Why Cardinals Thought Wally Westlake Had Right Stuff

When the Cardinals acquired Wally Westlake from the Pirates, he seemed to be the ideal hitter to put pop into the cleanup spot, but it didn’t work out the way they expected.

RetroSimba

The Branch Rickey Pirates (Part Six:1954-55)

Previously, we've accompanied the storied executive Branch Rickey to Pittsburgh, then examined his first season of reasonable progress. But then we've followed him through three consecutive fall-off-a-cliff disaster years.

The Hardball Times

The Branch Rickey Pirates (Part Five: 1953-54)

Our journey with The Mahatma has taken him to Pittsburgh, then examined his modestly successful first season there. Then, alas, we encountered the disaster of 1952, and the minimal 1953 progress Rickey made in digging out of the pit he'd made for himself.

The Hardball Times

The Branch Rickey Pirates (Part Four: 1952-53)

So far, we've brought The Mahatma to Pittsburgh, then we've followed him through his first, reasonably successful year. Then, alas, we've also examined his second, terrible, year.

The Hardball Times

The Branch Rickey Pirates (Part Three: 1951-52)

In our first installment, we joined the legendary Branch Rickey as he took over the general managership of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the autumn of 1950. Last time, we examined Rickey’s range of actions in his first year in the new job, a period in which he didn't find immediate success, but executed generally sound decisions and appeared to have made progress.

The Hardball Times

The Branch Rickey Pirates (Part 2:1950-51)

As we recall from last time, Branch Rickey was hired as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates in November 1950. We summarized the state of the ball club he inherited, both at the level of the big league roster and in the minor leagues.

The Hardball Times

Ex-Cardinal Dick Cole To Be Inducted Into Long Beach Hall Of Fame

Dick Cole: Originally signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1943, the Wilson star's breakthrough season came in 1952, when he was the shortstop on the PCL champion Hollywood Stars team that included former Poly standout Chuck Stevens.

He had a six-year career with the Cardinals, Pirates and Braves, spending four years with the Pirates. In 1954, he hit .270 with 22 doubles as the everyday shortstop for the Pirates.

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