Home > Baseball > World Series History > (1944) St. Louis Cardinals 4, St. Louis Browns 2

(1944) St. Louis Cardinals 4, St. Louis Browns 2

The World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball. The World Series is played between the American League and National League champions and the Series winner is determined through a best-of-seven playoff.

The St. Louis Browns had been members of the American League since 1902, but it took a World War for them to finally reach the World Series. Heightening the drama were their opponents, the St. Louis Cardinals. The Browns won their first-ever World Series game, taking the opener 2-1, thanks to George McQuinn's two-run homer in the fourth and nine strong innings from Denny Gale house.

The Cards came back to even the Fall Classic in Game 2, but it wasn't easy. They led 2-0 after six frames, only to see the Brownies tie the contest in the seventh. It was still 2-2 in the bottom of the 10th, until Cardinals pinch-hitter Ken O'Dea singled to right field, scoring Ray Sanders with the game-winning run.

The American Leaguers struck back in Game 3, as Jack Kramer went nine innings and allowed just two runs to capture a 6-2 triumph. First baseman George McQuinn paced the hitters with three hits and two RBI, runs batted in. That Brownie glory was short-lived, however, as the Cardinal pitchers hogged the credit in Games 4 and 5. In Game 4 it was Harry Brecheen, who tossed a complete game nine-hitter to earn a 5-1 win.

In Game 5, it was Mort Cooper, who trumped Brecheen with a seven-hit shutout and struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth. Brownies starter Gale house, so good in Game 1, pitched well himself but wound up on the short end of a 2-0 stick against Cooper.

In Game 6, the Cardinals went up 3-1 in the fourth frame with three runs, only one of them earned after Browns shortstop Vern Stephens botched a throw. The scoring ended there, and Redbird right-hander Ted Wilks closed out the Series with 3 1/3 innings of perfect relief work. All of the games were played at Sportsman's Park. The Browns' George McQuinn had a Series high average of .438.

Back to World Series History