommodated a baseball record of 47,399 by increasing the number ofstanding-room only tickets. The attendance record for any sporting event is 48,263, in a 2013association football (soccer)friendly match betweenChelsea F.C. andManchester City F.C., made possible by on-field seating.[118] The largest attendance (53,000) of any event at Busch belongs toU2 during a concert from their360° Tour in 2011.[119]
Ballpark Village is a mixed-use development located across Clark Street from Busch Stadium.[120] Phase 1 of the development, completed for the start of the 2014 season, includesentertainment venues,restaurants, and retail. Anchored by Cardinals Nation (which includes theCardinals Hall of Fame and Museum, a two-story Cardinals-themed restaurant and rooftop seating for 300+ fans with views of the field across the street), a 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) Budweiser Brew House,FanDuel Sports Network Midwest Live! andPBR, the $100 million phase 1 development of Ballpark Village is intended to be a gathering space throughout the year, not just during the baseball season.[121]
Busch Stadium is the Cardinals' fourth home ballpark and the third to bear that name. The Cardinals' original home ballpark wasSportsman's Park from1882 to1892 when they played in theAmerican Association and were known as the Browns. In1893, the Browns moved to a new ballpark five blocks northwest of Sportsman's Park which would serve as their home through1920. The new park was originally called New Sportsman's Park but became more commonly referred to asRobison Field.[122] Midway through the 1920 season, the Cardinals abandoned Robison Field and returned to the original Sportsman's Park and became tenants of their American League rivals, theSt. Louis Browns. In 1953, theAnheuser-Busch Brewery purchased the Cardinals and the new owner subsequently also purchased Sportsman's Park from the Browns and renamed it Busch Stadium, later becoming Busch I. The Browns then left St. Louis forBaltimore after the season, becoming the Orioles. The Cardinals builtBusch Memorial Stadium, or Busch II, in downtown St. Louis, opened it during the 1966 season and played there until 2005.[122] It was built as themulti-purpose stadium home of both the baseball Cardinals and thefootball Cardinals, who are now theArizona Cardinals; the NFL'sSt. Louis Rams also played the first four games of their home schedule upon their arrival in St. Louis in 1995. The currentBusch Stadium was constructed partly atop the site of Busch Memorial Stadium.
The Cardinals home field inspring training isRoger Dean Stadium inJupiter, Florida. They share the complex, which opened in 1998, with theMiami Marlins. Before moving to Jupiter, the Cardinals hosted spring training atAl Lang Stadium inSt. Petersburg, Florida from 1937 to 1997.
The Cardinals exceeded the attendance total of 3 million every season from 2004 to 2019. Every season from 2013 to 2019, the Cardinals finished second in MLB in home game attendance, only ever surpassed by theLos Angeles Dodgers.[123]
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The Cardinals have had few logos throughout their history, although those logos have evolved over time. The first logo associated with the Cardinals was an interlocking "SL" that appeared on the team's caps and or sleeves as early as 1899 or 1900 (depending on the source). Those early uniforms usually featured the name "St. Louis" on white home and gray road uniforms which both hadcardinal red accents. During an 1899 road trip to Chicago, a girl in the stands remarked, "Oh, isn't that a lovely shade of cardinal." The team, known as the Perfectos at the time, changed its name to Cardinals the following season. In 1920, the "SL" largely disappeared from the team's uniforms, and for the next 20 years the team wore caps that were white with red striping and a red bill.[125][126]
In 1922, the Cardinals wore uniforms for the first time that featured twocardinal birds perched on abaseball bat over the name "Cardinals" with the letter "C" of the word hooked over the bat. The concept of the birds originated aftergeneral managerBranch Rickey noticed a colorful cardboard arrangement featuring cardinal birds on a table in aPresbyterianchurch inFerguson, Missouri, at which he was speaking. The arrangement's production was by a woman named Allie May Schmidt. Schmidt's father, agraphic designer, helped Rickey make the logo a familiar staple on Cardinals uniforms.[127] While the team had been known as the Cardinals for over 20 years by then, this logo changed the perception from the color to the bird.[126] The now-famous "birds on the bat" design initially appeared with the birds perched on a black bat and "Cardinals" in printed letters. An alternate version of this logo with "St. Louis" replacing "Cardinals" appeared in 1930 and was the primary logo in 1931 and 1932 before "Cardinals" returned. In 1940, the now-familiar "StL" logo was introduced on the team's caps. The interlocking "StL" has undergone several slight modifications over the years but has appeared on the team's caps every year since. The first appearance of the "STL" in 1940 coincided with the introduction of navy blue as a uniform color. From 1940 until 1955, the team wore navy blue caps with red bills and a red interlocking "StL" while the jerseys featured both cardinal red and navy blue accents. In 1951, the "birds on the bat" logo was changed to feature a yellow baseball bat.[128]
In 1956, the Cardinals changed their caps to solid blue with a red "StL", removing the red bill. Also, for that season only, the Cardinals wore a script "Cardinals" wordmark on their uniforms excluding the "birds on the bat". An updated version of the "birds on the bat" logo returned in 1957 with the word "Cardinals" written in cursive beneath the bat; this logo, with some incremental changes along the way, has been the team's logo since. In 1962, the Cardinals became the first National League team (and the second in all of Major League Baseball after theChicago White Sox in 1960) to display players' names on the back of their jerseys. In 1964, while retaining their blue caps for road games, the Cardinals changed their home caps to all red with first a blue (with white trim), than a white (with black trim), interlocking "StL". The next year, the red caps were the only cap worn by the team full-time. In 1967, the birds on the bat emblem on the jersey was again tweaked, making the birds more realistic and changing the position of their tails relative to the bat and this version remained on all Cardinals game jerseys through 1997.
In 1971, following the trend in baseball at the time, the Cardinals replaced the traditional flannel front-button shirts and pants with belts with new pullover knit jerseys and beltless elastic waist pants. In 1973, the crew-neck collar became a V-neck. Another trend in baseball led the Cardinals to change their road uniforms from gray to light blue from 1976 to 1984; the player numbers were worn on the sleeves in 1979 and 1980. In 1992, the Cardinals returned to wearing traditional button-down shirts and pants with belts. That same year, they also brought back the all-navy cap with a red "StL", which were last worn in 1964, for use on the road only while wearing the same red and white cap for home games.
In 1998, the "birds on the bat" was updated for the first time in 30 years with more detailed birds and bolder letters. That year, St. Louis introduced a cap featuring a single cardinal bird perched on a bat worn for Sunday home games only. Up until 2020, the alternate "bird" caps were paired with their primary "StL" red batting helmets, but in the 2021 season, the Cardinals added a new helmet to match their home Sunday alternate caps. The new birds on the bat design was modified again the next year, with yellow beaks and white eyes replacing the red beaks and yellow eyes of the 1998 version. Uniform numbers also returned to the front of the jerseys in 1999 after a two-year absence.[128]
On November 16, 2012, the Cardinals unveiled a new alternate uniform to be worn at home games on Saturdays beginning with the 2013 season. The modified jersey, cream-colored with red trim on the sleeves and down the front, retains the "birds on the bat" but is the first since 1932 in which "St. Louis" is used instead of "Cardinals".[129] 2013 also saw the team adopt their red caps as their main cap for both home and away games for the first time since 1991; the navy cap was retained as an alternate, used when visiting other teams with red home caps.[128]
Starting with the 2019 season, the Cardinals have worn updated powder blue alternate uniforms during Saturday road games. Like the Saturday home cream alternates, it features red piping and "St. Louis" below the "birds on the bat" logo.[130] In 2020, the Cardinals introduced a slightly updated version of their "StL" cap logo (featuing blue trim on the white logo), which was "soft launched" in 2019 via their social media accounts and game broadcasts.[131]
In 2023, the Cardinals introducedStifel as its first uniform sponsor. The Stifel patch, which has red letters with the background color corresponding to the team's uniform, is placed on either sleeve depending on a player's handedness.[2]
In 2024, the Cardinals unveiled theirCity Connect uniform. The red-based uniform with white pants maintained the trademark "birds on the bat" logo in front, but with the script "The Lou" in white trimmed in navy blue instead of either the city or team name. "The Lou" paid homage to rapperNelly, a St. Louis native who once coined the city's nickname on his 2000 singleCountry Grammar. Darker red wavy pinstripes were an allusion to theMississippi River where St. Louis is situated. A red circular patch containing a yellowfleur-de-lis, a navy blue illustration of theGateway Arch, and a red "STL" wordmark, is placed on either sleeve. Caps are red and featured the aforementioned "STL" wordmark in white with navy blue trim.[132]
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The team mascot is an anthropomorphic cardinal wearing the team's uniform namedFredbird. He is assisted byTeam Fredbird, a group of eleven women who entertain fans from the field and on top of the dugouts.
While unofficial, the Rally Squirrel became an unexpected phenomenon during the 2011 postseason. Making its "debut" in Game 3 of theNLDS on October 4, a squirrel ran across home plate in the middle of a pitch fromRoy Oswalt of the Phillies to the Cardinals'Skip Schumaker. The Cardinals would win Game 4 and subsequently Game 5 (October 7) in Philadelphia to advance to the NLCS, symbolizing the squirrel's "role" in the victory. The squirrel was popularized as "Buschie the Rally Squirrel".[133] As a tribute to the popularity of the squirrel, a small depiction of the Rally Squirrel is also included on the officialWorld Series rings the team received. It shows up under the "STL" logo on the side of the ring.
The Cardinals–Cubs rivalry refers to games between the Cardinals and theChicago Cubs. The rivalry is also known as theDownstate Illinois rivalry or theI-55 Series (in earlier years as theRoute 66 Series) as both cities are located alongInterstate 55 (which itself succeeded the famousU.S. Route 66). The Cubs lead the series 1,253–1,196, through October 2021, while the Cardinals lead inNational League pennants with 19 against the Cubs' 17. The Cubs have won 11 of those pennants in Major League Baseball's Modern Era (1901–present), while all 19 of the Cardinals' pennants have been won since 1926. The Cardinals also have an edge when it comes toWorld Series successes, having won 11 championships to the Cubs' 3. Games featuring the Cardinals and Cubs see numerous visiting fans in eitherBusch Stadium in St. Louis orWrigley Field in Chicago.[134] When the National League split into two and then three divisions, the Cardinals and Cubs remained together. This has added excitement to several pennant races over the years. The Cardinals and Cubs have played each other once in the postseason–in2015–which the Cubs won 3–1.
The Cardinals have aninterleague and intrastate rivalry with theKansas City Royals, dubbed the "Show-Me Series" after thenickname of the team's home state,Missouri; or the "I–70 Series" after theinterstate highway that connects the cities. The teams first met in the1985 World Series, which the Royals won 4–3, and which remains their only post-season meeting.
Since interleague play began in1997, the Cardinals and Royals have met in four to six games each season, evenly split between the two cities. As of 2021, the Cardinals lead the overall series 71–50.
The rivalry heated up in 2015, when both teams held the best records in their respective leagues when they opened each of their two series. The Royals advanced to the World Series, where they faced and ultimately defeated theNew York Mets, while the Cardinals lost in the NLDS. Had the Cardinals made it to the World Series, they would have faced the Royals in a rematch of 1985.
Primarily a playoff rivalry; since 1892, the Cardinals andDodgers have met six times in the postseason, with two meetings in the NLCS, both won by the Cardinals. Both teams have recently grown a history of animosity towards one another since the late 2000s as both teams often met frequently in the postseason. The Dodgers have not fared as well against the Cardinals in the postseason. In five prior postseason series matchups, the Cardinals have won four, with the Dodgers winning only the 2009 NLDS and the 2021 National League Wild Card Game.[135][136]
The rivalry between the Cardinals and theNew York Mets peaked during the 1980s when both teams contended forNational League East supremacy. The rivalry began with the 1983 trade that broughtKeith Hernandez from the Cardinals to the Mets, essentially turning the latter into contenders.[137] Between 1985 and 1988, the division was dominated by either of the two teams, and in three of those years, the NL East winner went on to the World Series. In 1994, the Cardinals were moved to theNational League Central, and the rivalry faded soon after. The two teams would meet in the NLCS in2000 and2006, briefly rekindling the rivalry.[138][139][140][141]
An investment group led byWilliam DeWitt Jr. owns the St. Louis Cardinals, having bought the team from Anheuser-Busch (AB) in 1996.[142] As with other periods of the Cardinals' transaction history, doubt loomed as to whether the purchaser would keep the team in St. Louis, due to the city's status as a "small market", which appears to handicap a club's competitiveness. Such was the case whenSam Breadon put the Cardinals up for sale in 1947:then-NL PresidentFord Frick proposed moving the Cardinals toChicago.[143] When AB placed the Cardinals for sale in 1995, they publicly expressed intention to find a buyer who would keep the club in St. Louis.[144] In March 1996, AB sold the team for $147 million to a partnership headed by Southwest Bank'sDrew Baur, Hanser and DeWitt Jr.[143] Civic Center Redevelopment, a subsidiary of AB, held the parking garages and adjacent property and also transferred them to the Baur ownership group.[145] Baur's group then sold the garages to another investment group, lowering the net franchise purchase price to about $100 million, about $10 million less thanFinancial World's value of the team at the time $110 million.[144][146]
CurrentCincinnati Reds ownersBob Castellini and brothers Thomas Williams and W. Joseph Williams Jr. each once owned a stake in the Cardinals dating back to the Baur-DeWitt group's purchase of the team. To allow their purchase of the Reds in 2005, the rest of the group bought out Castellini's and the Williams brothers' shares, totaling an estimated 13 percent. At that time, theForbes valued the Cardinals at about $370 million.[147] However, after reabsorbing that stake into the remainder of the group, they decided to make it available to new investors in 2010. Amid later allegations that the Cardinals owed the city profit shares, DeWitt revealed that their profitability had not reached the threshold to trigger that obligation.[148]
As of 2024,Forbes valued the Cardinals tenth among the 30 MLB franchises. Their estimated value of $2.55 billion was the same from the season before, when they ranked tenth. St. Louis' revenue in 2024 was $372 million, up $14 million from 2023. TheirOperating income was $57 million.[149] The Cardinals' deal with Fox Sports Midwest (nowFanDuel Sports Network Midwest), signed in 2015, began in 2018, and is worth $1 billion through 2032.[150][10][11][151][152][153] In 2014,Forbes valued the Cardinals at $820 million and opined previously that they play "in the best single-team baseball market in the country and are among the league's leaders in television ratings and attendance every season."[153] Concurrent with the growth ofMajor League Baseball, the Cardinals value has increased significantly since the Baur-DeWitt purchase. In 2000, the franchise was valued at $219 million,[154] a growth rate of 374% through 2014. The franchise's value grew 12.7% from 2013 to 2014.TheForbes methodology of team values are enterprise values (equity plus net debt) that include the economics of the ballpark but exclude the value of real estate itself. Forbes does not include the value of team-owned regional sports networks. The league's ownership in Major League Baseball Advanced Media (100%) and the MLB Network (67%) and league's investment portfolio are included in our values. In total, these three assets constitute about $425 million in value for each team. Revenue and operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) measure cash in versus cash out (not accrual accounting) for the 2017 season. Their figures include the post-season and are net of revenue sharing and stadium debt payments. Revenues include the pro-rated upfront bonuses networks pay teams as well as proceeds from non-MLB events at the ballpark. The non-recurring $18 million each team received in 2017 from the sale of a stake in BamTech to Walt Disney was excluded, as were profits or losses from team-owned RSNs.[155]
| 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 Ratio5 | Ref |
| 2009 | $486 | $195 | $ 7 | $120 | 87 | |
| 2010 | $488 | $195 | $12.8 | $111 | 100 | [156] |
| 2011 | $518 | $207 | $19.8 | $110 | 94 | [157] |
| 2012 | $591 | $233 | $25.0 | $123 | 116 | [158] |
| 2013 | $716 | $239 | $19.9 | $134 | 102 | [153] |
| 2014 | $820 | $283 | $65.2 | $133 | 118 | [152][159] |
| 2015 | $1,400 | $294 | $73.6 | $133 | 111 | [159][160] |
| 2016 | $1,600 | $300 | $59.8 | $145 | 115 | [10] |
| 2017 | $1,800 | $310 | $41 | $173 | 86 | [161] |
| 2018 | $1,900 | $319 | $40 | $165 | 89 | [9] |
| 2019 | $2,100 | $356 | $65 | $176 | 90 | [9] |
| 2020 | $2,200 | $383 | $72 | $182 | 95 | [9] |
| 2021 | $2,200 | $109 | -$79 | $88 | 76 | [9] |
| 2022 | $2,500 | $287 | -$34 | $191 | 78 | [9] |
| 2023 | $2,600 | $358 | $43 | $174 | 100 | [9] |
| 2024 | $2,600 | $372 | $57 | $169 | 85 | [149] |
| 2025 | $2,600 | $373 | $ 6.7 | $219 | 92 | [149] |
All valuations perForbes.
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.)[149]
(2018: market $715 mil., stadium $447 mil., sport $493 mil., brand management $245 mil.)[9]
(2017: market $666 mil., stadium $411 mil., sport $488 mil., brand management $235 mil.)[161]
(2016: market $613 mil., stadium $378 mil., sport $406 mil., brand management $219 mil.)[10]
(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.
The Cardinals own three of their sixMinor League Baseball affiliates:
Managers with one or more years managing, and the current manager are included here.[7]
| Dates | Name | W-L Record | % | Highlights | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1883–89, 1891 | Charles Comiskey† | 563–273 | .673* | Highest winning-percentage in franchise history; Four consecutive World Series appearances, one title | [24] |
| 1895, 96, 97 | Chris von der Ahe | 3–14 | .176 | [163] | |
| 1901–03 | Patsy Donovan | 175–236 | .426 | [164] | |
| 1904–05 | Kid Nichols† | 80–88 | .476 | [165] | |
| 1906–08 | John McCloskey | 153–304 | .335 | [166] | |
| 1909–12 | Roger Bresnahan† | 255–352 | .420 | [167] | |
| 1913–17 | Miller Huggins† | 346–415 | .455 | [168] | |
| 1918 | Jack Hendricks | 51–78 | .395 | [169] | |
| 1919–25 | Branch Rickey† | 458–485 | .486 | [170] | |
| 1925–26 | Rogers Hornsby† | 153–116 | .569 | OneWorld Series win (player-manager) | [171] |
| 1927 | Bob O'Farrell | 92–61 | .601 | [172] | |
| 1928–29 | Bill McKechnie† | 129–88 | .594 | OneNL pennant | [173] |
| 1929, 1940–45 | Billy Southworth† | 620–346 | .642** | Second-highest winning-percentage in franchise history (highest modern); Two World Series (1942,1944) wins | [54] |
| 1929, 1930–33 | Gabby Street | 312–242 | .563 | Two NL pennants and oneWorld Series win | [174] |
| 1933–38 | Frankie Frisch† | 458–354 | .564 | OneWorld Series win | [175] |
| 1939–40 | Ray Blades | 106–85 | .555 | [176] | |
| 1946–50 | Eddie Dyer | 446–325 | .578 | OneWorld Series win | [177] |
| 1951 | Marty Marion | 81–73 | .526 | [178] | |
| 1952–55 | Eddie Stanky | 260–238 | .522 | [179] | |
| 1956–58 | Fred Hutchinson | 232–220 | .513 | [180] | |
| 1959–61 | Solly Hemus | 190–192 | .497 | [181] | |
| 1961–64 | Johnny Keane | 317–249 | .560 | OneWorld Series win | [182] |
| 1965–76, 1980, 1990 | Red Schoendienst† | 1041–955 | .522 | Two NL pennants and oneWorld Series win | [183] |
| 1977–78 | Vern Rapp | 89–90 | .497 | [184] | |
| 1978–80 | Ken Boyer | 166–190 | .466 | [185] | |
| 1980–90 | Whitey Herzog† | 822–728 | .530 | Three NL pennants and oneWorld Series win | [74] |
| 1990–95 | Joe Torre† | 351–354 | .498 | [84] | |
| 1996–2011 | Tony La Russa† | 1408*–1182* | .544 | Most managerial wins and seasons (16) in team history; Two World Series (2006,2011) wins | [186] |
| 2012–18 | Mike Matheny | 591–474 | .555 | OneNL pennant | [187] |
| 2018–21 | Mike Shildt | 252–199 | .559 | [188] | |
| 2022–present | Oliver Marmol | 325–323 | .502 | [189] |
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 theNational Baseball Hall of Fame |
| 40-man roster | Non-roster invitees | Coaches / other |
|---|---|---|
Pitchers Catchers Infielders
Outfielders | Manager Coaches
|
In 2014, the Cardinals announced the reopening of the franchise Hall of Fame after a 6-year hiatus. A formal selection process recognizes former players as Cardinals Hall of Famers each year. To be eligible for election, a player must have been a member of the Cardinals for at least three seasons. The team initially released the names of 22 former players and personnel included in the inaugural class of2014.[202] There are now 58 members of the Cardinals Hall of Fame.
| Bold | Member of theBaseball Hall of Fame |
|---|---|
† | Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Cardinal |
| Bold | Recipient of the Hall of Fame'sFord C. Frick Award |
Positions that are listed were played the equivalent of a full season for the Cardinals.
| 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 |
| 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, 1997–2015, 2017–present | 2B, Coach | 2023 | Team |
| 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 |
| 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, 60 | 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 |
Players who have been nominated, but not inducted, includeJoaquín Andújar,Steve Carlton,George Hendrick,Brian Jordan, andLee Smith.[203]
After receiving the most fan votes on the 2023 ballot,David Freese later declined his induction into the Cardinals Hall of Fame.[204]
| St. Louis Cardinals in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame | |||||
| No. | Name | Years with Cardinals franchise | Position(s) | Year elected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Lou Adamie | 1941–1982 | Scorekeeper | 2007 | |
| — | Jack Buck | 1954–1959, 1961–2001 | Broadcaster | 1980 | |
| — | Bing Devine | 1957–1964, 1967–1978 | GM | 1996 | Born and raised inSt. Louis, MO |
| — | Charlie Grimm | 1918 | 1B | 1966 | Born inSt. Louis, MO |
| — | Walt Jocketty | 1994–2007 | GM | 2007 | |
| — | Mark Lamping | 1994–2008 | President | 2021 | AttendedRockhurst University inKansas City, MO |
| — | Branch Rickey | 1919–1942 | Manager, GM, President | 1965 | |
| 0, 13 | Kerry Robinson | 2001–2003 | OF | 2024 | Born and raised inSt. Louis, MO, attendedSoutheast Missouri State University inCape Girardeau, MO |
| 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 | Elected mainly on his performance with theKansas City Royals |
| 8, 14 | Mickey Owen | 1937–1940 | C | 2012 | Born and raised inNixa, MO |
| 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 | Grew up inWest Plains, MO, attendedDrury University inSpringfield, MO |
| 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 | Born inLiberty, MO, grew up inAlba, MO |
| 15 | Jim Edmonds | 2000–2007, 2016–2024 | CF, Broadcaster | 2012 | |
| 15 | Darrell Porter | 1981–1985 | C | 2000 | Born inJoplin, MO |
| 15, 28 | Joe Cunningham | 1954, 1956–1961 | 1B, RF | 2012 | |
| 16 | Jamie Quirk | 1983 | C, 3B | 2012 | Elected mainly on his performance with theKansas City Royals |
| 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 | Born inSt. Louis, MO, attended theUniversity of Missouri inColumbia, MO |
| 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 | Elected mainly on his performance with theKansas City Royals |
| 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 | Born and raised inBrunswick, MO, attended theUniversity of Missouri inColumbia, MO |
| 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 | Born and raised inIndependence, MO |
| 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 | Born inSt. Louis, grew up inOverland, MO |
| 50 | Tom Henke | 1995 | P | 2000 | Born and raised inKansas City, MO |
| 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 | Born and raised inSt. Louis, MO |
The Cardinals have retired 13 total jersey numbers––second in MLB only to theNew York Yankees' 22––in honoring 15 total former players and club personnel on the left field wall atBusch Stadium.[205][206] A 16th,Jackie Robinson, is honored by all MLB teams.[207] For the majority ofRogers Hornsby's career, the Cardinals did not have any numbers on their uniforms. When the Cardinals experimented with numbers on uniforms in 1923, Hornsby briefly donned the number 4. He switched to 6 the following season before the team abandoned the practice. Upon his return to the team in 1933, Hornsby again wore number 4 before being traded later that year. The club opted to simply honor his name with no number attached to him in 1997.
Notes:
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The St. Louis Cardinalsfarm system consists of sixminor league affiliates.[212]
In St. Louis,Audacy-ownedKMOX (1120 AM) airs Cardinals games over radio and feeds the rest of theCardinals network. It's the second largest radio network inMajor League Baseball with over 145 radio stations inArkansas,Illinois,Indiana,Iowa,Kentucky,Missouri,Oklahoma, andTennessee that reach over 3 million unique listeners each season.[213]
Ricky Horton andJohn Rooney alternate asplay-by-play announcers, with Matt Pauley serving aspre-game andpost-game host. KMOX's 50,000-wattclear-channel signal covers much of theContiguous United States at night. At one time, owing to the Cardinals' status as a "regional" franchise, the Cardinals radio network reached almost half of the country.
The 2011 season marked the Cardinals' return to KMOX following five seasons onKTRS (550 AM), a station which is 50 percent owned by the Cardinals. With a partnership spanning seven decades, and continuously since 1954, its conclusion was realized after the 2005 season when the then owners of KMOX,CBS Radio, and the Cardinals failed to reach terms on a new rights agreement. However, frustrated by the underpowered coverage of 5,000-watt KTRS, the Cardinals reached a new deal with KMOX in 2011.
Starting in 2013 (at age 74),Mike Shannon started reducing his workload. As of the 2016 season, he only called home games for the Cardinals. As of the 2019 season, his 47th in the broadcast booth, he surpassed Jack Buck, his long-time broadcast companion, as the longest-tenured Cardinal broadcaster. On January 14, 2021, Shannon announced that the upcoming season, his 50th season in the broadcast booth, would be his last.[214]
Starting with two games in 2016, Polo Ascencio became the first Spanish play-by-play broadcaster and Bengie Molina the first Spanish color analyst for the Cardinals' home games onWIJR.[215]
Since 2000, Cardinals telecasts have generated the top three in ratings in MLB every season.[15]FanDuel Sports Network Midwest airs all games inhigh-definition and is the team's exclusive television broadcaster, with the exception of selectedFriday Night Baseball onApple TV+,Saturday afternoon games onFox (via its St. Louis affiliate,KTVI) orSunday Night Baseball onESPN.FanDuel Sports Network Indiana,FanDuel Sports Network South,FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma,FanDuel Sports Network Southwest, andFanDuel Sports Network Southeast air Cardinals games for fans living within the Cardinals broadcast territory who do not receive the FanDuel Sports Network Midwest channel. During the 2016 season, the Cardinals averaged an 8.54 rating and 104,000 viewers on primetime TV broadcasts in St Louis.[216] Beginning with the2025 season, at least 10 games are simulcastover-the-air on stations owned byGray Media.Matrix Midwest is the flagship station for these games.[217]
The television commentators lineup includesChip Caray,Brad Thompson, andMark Sweeney. Jim Hayes serves asdugout reporter during the game as well as onCardinals Live, a pre- and post-game show.Cardinals Live is hosted in-studio by Alexa Datt along with game analysts and former Cardinals playersAl Hrabosky andRick Ankiel.[218][219]
Cardinals Kids, a program aimed at the team's younger fans, airs weekly in-season on Fox Sports Midwest. It is hosted by former Cardinals pitcher Brad Thompson, team mascotFredbird, and Busch Stadium Public Address announcer John "The U-Man" Ulett. The 30-minute show began airing in 2003 and presents team news, player profiles, and Cardinals team history in a kid-friendly manner along with games and trivia.[220]
A weekly magazine program,This Week in Cardinal Nation, airs on St. Louis'NBC affiliateKSDK. Cardinals games had been seen on KSDK (and its predecessor, KSD-TV) from 1947 through 1958, 1963 through 1987, and 2007 until 2010.KPLR-TV was the Cardinals' other over-the-air broadcaster, carrying games from 1959 through 1962 and from 1988 until 2006.
Former Cardinals broadcasters includeJack Buck,Harry Caray,Bob Carpenter,Dizzy Dean,Jim Edmonds,Tim McCarver,Joe Garagiola,Dan McLaughlin, andJay Randolph.Joe Buck, the son of Jack Buck, was an official member of the Cardinals' broadcast team from 1991 until 2007. The younger Buck once served as the lead play-by-play caller forFox Sports' nationalMajor League Baseball andNational Football League broadcasts before joiningESPN as the voice ofMonday Night Football in 2022.
Opening Day payrolls for 25-man roster (since 2000):[346]2018–23 payroll obligations
2020 season shortened to 60 games.Payroll adjusted 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 | |||
There are few logos in baseball as closely linked to a team as the "Birds on the Bat" is to the Cardinals. The red birds that are now inseparable from the Cardinal name, however, were not featured by the team in its earliest days. Rather, the name originally referred to the color cardinal red.
"We are proud to partner with Stifel in unveiling our first jersey patch sponsor," said St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III. "We worked closely with Ron Kruszewski and his team at Stifel on the patch design to make sure it fit tastefully on our iconic uniform, and they even agreed to slightly modify their word mark to fit the red and blue color combination that we use for our classic 'Birds on the Bat' logo. Both Ron and I are confident that this design strikes the perfect balance between preserving the integrity of our uniform while providing great exposure for Stifel."
A lifetime .358 hitter, Hornsby was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1942, and the Cardinals honored him alongside the retired numbers with the 'SL' symbol due to his playing days predating the use of numbers.
Redbird Nation's reputation as the most knowledgeable, loyal and, above all, friendlyfans in themajors ... 'Our fans are the best because they're just as passionate as anywhere else, ..., but they're probably a little more fair-minded,' says St. LouismanagerTony La Russa.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1926 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1931 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1934 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1942 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1944 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1946 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1964 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1967 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1982 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1926 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1928 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1930–1931 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1934 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1942–1944 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1946 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1964 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1967–1968 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1982 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1985 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 1987 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League champions 2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American Association champions St. Louis Browns 1885–1888 | Succeeded by |
Links to related articles | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
