The Cardinals Encyclopedia Michael Eisenbath, foreword by Stan Musial cloth EAN: 978-1-56639-703-2 (ISBN: 1-56639-703-0) $75.50, Jun 00, Available 652 pp 9x12

"Baseball fans everywhere, and especially those of you who have supported Cardinal baseball through the years, will be delighted by The Cardinals Encyclopedia. This book is one of the most comprehensive and best-researched chronicles of St. Louis Cardinals history ever printed—and it's exciting to read."
—Stan Musial, from the Foreword

In a front-page story on September 9, 1998, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Cardinal baseball player Mark McGwire's 62nd home run—the run that broke Roger Maris's longstanding record of 61 homers in a single season. Legend has it that the paper went back to press twice that day to meet consumer demand, selling over one million copies to fair-weather friends, curious readers of the general public, and always-true Cardinal baseball fans.

In The Cardinals Encyclopedia, Mike Eisenbath, seasoned sports writer for the Post-Dispatch, offers his carefully researched collection of Cardinal baseball lore to those loyal Redbird followers. Long in the writing before McGwire's heroic plays, The Cardinals Encyclopedia includes extensive profiles for the top 200 players and a synopsis of the careers of every team player ever to suit up, stories, statistics, and game-by-game accounts of every season (from the teams true beginning in 1882 as the St. Louis Browns), and detailed information on every manager. Complete with photos and memorabilia, this book uniquely captures the history behind the team that has not only inspired one of the most devoted fan bases in baseball history, is known for such colorful characters as the Gashouse Gang, has made fifteen World Series appearances, won nine World Championships, and sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame such stars as Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Bob Gibson, Dizzy Dean, and Red Schoendienst.

Including a look at the 1998 season and a full chapter on Big Mac and his record-breaking plays by the sports writer assigned to cover his every move, The Cardinals Encyclopedia—covering everything from stories, statistics, team milestones, strategists, ballparks, the front office, and trades—brings to life all of the thrilling moments and special characters that have shaped the franchise's rich baseball tradition.

Excerpt

Excerpt available at www.temple.edu/tempress

Reviews

"Anyone who is a Cardinals fan has to have this book. And if you're not a Cardinals fan, after you read this book, you will be."
—Mike Shannon, Cardinals broadcaster (KMOX) and former player

Contents

Foreword
Introduction
1. Down Through the Seasons
2. Player Profiles
3. All the Team's Men
4. The Strategists
5. The Front Office
6. The Ballparks
7. The Hall of Famers
8. The Postseason
9. Trades, Acquisitions, and Sales
10. Milestones, Honors, and Other Facts
11. Big Mac: The McGwire Years, 1997-98
12. Sources
Acknowledgments
About the Author

About the Author(s)

Michael Eisenbath is a baseball writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who, in the now legendary 1998 season, was assigned to follow Mark McGwire's every move.

Subject Categories

Sports
General Interest

In the series

Baseball Encyclopedias of North America, edited by Rich Westcott.

The purpose of Baseball Encyclopedias of North America, edited by Rich Westcott, is to examine each of the clubs in big league baseball in an encyclopedic format. That is, to provide baseball fans a place to go to find information on a particular team organized in such a fashion that is available nowhere else. The series editor aims to concentrate on the 16 original teams of both leagues and publish each book as he is able to find the right person to do it. The books will all be unique because of their emphasis on three major components: 1) short, straight forward prose accounts of all aspects of the team including seasons, players, stadiums and front office people, 2) listings and statistics of all players of the team, and 3) heavy illustrations. These books can be read cover to cover or used as reference materials.