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1996 St. Louis Cardinals Season
The St. Louis Cardinals 1996 season was the team's 115th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 105th season in the National League. It was Tony La Russa's first season managing the club, after leaving the Oakland Athletics. During the first year of the William DeWitt, Jr. era, the Cardinals went 88-74 during the season and won their first-ever National League Central division title by six games over the Houston Astros. They beat the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, but fell in 7 games to the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS after being up 3–1. DeWitt, along with Drew Bauer and Fred Hanser had bought the Cardinals from Anheuser-Busch during the 1995-96 offseason. Offseason * December 23, 1995: Ron Gant was signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals * December 23, 1995: Andy Benes was signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals * December 15, 1995: Willie McGee was signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals. * January 9, 1996: Todd Stottlemyre was traded ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National League Central
The National League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the National League West (the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros) and three teams from the National League East (the Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the St. Louis Cardinals). When the division was created in 1994, the Pirates were originally supposed to stay in the East while the Atlanta Braves were to be moved to the Central from the West. However, the Braves, wanting to form a natural rivalry with the expansion Florida Marlins, requested to remain in the East. Despite the Marlins offering to go to the Central, the Pirates instead gave up their spot in the East to the Braves. Since then, the Pirates have tried several times unsuccessfully to be placed back in the East. In 1998, the NL Central became the largest division in Major League Baseball when the Milwaukee Brewers were moved in from the American League Central. In 2013, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1871, as the Boston Red Stockings. After various name changes, the team eventually began operating as the Boston Braves in 1912, which lasted for most of the first half of the 20th century. Then, in 1953, the team moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and became the Milwaukee Braves, followed by their move to Atlanta in 1966. The name "Braves" originates from a term for a Native American warrior. They are nicknamed "the Bravos", and often referred to as " America's Team" in reference to the team's games being broadcast nationally on TBS from the 1970s until 2007, giving the team a nationwide fan base. The Braves and the Chicago Cubs are the National League's two remaining charter franchises. The team states it is " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996 New York Mets Season
The 1996 New York Mets season was the 35th regular season for the Mets. They went 71-91 and finished 4th in the NL East. They were managed by Dallas Green and Bobby Valentine. They played home games at Shea Stadium. Offseason * December 14, 1995: Lance Johnson signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. *December 19, 1995: Brent Mayne was traded by the Kansas City Royals to the New York Mets for Al Shirley (minors). *March 31, 1996: Ryan Thompson was traded by the New York Mets with Reid Cornelius to the Cleveland Indians for Mark Clark. Regular season After back to back finishes near the top of the National League East, the Mets returned to the losing ways that had plagued the team since 1991. Manager Dallas Green, like his three predecessors in the position, was fired before the season was completed. His replacement was former Texas Rangers manager Bobby Valentine, the manager of the Norfolk Tides. The Mets did not put up great power numbers as they had in recent years bu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royce Clayton
Royce Spencer Clayton (born January 2, 1970) is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox between 1991 and 2007. As an amateur, Clayton played baseball at St. Bernard High School and for the United States national under-18 baseball team. The Giants selected him in the first round of the 1988 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut in 1991. The Giants traded Clayton to the Cardinals, where he succeeded his childhood idol, Ozzie Smith, as their starting shortstop and made the All-Star Game in 1997. Traded to Texas in 1998, Clayton signed a free agent contract to stay with the Rangers during the offseason. From 2001 to 2007, he played for Chicago, Milwaukee, Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Cincinnati, Toronto, and Bosto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ozzie Smith
Osborne Earl Smith (born December 26, 1954) is an American former professional baseball player. Nicknamed "the Wizard of Oz", Smith played shortstop for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball, winning the National League Gold Glove Award for defensive play at shortstop for 13 consecutive seasons. A 15-time All-Star, Smith accumulated 2,460 hits and 580 stolen bases during his career, and won the National League Silver Slugger Award as the best hitter at shortstop in 1987. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2002. He was also elected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2014. Smith was born in Mobile, Alabama; his family moved to Watts, Los Angeles, when he was six years old. While participating in childhood athletic activities, Smith developed quick reflexes; he went on to play baseball at Los Angeles' Locke High School, then at California Polytechnic State University, San L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti (, ; born August 19, 1958), is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins (1981–1990), California Angels (1991–1993), Kansas City Royals (1993–1995), St. Louis Cardinals (1996–1998), Chicago Cubs (1998–1999) and Boston Red Sox (2000). Gaetti won a World Series with Minnesota in 1987 and was the MVP of that year's American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers. In 1987, Gaetti became the first player ever to hit home runs in his first two postseason plate appearances. Gaetti also managed the independent league Sugar Land Skeeters from 2012-2017. Playing career Gaetti played collegiate baseball for Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois and Northwest Missouri State University. Legend has it that Gaetti holds the record for the longest home run in NWMSU baseball history, an estimated 505-foot home run. Gaetti was drafted three times before finally signing with the Twins: first by the St. Louis Cardin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley (born October 3, 1954), nicknamed "Eck", is an American professional baseball pitcher and former color commentator. Between 1975 and 1998, he pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of two pitchers in major league history to have both a 20- win season and a 50- save season in a career. Eckersley was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility. He previously worked with NESN as a part-time color commentator for Red Sox broadcasts, and has also worked for Turner Sports as a game analyst for their Sunday MLB Games and MLB postseason coverage on TBS. He retired from NESN in 2022. Early life Eckersley grew up in Fremont, California, rooting for both the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). Tw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Gallego
Michael Anthony Gallego (born October 31, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player and current coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an infielder from 1985 to 1997, most notably as a member of the Oakland Athletics team that won three consecutive American League pennants and a World Series championship in . He also played for the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals. After his playing career, Gallego served as a major league coach. Career Gallego was born in Whittier, California, of Mexican descent. Before playing professionally, he graduated from St. Paul High School, where he lettered in baseball and football, and then attended the University of California, Los Angeles (1978–81, history major). Gallego represented the United States at the 1979 Pan American Games. He was the Athletics starting second baseman during their three-year run of American League Championships from 1988 through 1990, which included a World Series sweep in 1989 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Todd Stottlemyre
Todd Vernon Stottlemyre (born May 20, 1965) is an American former professional baseball player. He played for 15 seasons in Major League Baseball as a starting pitcher from to , most notably as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays with whom he won two World Series championships in and . He also played for the Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Career Stottlemyre was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 5th round of the 1983 amateur draft, but did not sign. He attended Yakima Valley Community College. In 1985 Stottlemyre played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 1985 amateur draft (January Secondary), but he did not sign again. The Toronto Blue Jays selected him out of UNLV as the third overall pick in the MLB draft and he signed with them on August 12, 1985. He spent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Willie McGee
Willie Dean McGee (born November 2, 1958) is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is an assistant coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for four teams, over 18 seasons. He won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career playing for the Cardinals, helping them win the 1982 World Series with his outstanding performance in Game 3. A four-time All-Star, McGee accumulated 2,254 hits during his career. Early life Willie Dean McGee, one of seven children, grew up in a devoutly religious household. His father Hurdice was both a machinist at the Oakland Naval Yards and a deacon in the Pentecostal church. Hurdice did not want his son to play any organized sports on Sundays, so McGee slipped out of the house on Sunday afternoons t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andy Benes
Andrew Charles Benes (born August 20, 1967) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1989 to 2002, most prominently as a member of the San Diego Padres where he was named to the National League All-Star team in 1993 and led the league in strikeouts in 1994. He also played for the Seattle Mariners, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Arizona Diamondbacks. His brother Alan Benes also pitched in the Major Leagues, and was his teammate in 1996–97 and 2000–01. Career Benes was born in Evansville, Indiana where he attended Evansville Lutheran School and Evansville Central High School along with his brother Alan. He was the first player selected in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft after playing college baseball at the University of Evansville. Benes pitched well enough in his first year to make it to the majors and be named National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year by ''The Sporting News''. Benes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ron Gant
Ronald Edwin Gant (born March 2, 1965) is an American television news anchor and former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves (1987–1993), Cincinnati Reds (1995), St. Louis Cardinals (1996–1998), Philadelphia Phillies (1999–2000), Anaheim Angels (2000), Colorado Rockies (2001), Oakland Athletics (2001, 2003), and San Diego Padres (2002). Gant is currently a co-host on WAGA-TV's morning news program ''Good Day Atlanta''. Gant joined the 30–30 club (at least 30 stolen bases ''and'' 30 home runs in the same season) in 1990 and 1991, while with the Braves. He batted and threw right-handed. Early life Gant was born in Victoria, Texas to George Gant, a chemistry professor, and Alice Hardeman, a special education teacher. Gant played football and baseball in high school. He was recruited heavily to play college baseball for such schools as Texas and Oklahoma but turned down scholarship offers to go pro after high sch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
