The Boys who Were Left Behind: The 1944 World Series Between the Hapless St. Louis Browns and the Legendary St. Louis CardinalsWhen the New York Times sportswriter Arthur Daley called the 1944 St. Louis Browns "the most astonishing ball club ever to reach the World Series," he wasn't handing out bouquets. An ill-assorted collection of castoffs, 4-Fs, no-accounts, farm boys, and brawlers with not much more than a few minor league games under their belts, the team was playing professional ball for only one reason: the best players had been drafted or had enlisted. Adding to the drama, these misfits were facing the fabled St. Louis Cardinals and their MVP, Stan Musial, one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. The story of this unlikely meeting between crosstown rivals--dubbed the "Streetcar Series" because so many fans took the trolley to Sportsman's Park--is told here for the first time.Mining a treasure trove of coverage, including on-the-spot commentary by the Hall of Fame sportswriter Bob Broeg, the authors bring this contest between baseball's David and Goliath vividly to life, giving readers a sense of what this suspenseful six-day series must have meant both to those on the homefront and U.S. servicemen around the world. A marvel of American sportsmanship, patriotism, and boyish innocence, the Streetcar Series will forever be remembered as the best and the "worst" of an era long past.John Heidenry is a native of St. Louis and the founding editor of St. Louis Magazine. He is the author of Theirs Was the Kingdom and What Wild Ecstasy . Brett Topel is a freelance sports journalist and an adjunct professor of journalism at Adelphi University. He is also the art director of The Week magazine. |
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1944 World Series American League Athletics ball ballpark ballplayers Barnes base baseball Baseball Goes baseball's batters batting Bob Broeg Breadon catcher center field Chet Laabs Chicago Clary club clubhouse Cooperstown Cubs DeWitt DiMaggio Dodgers Don Gutteridge Donnelly Donora doubleheader draft dugout Fame Library fans fastball fielder finally Galehouse Golenbock Hall of Fame Hayworth hitter home runs homers Hopp infield Jakucki Kramer Kreevich Kurowski Lanier later recalled left field Litwhiler Louis Browns Louis Cardinals Luke Sewell major-league Mancuso Mark Christman Marty Marion McQuinn Mead Moore Mort Cooper mound National Baseball Hall National League never outfielder owner pitcher pitching plate play players Potter record Redbirds regular season reported right field rookie Sanders scored Sewell's shortstop Southworth Spirit of St Sporting Sportsman's Park sportswriter spring training stadium Stan Musial Stephens teammates told Verban Walker Cooper White Sox Yankees York