Written and Media by Austin Brinkman. [divide]
This top ten list will cover some of the all-time great St. Louis Cardinals players throughout the history of the franchise. One of the most celebrated franchises of the Major leagues of baseball; the Cardinals have been outstanding and consistent within the last few years. Their tradition includes 18 trips to the World Series, winning 11 of them. Many of the best players in baseball history have been members of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Let us take a look at a few great St. Louis Cardinals players and their accomplishments in the franchise history of the team.
1. Stan Musial (1941-1963)
“Stan The Man” is known to many as the best Cardinals player ever. During his 24 year career, Musial best presents the model for being consistent that the Cardinals stand for. He played in 24 All-Star games, he’s tied with Willie Mays and Hank Aaron for most all-time. He is a 3-time MVP winner and once he retired he shared 17 major league records, 29 National League records, and 9 All-Star game records. The Cardinals won three World Series championships during his time with the team. The team placed a statue of Musial in front of Busch Stadium, an honor bestowed on only the best players in their history.
2. Bob Gibson (1959-1975)
Bob Gibson is next on the list. He is not only considered one of the best pitchers in St. Louis Cardinals history, but also in the history of baseball. His fiery fastball set a Major League record in 1968 when he posted a 1.12 ERA. He is also one of the few pitchers to win the Most Valuable Player award and the Cy Young in the same year. Gibson’s competitive nature is legendary. He often intimidated his opponents by throwing fastballs up and inside. Gibson’s number 45 was retired by the Cardinals in 1981 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame that same year.
3. Rogers Hornsby: (1915-1926)
Hornsby could flat-out hit the ball and has the second highest batting average of all-time at .568, Hornsby was famous for his refusal to engage in anything, but baseball. As he once said: “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”
4. Ozzie Smith: (1978-1996)
Ozzie was a fifteen-time All-Star and had 580 stolen bases, the most in St. Louis Cardinals history. Early in his career, he entertained fans by doing a backflip on his way to his position. On the field, he was elegance itself. He once said: “To me, being a jazz player is a lot like being shortstop.” He is one of the best defensive shortstops ever to play the game.
5. Albert Pujols: (2001-2011)
The Cardinals have been spoiled by King Albert. Pujols was been a hitting machine for the Cardinals posting batting averages of .541 and .617 with 445 Home Runs and 1,329 RBIs. He was a nine-time All-Star and won three National League Most Valuable Player awards. Pujols could be the greatest hitter in the history of the National League by the time his career comes to a closing.
6. Ken Boyer (1955-1965) 225HR, 1,001 RBIs, 7x All-Star, NL MVP
7. Enos Slaughter (1938-1953) 146HR, 1,148 RBIs, 10x All-star
8. Ted Simmons (1968-1980) 172 HR, 929 RBIs, 6x All-Star
9. Dizzy Dean (1930-1937) 150-83, 2.99 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 4x All-Star, NL MVP
10. Jim Edmonds (2000-2007) 241HR, 713RBIs, 2x All-Star
These ten St. Louis Cardinal players are the most incredible Cardinals based on what they did in their careers, setting milestones, and making history for the franchise. The fans and other players of the St. Louis Cardinals will forever remember them and their accomplishments.
If you see someone who should or shouldn’t be on this list, feel free to tell us in comments below.
