Seven Surprising Facts about the St. Louis Cardinals

I'm a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, and I enjoy reading about them when I have spare time. Over the years, I've come to know a lot about them. The following are some fun facts about the Cardinals that you might not be familiar with if you're not a long-time fan.

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1. The Cardinals played their first game in Robison Field. Robison Field was the Cardinals' home from 1893 to 1918. The Cardinals moved to Sportsman Park in 1920. Robison Park was sold to developers soon after. The developers completed construction of Beaumont High School on the site in 1926.

2. They've had two team name changes. In 1883, the Cardinals were an American Association Team called the St. Louis Brown Stockings. Nine years later, they became a National League team and soon after adopted the name the St. Louis Perfectos. They became the St. Louis Cardinal was chosen in 1900. In the 1930s, the Cardinals team was unofficially nicknamed the “Gashouse Gang” due to its members' untidy appearance.

3. Mike Laga was the only player to have ever hit a ball out of Busch Stadium. It happened on September 15, 1986. Although it was a foul ball, the audience gave Laga a standing ovation.

4. Mark McGwire was the first Cardinal to hit 50 home runs in one season. He beat his own record in 1998, hitting 70 home runs in a single season, four more than Sammy Sosa.

5. Jose Oquendo has played every position on the diamond. Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog named him “The Secret Weapon” for this reason. Oquendo retired in 1996.

6. Stan “The Man” Musial's first sport was gymnastics. Musial was a competitive gymnast a child. He also played basketball and was once offered a scholarship by the University of Pittsburgh.

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7. They're one of the most successful Major League Baseball teams in history. The Cardinals have won more than 9,600 games, 13 division titles, 19 National League pennants, and 11 World Series Championships. Their last World Series win was in 2011.

In 2001, the Cardinals and the Houston Astros had identical season records, resulting in the first division co-championship in MLB history. I'm John Eilermann. The St. Louis Cardinals and history are two of my greatest passions. Please like my Facebook page for more discussions on my favorite team.