Flakey Mike Shannon, Breakfast with Dizzy Dean, and Swamp Gravy
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
Release Date: 08/12/2024
Want to be a Cardinal? Beat Bob Gibson Twice
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
Diminutive Al Jackson, nicknamed "Little Al", twice took on the formidable Bob Gibson and beat him 1-0, both complete game victories. This occurred just before the Cardinals traded for Jackson in 1966. Jackson went on to help the Redbirds win a pennant and World Series championship as a starter and a reliever. Via phone interview, teammates Dick Hughes and Larry Jaster share their memories of Al while we also give you the highs and lows of Jackson's exploits with the woeful Mets. Also, enjoy another edition of a regular feature "Redbird Recall," where our listeners...
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The Dodger Killer/The Creeper, AKA Larry Jaster, on 40 years in MLB and his time with St. Louis (part II)
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
Jaster, an integral member of the Cardinals success in the late ‘60s, spent an hour with Jon and I, talking about the World Series and pennant championships he helped to secure. You’ll hear more about Eucker and his antics along with anecdotes about Tom Seaver, Willie McCovey, and others. This is part II of our conversation with our salute to Larry Jaster. Check out part I to learn how he earned the nicknames of “The Creeper” and “The Dodger Killer” along with other highlights from his 40 plus years in baseball. The Essential links: Website: YouTube: ...
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Larry Jaster: The Creeper/The Dodger Killer - part 1
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
When a Clemente line drive broke Bob Gibson's leg in '67, "The Creeper" stepped up. With ace pitcher Gibson out of commission for a large part of the '67 season, the Redbirds had their wings clipped, but on the arms of his teammates like Larry "The Creeper" Jaster, they persevered, not only winning the pennant but ultimately taking the World Series trophy. In part 1 of our interview with 82-year-old Jaster, he shares his memories of that championship season, including how he earned his two nicknames, The Creeper and The Dodger Killer. He also reminisces about the many legends...
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Larry Jaster, aka The Creeper aka The Dodger Killer
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
Larry Jaster's exploits in MLB earned him not one, but two nicknames: The Creeper and The Dodger Killer. This spotlight of an unsung hero covers Larry's five decades in baseball as a player and coach. He shares his recollections of helping the Cardinals win the pennant in '67, being the first person to pitch in Canada for the Expos, shutting out the Dodgers five times in a row, and rubbing elbows with legends like Willie McCovey, Ted Simmons, and George Kissell. His story about Bob Eucker is not to be missed. The Essential links: Website: YouTube: Facebook: Email address: ...
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Ron "No-Chin" Willis contributed significantly to the '67 and '68 Cardinals championships
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
"No-Chin" Willis kept his chin up as he worked his way through the minor leagues and into a position to help the St. Louis Cardinals win the WS in '67 and the NL pennant in '68. His adventures include being on fire in the Cardinal dugout and being among the league leaders in saves in '67. This episdoe also includes an interview with a guard at Busch Stadium in the late '60s who recounts his duties and interactions with various players. The Essential links: Website: YouTube: Facebook: Email address:
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Given his last rites and THEN a World Series ring
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
What former Cardinal, while pitching a minor league game, collapsed on the mound and was taken to a hospital where he was issued his last rites? Surviving this near fatal experience, years later he provided key pitching for the Redbirds in their championship seasons of ’67 and ’68. The answer is the unsung hero of this episode: Joe Hoerner. An All-Star reliever, Hoerner had an interesting life full of peaks and valleys. Consider these examples: Wins a state championship. Then almost dies in a hospital with heart problems. Wins Rookie of the Year in...
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Who is the Cardinal father/son duo that had each of them win a WS ring with the Redbirds?
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
Many father/son duos have been on the field of play in MLB: Ken/Ken Jr. Griffey, Bobby/Barry Bonds, Sandy/Roberto Alomar, Felipe/Moises Alou, Ray/Bob Boone, and Jose/Jose Jr. Cruz to name a few. However, only one duo had both the father and son sporting multiple WS rings with each of them having a WS ring as a St. Louis Cardinal. This episode reveals this duo, focusing mainly on the father from Joliet, IL. It covers the career of this unsung hero, his ups and downs as a player and as a father. The Essential links: Website: YouTube: Facebook: Email address: ...
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Which Cardinal won the 1967 Sporting News Rookie of the Year? (rerelease)
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
Your hosts, Tom and Jon, are taking a much needed break from producing episodes this month. We will be back in March to share more spotlights on unsung heroes from the storied St. Louis Cardinal franchise. Meanwhile, enjoy this previously released episode that interviews this rookie who beat out Tom Seaver for the 1967 MLB The Sporting News Rookie of the Year. He's the same guy who led the Cardinals in wins that year. He was a 29-year-old rookie who picked up the mantle when Gibson went down with a broken leg, leading the team with 16 wins, only becoming a regular starter in...
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Carl Warwick: Coming Through in the Pinch (rerelease)
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
Your hosts, Tom and Jon, are taking a much needed break from producing episodes this month. We will be back in March to share more spotlights on unsung heroes from the storied St. Louis Cardinal franchise. Meanwhile, enjoy this previously released episode that features Car Warwick, his wife Nancy, and their son Greg. Carl was a critical component of the 1964 WS Champion Cardinals. Because of Carl's dementia, Nancy carries this interview with her hilarious recollections of what it was like for a family stuggling to make it in minor and major league baseball during the...
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Living and Teaching the Cardinal Way: Danny Sheaffer
St. Louis Cardinals: Beyond the HOF- Saluting Unsung Heroes
Mentored by Dave Ricketts and George Kissell, Danny Sheaffer played for various MLB teams, including the Cardinals in the mid 90s. Armed with the knowledge of Ricketts and Kissell, Danny made an impact on recent Redbird stars such as Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright. Powerful anecdotes concerning both Molina and Waino are depicted in this episode along with his experiences with Ricketts, Kissel, Tony Larussa, Jose Altuve, and others. Sheaffer provides unique insight into how baseball was when he played and how it has changed today. If you enjoyed this episode, please look at...
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In this episode we conclude our conversation with 85-year-old Gordie Richardson, a key player in the Cardinals journey to win the World Series in 1964. Gordie recalls his interactions with legends like Mike Shannon, Bop Gibson, Dizzy Dean, Yogi Berra, and his memories of winning the pennant and his time in New York taking down the Yankees. He also talks about life after baseball and explains how his home town is billed as "Home of Swamp Gravy."
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