Celebration The Magic Of The Cardinals In The 1980s

Cardinals baseball has become more than a pastime in St. Louis. The association with baseball and all things red is a regional identification, a rite of summer, a "best baseball town" way of life. The phenomenon is rooted in nearly 130 years of history, unforgettable eras and legendary players. From the "Gas House Gang" of the 1930s, the "Swifties" of the '40s, the "El Birdos" of the '60s to the present, the Cardinals are one of the most successful franchises in major league baseball, one of its iconic names. But no decade is more responsible for igniting the passion and pride than 1980s. Inheriting a lineup ill-suited to its ballpark, a clubhouse tainted with substance abuse, a franchise in stagnation, Whitey Herzog re-invented the brand. With stunning moves and remarkable vision, he infused the Redbirds with pitching, speed and defense and introduced a decade of thrills and chills. Players like Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee, Bruce Sutter, Jack Clark, and Joaquin Andujar took St. Louis to three World Series and took Busch Stadium attendance to heights it had never known. Detailed in spectacular pictures and memorable tales, Celebration takes you there, as well, back to the decade of "Whiteyball," back to stolen bases, "Secret Weapons" and "Go Crazy!" magic ]¬‚¬] back to when Cardinals baseball was breathtaking.

This is the first book to document the complete 28-year history of the coaches, players, and games that brought both thrills and disappointments to their tens of thousands of loyal fans. Three great quarterbacks spanned the era: Charley Johnson in the 1960s, Jim Hart in the 1970s, and Neil Lomax in the 1980s. Two division championships, three playoff appearances, and a handful of near-miss titles highlighted the seasons. The rundown of the best games, seasons and moments-with vivid imagery and dozens of action pictures never before seen-will stir emotions and memories. The Cardiac Cards are resurrected in this beautiful keepsake edition!

When Sam Muchnick and Harold Koplar had a chance conversation on a plane in [need year here], they had no inclination that their unique idea would turn into the iconic program Wrestling at the Chase. Spanning multiple generations of fans, the premier of the show in 1959 would launch a phenomenon and the onset of professional wrestling's golden years. Today, the WWE rules television and arenas nationwide, but without the leadership and promotion of this show, it may never have reached the standing it enjoys today.Hundreds of men and women, dressed to the nines, would be drawn ringside every Saturday night in the Khorassan Room of the opulent Chase Park Plaza Hotel while hundreds of thousands more tuned in at the stroke of nine to enjoy the spectacle. They'd marvel at such heroes of the sport as Bruiser, the Fabulous Moolah, Gorgeous George, King Kong, and Nature Boy. Then the next morning, a brand new audience of thousands would tune in for the re-airing of the show. America couldn't come cheer on their idols in person, so Muchnick, the Vince McMahon of his day, brought wrestling to the living rooms of America.Emmy-award winning producer Ed Wheatley brings the story of professional wrestling's rise to prominence to life in this exciting, ride-of-a-lifetime book. With hundreds of photos and the stories behind the famous monikers, relive the decades and the countless memories that have thrilled wrestling lovers for generations. The three legs of the stool (the location, the delivery, and the product) came together in Wrestling at the Chase; now its story comes through on each page.

After receiving a call from the newly appointed chief of the New Mexico State Police, ex-Santa Fe chief of detectives Kevin Kerney is thrown into an investigation of a small-town cop-killing no one has been able to solve. His only lead: a homeless schizophrenic's ramblings about rape and an uncharted place called Serpent Gate. Meanwhile, back in Santa Fe, priceless art is stolen from the governor's offices and a beautiful young blonde is murdered in a millionaire's mansion. Kerney follows a trail of clues to Mexico, where he faces off against an old nemesis with powerful government connections. Unwilling to back down, Kerney must use all of his tenacity, raw courage, and knowledge of the criminal mind in a bloody showdown that may cost him his life.

The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a tale of two teams: one the city’s lovable losers, the other a formidable dynasty. The St. Louis Cardinals are the most successful franchise in National League history, while the St. Louis Browns were one of the least successful, yet most colorful, American League teams. Now Richard Peterson has collected the writings of some of baseball’s greatest storytellers to pay tribute to both these teams. His book, the first anthology devoted exclusively to the Cardinals and Browns, covers the rich history of St. Louis baseball from its late-nineteenth-century origins to the modern era. The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a celebration of the many legendary stars and colorful characters who wore St. Louis uniforms and the writers who told their stories, including Alfred Spink, Roger Angell, George Will, and Baseball Hall of Fame writers Bob Broeg, J. Roy Stockton, Red Smith, and Fred Lieb. Here, too, are John Grisham, who grew up a Redbirds fan in Mississippi, and Jack Buck, the most identifiable voice in Cardinal history. Great players—Grover Cleveland Alexander, Rogers Hornsby, Marty Marion, and Satchel Paige—tell their own stories, while Bill Veeck offers an account of his wild ride as the last Browns owner and Whitey Herzog shares regrets about the play that cost the Cardinals the 1985 World Series. From the days of the Gas House Gang to the 1944 “Streetcar Series,” from Bill Veeck’s legendary stunts to Mark McGwire’s pursuit of Roger Maris’s home-run record, the Reader will bring back memories for every fan. It takes in all of the magic of the ballpark—whether recounting the unhittable pitching of Bob Gibson, the slugging prowess of Stan “The Man” Musial, or the sterling glove-work of Ozzie Smith—along with reflective commentaries that tell how Jackie Robinson confronted racism and Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause. St. Louis is a city blessed with a memorable baseball history, and The St. Louis Baseball Reader perfectly captures the joy and heartbreak of its winning and losing teams. It’s a book that will delight current fans of the Cardinals and old-timers who fondly recall the Browns.

A collection of photographs which help chronicle the history of baseball, profiling the game's players, teams, coaches, fans, and historic moments.

When I finished the first edition of this book, the Blues had gone 50 seasons without capturing the NHL's ultimate prize. Then came their 51st season, unprecedented and improbable. Nineteen inconsistent games into the 2018-19 schedule, the Blues made a coaching change. Thirty-seven games in, they possessed the fewest points in the 31-team league. Playoffs were a pipe dream, and the Stanley Cup seemed more distant than ever. But steadied by an interim coach, lifted by a rookie goaltender, and sparked by a record winning streak, a storybook unfolded. And with it came a mandate to revisit this volume, to account for the most remarkable episode of all"€"the rags-to-riches tale of a Stanley Cup championship.

“The plot twists ingeniously...an engaging, often chilling book.”—The New York Times Book Review A writer in California. A doctor in Boston. A motel owner and his employee in Nevada. A priest in Chicago. A robber in New York. A little girl in Las Vegas. They’re a handful of people from across the country, living through eerie variations of the same nightmare. A dark memory is calling out to them. And soon they will be drawn together, deep in the heart of a sprawling desert, where the terrifying truth awaits...

Provides a blueprint for becoming a champion, both on and off the field When Dayton Moore arrived in Kansas City in 2006, the Royals hardly resembled a contender. The general manager inherited a major league club that had just one winning season in the previous decade. Moore, a Kansas native who grew up as a Royals fan, implemented a plan to return the franchise to its glory years. Though not without a few bumps in the road, that plan came to fruition in 2014 and 2015, as the Royals reached the World Series both years and were corned 2015 World Series champions. In More Than a Season, Moore shares how his faith and leadership principles guided his rebooting of the Royals. The general manager describes how he built one of baseball's best farm systems and international scouting departments of out nothing. He shares insight on how he persevered through six consecutive losing seasons and the critical response to controversial trades of Zack Greinke and Wil Myers—transactions that ultimately yielded the foundation of a champion. Full of never-before-told stories from inside the Royals organization More Than a Season features an introduction by William F. High, CEO of the National Christian Foundation Heartland. This updated edition features an all-new prologue and an additional chapter celebrating the 2015 World Series championship season.