The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1882, the Cardinals are the oldest team based in St. Louis continuously playing in the National League. They have won 11 World Series titles and 19 National League pennants. Considered one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball, the Cardinals have won more games than any other National League team and second most of any franchise overall.
The Cardinals originated as a replacement team for the discontinued St. Louis Brown Stockings. The franchise has used various nicknames over the years including the “Perfectos”, the “Terriers”, and the “Robins”, before adopting the Cardinals name in 1908. Some of the more notable events in the Cardinals long history include their first World Series appearance in 1926, the legendary “Gashouse Gang” team of the 1930s, Stan Musial’s Hall of Fame career in the 1940s and 1950s, and the dominant teams of the 1960s and 1970s led by Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, and Orlando Cepeda that captured two World Series titles.
Entering their 140th season in 2022, the Cardinals have called Busch Stadium home since 2006 after relocating from old Busch Memorial Stadium. Over the decades, Busch Stadium and its predecessor Sportsman’s Park played host to many of baseball’s all-time greats including Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean, Bob Gibson, Ozzie Smith, and Albert Pujols. The team has developed a loyal and passionate fanbase in St. Louis known as “Cardinal Nation” thanks to consistently competitive teams and an organizational commitment to tradition.
Some key moments in Cardinals history:
1882 – The franchise is established as the St. Louis Brown Stockings, later renamed the Brownies. They join the American Association for the 1882 season.
1892 – The team, now known as the Browns, join the upstart National League to replace the bankrupt Cleveland Spiders franchise.
1900 – New owner Helene Britton changes the team name to the Perfectos.
1902 – The name is changed again to the Cardinals.
1926 – The “Gashouse Gang” team makes the Cardinals’ first World Series appearance, losing to the Yankees. Rogers Hornsby wins the NL batting title with a .424 average.
1928 – The Cardinals defeat the Yankees 4-0 in the World Series, capturing their first championship.
1930-1934 – Led by future Hall of Famers Dizzy Dean, Joe Medwick, and Frankie Frisch, the team wins pennants in 1930, 1931, 1934 and wins the 1934 World Series.
1942 – Stan Musial makes his debut, beginning a Hall of Fame career that will see him accumulate 3,630 hits by his retirement in 1963.
1944 – The Cardinals defeat the St. Louis Browns in the “Streetcar Series”, a best-of-three playoff for the American League title after the regular season ended in a tie.
1946 – The Cardinals defeat the Red Sox 4-3 in the World Series, bringing their championship total to five.
1964 – Managed by Johnny Keane, the Cardinals defeat the Yankees 4-3 in the World Series, led by Series MVP Ken Boyer and pitcher Bob Gibson.
1967 – Under new manager Red Schoendienst, the Cardinals capture the World Series title again, sweeping the Red Sox. Bob Gibson posts a 1.12 ERA.
1968 – Led by Gibson’s modern record 1.12 ERA and 300+ strikeouts, the Cardinals three-peat as World Champions, defeating the Tigers 4-3.
1982 – Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith joins the Cardinals, beginning a career spent entirely in St. Louis that will see him set the all-time record for defensive assists at shortstop.
1985 – After trailing the Dodgers 3–1 in the NLCS, the Cardinals rally with three straight wins to claim the National League pennant.
1987 – The Cardinals defeat the Twins 4-3 in the World Series for their first championship since 1967, led by Series MVP Frank Viola.
2004 – Albert Pujols signs with the Cardinals and quickly establishes himself as a franchise cornerstone, winning three NL MVP awards between 2005-2009.
2006 – The Cardinals defeat the Tigers 4-1 in the World Series, bringing their championship total to 11.
2011 – Led by MVP Ryan Theriot and pitching ace Chris Carpenter, the Cardinals complete an improbable late-season run to capture the Wild Card spot and go on to defeat the Rangers in 7 games to win the franchise’s 12th World Series title.
Over their 140 year history, few franchises have compiled the winning tradition and player accolades of the St. Louis Cardinals. From their early Gashouse Gang teams to the championship cores of Musial, Gibson and Pujols, the Cardinals prove themselves year after year as one of baseball’s premier organizations committed to crafting winners and creating memories for their devoted fanbase in St. Louis. Their sustained success on the field is a tribute to the passionate support they receive from Cardinal Nation.
