The St. Louis Cardinals in the 1940s
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About the Book
Though very few teams can accurately be called dynasties, the 1940s Cardinals certainly made a strong case. Detractors argue that World War II made the 40s an asterisk decade, with a huge loss of talent and significant changes to the ball and to the game itself. During that era, though, the Cardinals dominated the National League, winning four pennants and three World Series titles, and their rosters included names like Musial and Slaughter.
This is the history of the Cardinals during the 1940s, a decade that saw many of the greatest St. Louis clubs while war and integration significantly altered the game. Chapters follow the Cards year-by-year, covering each season with description, statistics and analysis. Interwoven throughout are the stories of wartime changes, including the loss of general manager Branch Rickey; the death of Judge Landis; the Pacific Coast League’s demand for major league status; the first attempt at a players’ union; and Mexican League talent raids. An appendix offers complete individual hitting and pitching statistics.
About the Author(s)
Bibliographic Details
Mel R. Freese
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 306
Bibliographic Info: appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2007
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2644-7
Imprint: McFarland
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Preface 1
ONE. 1940 Beginning of the Forgotten Dynasty 3
TWO. 1941 Almost Number One 28
THREE. 1942 The Cardinals’ Victory Garden 54
FOUR. 1943 Cards Run Away and Hide 81
FIVE. 1944 Almost a New Record 104
SIX. 1945 Cubbyholed 129
SEVEN. 1946 When Johnny Comes Marching Home 155
EIGHT. 1947 Injuries and Illness 191
NINE. 1948 The Great Season 220
TEN. 1949 One Week Too Long 242
Appendix: Statistics 267
Chapter Notes 281
Bibliography 285
Index 287
Book Reviews & Awards
“congratulations to the author and to McFarland for providing a wonderful historical resource for the baseball fans today”—1190kex.com.
