SHSMO Center for Missouri Studies
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Author and baseball historian Eric Vickrey chronicles the St. Louis Cardinals memorable championship season in 1982 under legendary coach Whitey Herzog. The team played an entertaining style of baseball built on speed and defense. The roster was constructed and piloted by Herzog, a baseball visionary who tailored his team for the AstroTurf and spacious dimensions of Busch Stadium. Herzog traded for closer Bruce Sutter, speedsters Lonnie Smith and Willie McGee, and defensive wizard Ozzie Smith, adding to a talented roster that included the likes of Bob Forsch, Keith Hernandez, and George Hendrick. The result was an exhilarating season that culminated in the defeat of baseball's most powerful team—the Milwaukee Brewers—in the World Series.