Debut: April 18, 1930
Nickname: “The Arkansas Hummingbird”
In October 1936 the Cubs traded Warneke to the St. Louis Cardinals for infielder Ripper Collins and pitcher Roy Parmelee. The trade was not popular with many Cub fans and may have cost the Cubs the pennant. Cub’s Gabby Hartnett, player-manager from 1938 to 1940, said “That trade hurt us. It probably cost us the pennant in ’37.”
Warneke led the Cardinals staff with an 18–11 record. Parmelee went 7–8 for the Cubs and was sold the following year; Collins lasted two seasons with the Cubs. Warneke won 83 games for the Cardinals during his five and a half seasons in St. Louis.
In 1937, Warneke led the Cardinals’ staff with an 18–11 record. This was the only season in which Warneke and fellow Arkansas phenom pitcher Dizzy Dean were on the same team.
As a Cardinal Player
- 6 years with a 3.67 ERA
- 153 Games Started 70 Complete Games
- 13 Shutouts 434 K 326 BB
With the Cardinals, Warneke played guitar and banjo and sang as a member of teammate John “Pepper” Martin’s “Mississippi Mudcats” band.
After retiring as a player in 1945, Warneke was an umpire in the Pacific Coast League for three years and then in the National League from 1949 to 1955. Warneke is the only major leaguer who has both played and umpired in an All-Star Game (umpired in 1952) and a World Series (umpired in 1954).