ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 08: St. Louis Cardinals legend Stan Musial is remembered in a pregame ceremony before the Opening Day game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds on April 8, 2013 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Historically one of the best teams in the game, the St. Louis Cardinals have the most World Series victories of any National League franchise. Understandably, their Mount Rushmore would be the envy of virtually any team.
They call it the Cardinal Way for a reason. Seemingly since the beginnings of franchise history, the St. Louis Cardinals have found success. As the St. Louis Browns, they were in four consecutive World Series in the 1880s, going 1-2-1, before starting to fall back into the pack.
Stymied by the early Pirates and Giants dynasties, it took some time for St. Louis to return to the postseason. Ironically, it involved getting a key part of the Giants run of success, Frankie Frisch, before they had their own run. That trade turned the fortunes of the Cardinals, helping to turn them into the premier National League franchise.
Since their first season as the St. Louis Brown Stockings back in 1882, the Cardinals franchise has experienced success. All told, they have 32 postseason appearances, and have captured 23 National League pennants, dating back to the 1880s. Of those, the Cardinals have won 12 World Championships, including 11 in the modern era. The Cardinals are, understandably, one of the model franchises in the game.
Given all of that success, it is not a surprise that the Cardinals have been home to quite a few stars. Which of those players make up the St. Louis Cardinals Mount Rushmore? Let us dig back through history and look at those greats.
It was a shock when Albert Pujols left the St. Louis Cardinals in free agency after the 2011 season. A beloved icon in the city, no baseball player was entrenched in the identity of his team quite like Pujols was.
The adoration that he earned was easy to understand. A true hitting machine, he blended excellent contact and incredible power. Pujols had only one season where he batted under .300 in St. Louis, and did not have fewer than 34 homers in any season. He was a nine time All Star, six time Silver Slugger, and a three time MVP, finishing second on three other occasions. Pujols even won two Gold Glove awards, showcasing his all around ability.
Few players were as dominant was Pujols was during his time with the Cardinals. In those 11 years, he produced a stellar .328/.420/.617 batting line, belting 445 homers and 455 doubles. He drove in 1329 runs, and scored another 1291 runs himself. His time in St. Louis alone gave Pujols a Hall of Fame career.
As the Gold Gloves indicate, he was afar more than a stellar bat. Pujols moved from third to left, and eventually to first, due to a sore arm. However, the change worked out well, as he became a stellar first baseman as well. He led NL first basemen in runs saved six times, and his 110 runs saved overall ranks second all time, trailing only Keith Hernandez.
Albert Pujols was an all time great during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals. When he goes into the Hall of Fame, it will be with those familiar birds on a bat.
A flamethrower who had no real sense of command early in his career, Bob Gibson earned his reputation as one of the more intimidating pitchers in the game.
The ace of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1960s, Gibson was more than angry on the mound; Joe Torre once referred to him as “hateful.” He pitched inside, using his high octane fastball to send hitters to the dirt. He used that intimidation to great effect, making nine All Star Games, and winning two Cy Young awards. He was the 1968 NL MVP, and was named the MVP of the 1964 and 1967 World Series. Gibson was also handy with the glove, winning nine Gold Glove awards.
Gibson changed the game during his career. He was the first of the modern strikeout artists, recording nine seasons with 200 or more strikeouts. Overall, he posted a 251-174 record with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.188 WHiP. In his 3884.1 innings, Gibson struck out 3117 batters, becoming the second pitcher in MLB history to reach the 3000 strikeout mark.
He was not just the first of the modern strikeout pitchers. Gibson complete changed the game due to his dominant 1968 campaign. Considered one of the best performances in MLB history, he posted a 22-9 record with an incredible 1.12 ERA and a 0.853 WHiP, striking out 268 batters. Gibson was so dominant, and offense was so stagnant, that the mound was lowered after the season.
Bob Gibson changed the game, helping usher baseball into the game we know it as today. The greatest pitcher in St. Louis Cardinals history, he deserves a place on the franchise Mount Rushmore.
When talking about the all time greatest second basemen, Rogers Hornsby is amongst the first players that come to mind.
It is easy to understand why. He was a dominant player for the St. Louis Cardinals during his first dozen years with the team. He was obsessed with the game, refusing to do anything to strain his eyes and spending the offseason waiting for Spring Training to come once again. That approach certainly worked, as he batted over .400 three times, and won six consecutive batting titles. He was also an excellent power hitter, leading the league in homers and triples twice, and doubles three times, while with the Cardinals. He won the Triple Crown twice, and in 1925, took home his first MVP award.
The all time NL leader in batting average, Hornsby was an incredible hitter. He produced an incredible .359/.427/.568 batting line with the Cardinals, hitting 193 homers and 367 doubles. While not considered much of a speed threat, he also stole 118 bases and hit 143 triples. He was, without a doubt, the premier offensive threat in the National League during his career.
Hornsby was more than a brilliant player. He served as the Cardinals player/manager in 1925 and 1926, posting a career 153-116 record. In his final season with the Cardinals as manager, he led the team back to the postseason, winning their first modern World Series title. He helped set forth the Cardinals that we have come to know, and begin the infamous “Cardinal Way.”
Rogers Hornsby was one of the greatest players in baseball history. He also had a hand in the Cardinals first World Series, in quite a few ways.
One of the greatest players in baseball history, Stan Musial was not an outfielder to start his career. Instead, the future St. Louis Cardinals star began his professional career as a pitcher.
Sent to the outfield due to a sore arm, Musial quickly became an excellent hitter, making his mark in the majors at just 21 years old. In his second full season, Musial led the National League with a .357/.425/.563 batting line, while leading the league in hits, doubles, and triples. He made his first All Star Game, and won his first MVP award. Musial became the star of the 1940s, taking home three NL MVP awards.
However, he was far more than a one decade player. Musial would finish second in the MVP vote four times, and was in the top ten of the voting 14 times, including in 1962, when he was 41 years old. Musial was 24 time All Star, and won seven batting crowns. He also led the league in hits six times, and had six seasons with 200 or more hits.
It is easy to see why he was considered one of the greatest hitters in the history of the game. During his time with the Cardinals, Musial had a .331/.417/.559 batting line. He had 3630 hits, with an equal number coming at home and on the road. Of those hits, Musial had 725 doubles, the third most in MLB history, 177 triples, and 475 homers. He also ranks in the top ten all time with his 1949 runs scored and 1951 RBI.
One of the best players ever to put on a uniform, Stan Musial was a true St. Louis Cardinals legend. The best player in team history, he was also one of the greatest players ever.
