It was a tumultuous off-season for the Cardinals.
Off-Season
October 7, 1969: Curt Flood, Byron Browne, Joe Hoerner, and Tim McCarver were traded by the Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jerry Johnson, Dick Allen, and Cookie Rojas. Curt Flood refused to report to his new team. The Cardinals sent Willie Montañez to the Phillies on April 8, 1970 and Bob Browning (minors) to the Phillies on August 30, 1970 as compensation.
January 17, 1970: Mike Tyson was drafted by the Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft.
March 31, 1970: Ramón Hernández was released by the Cardinals.
Flood Dispute Outcome
Curt Flood, because of a salary dispute with Gussie Busch, was traded after the 1969 season but refused to go to the Philadelphia Phillies and on January 16, 1970, filed a civil lawsuit to challenge baseball’s reserve clause. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court and, though he lost, paved the way for free agency to change the game.
The Season
Bob Gibson won a Gold Glove and the Cy Young Award this year, with a 3.12 ERA, 23 wins, and 274 strikeouts. The Cardinals won only 76 games, their lowest total since the days of the 154-game schedule. Vic Davalillo had 24 pinch hits, breaking the National League record, and tying the Major League record set by Dave Philley in 1961.
Mike Shannon was limited to 52 games and soon would retire because of a kidney disease that threatened his life.
The Cardinals went 76-86 during the season and finished fourth in the National League East, 13 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The season was also the first of 26 seasons for AstroTurf at Busch Memorial Stadium.