Fleeter Than Birds

For the St. Louis Cardinals and their fans, there was a great deal of uncertainty going into the 1985 season. Only three years before, the Cards had won the World Series, but were predicted to finish last in the National League East Division by every major publication. Manager Whitey Herzog was expected to rebuild his team, drug abuse had cast a lingering shadow over the game, and a players’ strike threatened to halt play.
The situation looked bleak for St. Louis but the season turned out to be nothing like the predictions. The Cards found themselves in a battle for the pennant. From beginning to end, that magical season is chronicled here. The book recaps the 1982 championship season and provides background information on Whitey Herzog and Gussie Busch’s building of the early 1980s Cards, Busch Stadium and its characteristics particular to base running, and players of the era, including Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee and pitchers Bob Forsch and Joaquin Andujar. It then goes in-depth to discuss the Cards’ 1985 spring training and season and the World Series.

Doug Feldmann is a professor in the College of Education at Northern Kentucky University and a former scout for the Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres.

Doug Feldmann
Foreword by Rick Horton
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 215
Bibliographic Info: photos, appendices, index
Copyright Date: 2002
pISBN: 978-0-7864-1165-8
Imprint: McFarland

“the Cardinals confounded all predictions”—Sports Collectors Digest; “Feldmann’s book is engaging and I recommend it to anyone”—Cardinals Magazine; “Cardinal fans everywhere will enjoy reading this book”—1190 KEX News Radio.

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