The Year St. Louis Became a Baseball Town

The Cardinals, Babe Ruth, and the 1926 World Series

Terry Lemons

• Publisher: The History Press
• eBook ISBN:
  9781467173728
• Year: 2026

Relive the World Series upset that gave rise to St. Louis's baseball obsession With a legacy of eleven World Series wins, the Cardinals are intertwined with the culture of St. Louis. It all started in 1926 with a legendary World Series upset against Babe Ruth?s Yankees. But what goes untold are compelling stories?like Ruth charming the city into what became a tradition of cheering opposing players?that made St. Louis fans go baseball crazy for the first time. Meanwhile, early radio broadcasts helped turn the region into ?Cardinal country.? These forgotten anecdotes made 1926 more than another championship season. The victory transformed St. Louis into a baseball town, putting in place practices, traditions, loyalties, and an energy that have been passed down through time. Terry Lemons, a St. Louis native, brings a reporter?s eye to recover faded memories that shine new light on the story that began in 1926.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Preface
• 1 A World Series for the Ages: St. Louis Is Transformed into a Baseball Town
• 2 Fan Expectations Grow as Branch Rickey Masterminds the Farm System
• 3 September 24, 1926: St. Louis Fans Celebrate Pennant with “Bedlam of Rejoicing”
• 4 “Murderers’ Row” Looses Lethal Punch, Yankees Stagger to American League Pennant
• 5 Frenzied Fans Clamor for Tickets, but Not Everyone Is Welcome at Sportsman’s Park
• 6 From Taxes and Taxis to Courts and Carpenters, World Series Preparations Intensify
• 7 Bookies Make New York a Betting Favorite, and the Cardinals Attract Support From Unlikely Places
• 8 Game 1, October 2, 1926: The Cards and Ruth Get Caught with Their Pants Down
• 9 Game 2, October 3, 1926: A Cardinal Comeback in New York
• 10 October 4, 1926: Cardinals Return Home to Wild Celebration in St. Louis
• 11 Game 3, October 5, 1926: Rainbows and Rooftops as St. Louis Hosts the World Series
• 12 Game 4, October 6, 1926: Ruth Blasts His Way into Baseball History Amid St. Louis Cheers
• 13 Game 5, October 7, 1926: Ruth’s Historic Day Carries Over for the Yankees and Advertisers
• 14 Game 6, October 9, 1926: Alexander and the Cardinals Find New Life in New York
• 15 Radio Explosion and Electric Scoreboards Pull More Fans to Baseball and the Cardinals
• 16 Game 7, October 10, 1926: Cardinals and Yankees End the World Series with Drama
• 17 Cardinal Celebrations Unfold In St. Louis and Cities Across the Country
• 18 Fights and Flights After the World Series: A Historic Trade, a Historic Season, and a National Hero
• 19 The Aftermath of 1926: Two Teams, Two Dynasties for the History Books
• Bibliography
• About the Author