1995- After a Southwest Bank investment group promises to keep the franchise in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch agrees to sell the Cardinals to the financial establishment. The price tag of approximately $150 million is considered a bargain with Forbes Magazine estimating the club’s value to be worth twice that amount. Bill DeWitt, Jr. and two investment partners, Frederick and Stephen Brauer, come to an agreement to purchase the Cardinals from Anheuser-Busch for a reported $150 million. The new owner of the Redbirds, whose dad started in baseball selling soda at Redbirds games in 1916, lent his uniform as the Browns’ 9-year-old bat boy to Eddie Gaedel, the shortest player in the history of the game, who made a single plate appearance and was walked with four consecutive balls in a Bill Veeck stunt in 1951.
Pujols Replacement
2011- The Cardinals announce Carlos Beltran (.300, 22, 84) and the team have come to an agreement on a two-year deal, pending the results of a physical. The 34 year-old outfielder, who signed for a reported $26 million, will play right field, allowing Lance Berkman to shift to first base to fill the void created by the departure of Albert Pujols to free agency.
Trading History and Transactions
- The Cardinals traded Mick Kelleher in 1975 to the Chicago Cubs for Vic Harris.
- The Cardinals released Bobby Bonds and traded Ty Waller, Leon Durham and Ken Reitz to the Chicago Cubs for Bruce Sutter in 1980.
- The Chicago White Sox traded Bill Dawley to the Cardinals for Fred Manrique in 1986.
- The Cardinals signed Wayne Kirby as a free agent in 1997.
- 1999- The Cardinals signed Thomas Howard as a free agent.
- In 2000, the Cardinals signed Quinton McCracken as a free agent.
- The Cardinals signed Jon Nunnally as a free agent in 2002.
- Cardinals in 2004, signed So Taguchi as a free agent.
- The Cardinals signed Braden Looper in 2005 as a free agent.
- Cardinals signed Mike Leake as a free agent in 2015
Birthdays
- Charlie James (1937)
- Matty Alou (1938)
- Steve Carlton (1944)
- Tom Underwood (1953)
- Lonnie Smith (1955)
Deaths
- Allyn Stout 1974
- John Mercer 1982
- Hal Rice 1997
- Jose Oliva 1997