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: https://stlouiscardinalsbeyondthehof.libsyn.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkRx0bBfd2KyDcY9MEvdPaPhli56Ou4Ow

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Email address: tommyjonstlcardinalspodcast@gmail.com

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 May. He's currently an eighty-six-year-old who delights us with an interview that covers his adventures from minor league ball to pitching in Fenway as he helped lead the Cardinals to a World Series Championship. Don't miss his recollection of battling Hank Aaron.

Dick is accompanied by his wife Ann who provides unique perspective in living through professional baseball in the 60s.

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 60s. She shares anecdotes that feature Bob Eucker, Bob Gibson, and others. It's a fascinating look at this lifestyle from the wife's perspective. Nancy's a hoot. This episode has only the second half of our interview with Nancy; if you enjoy this, go back through our episode catalog and hear the first half of the interview.

The Essential links:

Website: https://stlouiscardinalsbeyondthehof.libsyn.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkRx0bBfd2KyDcY9MEvdPaPhli56Ou4Ow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559227930441

Email address: tommyjonstlcardinalspodcast@gmail.com

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 recent episodes where Sheaffer and Terry Kennedy- a 4X MLB All-Star mentored by Ricketts- speak at length about their reverence for Mr. Ricketts.

How does a catcher "manage" a pitcher?

What did Bob Gibson tell his catcher to do when the catcher was uncertain of which pitch to signal for?

What does pre-game prep for pitchers and catchers look like?

What was it like having a locker next to Ted Simmons, especially if you were the person trying to take his position?

In July of 1980, with a field temperature of 149 degrees, while catching a 14 inning game, how many pounds did Terry Kennedy lose?

The answers to these question are in our 50 minute rivoting insider look at MLB from the perspective of Terry Kennedy, a former Cardinal who spent four decades in professional ball.

The Essential links:

Website: https://stlouiscardinalsbeyondthehof.libsyn.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkRx0bBfd2KyDcY9MEvdPaPhli56Ou4Ow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559227930441

Email address: tommyjonstlcardinalspodcast@gmail.com

Part II of our spotlight on Mr. Dave Ricketts covers his later playing years and the molding of star players like Ozzie Smith, Tony Pean, Terry Kennedy, Ted Simmons, and others. A good portion of the episode is a gripping interview with Danny Sheaffer, a former Cardinal catcher and minor league manager for the Redbirds. He recounts fascinating stories that showcase his reverence for Mr. Ricketts and also has us on the edge of our seats recalling pivotal conversations he had with Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright when he managed them in the minors. Don’t miss the opening minutes of this episode that lay out a moment that has Yadi wanting to quit baseball.

Tony LaRussa said, “There have been some truly great Cardinals who have come through the organization, but I don’t know anyone greater or more beloved than him.” To whom is Tony referring? It could be Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, Bob Gibson, Ozzie Smith, or a host of other HOF players, but he wasn’t. This beloved Redbird isn’t even in the MLB Hall of Fame. LaRussa was speaking of Dave Ricketts, a teaching pillar of the Cardinal Way. Mr. Ricketts, and that is how he is often referred to by his proteges like Yadier Molina, spent approximately three decades with the Redbirds. His enormous impact upon the way they played the game and lived their life is chronicled in this and following episodes. This episode features former Cardinal and All-Star catcher Terry Kennedy, who speaks at length of his reverence for Mr. Ricketts.

On September 18, 1967, the Cardinals clinched the National League pennant. The next day's game against the Phillies was almost as interesting. Starting for the Cardinals was Dick Hughes, who owned the best winning percentage of all NL pitchers. Dick talks about this game and other highlights of the '67 WS champions, including how he got his nickname "The Sniper."

This episode is part two of our interview with Dick Hughes, The Sporting News 1967 Rookie of the Year.

Website: https://stlouiscardinalsbeyondthehof.libsyn.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkRx0bBfd2KyDcY9MEvdPaPhli56Ou4Ow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559227930441

Email address: tommyjonstlcardinalspodcast@gmail.com