1914 – Cardinals are Respectable

Great Start

The 1914 season is bright and the Cardinals are respectable until September rolls around. It is late August and the Cardinals are battling to win the division. On August 17, over 27,000 fans pack into Robison Field to watch the Cardinals and Giants duke it out for first place. The Field only holds 17,000 fans and the rest is standing room only. The doubleheader begins with a 1-0 Cardinals win but the second game goes to Christy Mathewson (again) as he shuts them out 4-0.

Then September happens

The Cardinals go on a seven-game losing streak and they drop out of the pennant race and finish with their best ever National League record 81-72. The pitching staff allows the least runs in the league and pitcher Bill Doak finishes with a 1.72 ERA.

Solid Starters

Huggins employs three solid starters with Doak at 20-6, Sallee with an 18-17 record and a young Pol Perritt finishing 16-13.  Perritt was sold after the season for the team to have some cash to work with. The offense was led by two players obtained from Pittsburgh in the off-season. Dots Miller hit .290 with 88 RBI’s and Owen Wilson drove in 73 runs. Back in 1912, Wilson hit 36 triples for Pittsburgh. The Cardinals are respectable for the first time in a long while.