List of St. Louis Cardinals seasons

For seasons played by the NFL franchise formerly located in St. Louis, see List of Arizona Cardinals seasons.
St. Louis Cardinals

History

People

Overview

Grounds

Teams

The St. Louis Cardinals, a professional baseball franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri, compete in the National League (NL) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Founded in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association (AA), the team was originally named the Brown Stockings before it was shortened to Browns the next season. The team moved to the National League in 1892 when the AA folded. The club changed its name to the Perfectos for one season in 1899 and adopted the Cardinals name in 1900. The St. Louis Cardinals are tied with the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates as the third-oldest continuously operated baseball team.[a] In that time, the team has won 19 National League pennants and 11 World Series championships (most in the National League and second only to the New York Yankees, who have won 27). They also won four American Association pennants and one pre-World Series championship that Major League Baseball does not consider official.

The Cardinals had six periods of continued success during their history. The first period occurred during the 1880s when the team won four consecutive American Association pennants from 1885–1888 while known as the Browns. The Cardinals next found success from 1926–1934 when they played in five World Series, winning three. During World War II the Cardinals won four NL pennants in five years from 1942–1946, including three World Series championships. During the 1960s the Cardinals won two World Series and played in another. In the 1980s the Cardinals played in three World Series, winning in 1982. Most recently, the Cardinals have made the playoffs nine times, winning seven NL Central titles and qualifying as a wild-card entrant in 2001, 2011 and 2012, winning the World Series in 2006 and 2011.

The only extended period of failure the Cardinals have experienced began when they joined the National League in 1892. The Cardinals played only five winning seasons in 30 years while finishing last seven times from their entrance to the NL until 1921. However, the Cardinals have remarkably avoided such failure since then as they have not finished in last place in the National League since 1918, by far the longest streak in the NL.[b] Like the Yankees and Dodgers, the Cardinals have not lost 100 games in a season since World War I. The Cardinals failed to reach the World Series in the 1950s, 1970s, and 1990s, but were regularly a competitive team in each of these decades.

Year by year

AA Champions
(1882–1892) * 		Pre-World Series Champions
(1884–1891) † 		World Series Champions
(1903–present) ‡ 		NL Champions
(1892–present)[c] ** 		Division Champions
(1969–present) ^ 		Wild Card Berth
(1994–present) ¤
Season Level League Division Finish[d] Wins[d] Losses[d] Win% GB[e] Postseason Awards
St. Louis Brown Stockings
1882 MLB AA 5th 37 43 .463 18
St. Louis Browns
1883 MLB AA 2nd 65 33 .663 1
1884 MLB AA 4th 67 40 .626 8
1885 MLB AA * 1st 79 33 .705 — Tied World Series (White Stockings) 3–3–1[f] *
1886 MLB † AA * 1st 93 46 .669 — Won World Series (White Stockings) 4–2 †
1887 MLB AA * 1st 95 40 .704 — Lost World Series (Wolverines) 10–5 * Tip O'Neill
(TC)[1]
1888 MLB AA * 1st 92 43 .681 — Lost World Series (Giants) 6–4 *
1889 MLB AA 2nd 90 45 .667 2
1890 MLB AA 3rd 78 58 .574 12
1891 MLB AA 2nd 85 51 .625 8½
1892 MLB NL 11th 56 94 .373 46
1893[g] MLB NL 10th 57 75 .432 30½
1894 MLB NL 9th 56 76 .424 34
1895 MLB NL 11th 39 92 .298 48½
1896 MLB NL 11th 40 90 .308 50½
1897 MLB NL 12th 29 102 .221 63½
1898 MLB NL 12th 39 111 .260 63½
St. Louis Perfectos
1899 MLB NL 5th 84 67 .556 18½
St. Louis Cardinals
1900 MLB NL 5th 65 75 .464 19
1901 MLB NL 4th 76 64 .543 14½
1902 MLB NL 6th 56 78 .418 44½
1903 MLB NL 8th 43 94 .314 46½
1904 MLB NL 5th 75 79 .487 31½
1905 MLB NL 6th 58 96 .377 47
1906 MLB NL 7th 52 98 .347 63
1907 MLB NL 8th 52 101 .340 55½
1908 MLB NL 8th 49 105 .318 50
1909 MLB NL 7th 54 98 .355 56
1910 MLB NL 7th 63 90 .412 40½
1911 MLB NL 5th 75 74 .503 22
1912 MLB NL 6th 63 90 .412 41
1913 MLB NL 8th 51 99 .340 49
1914 MLB NL 3rd 81 72 .529 13
1915 MLB NL 6th 72 81 .471 18½
1916 MLB NL 7th 60 93 .392 33½
1917 MLB NL 3rd 82 70 .539 15
1918 MLB NL 8th 51 78 .395 33
1919 MLB NL 7th 54 83 .394 40½
1920[h] MLB NL 5th 75 79 .487 18
1921 MLB NL 3rd 87 66 .569 7
1922 MLB NL 3rd 85 69 .552 8 Rogers Hornsby
(TC)[2]
1923 MLB NL 5th 79 74 .516 16
1924 MLB NL 6th 65 89 .422 28½
1925 MLB NL 4th 77 76 .503 18 Rogers Hornsby (MVP, TC)[2]
1926 MLB ‡ NL ** 1st 89 65 .578 — Won World Series (Yankees) 4–3 ‡ Bob O'Farrell (MVP)
1927 MLB NL 2nd 92 61 .601 1½
1928 MLB NL ** 1st 95 59 .617 — Lost World Series (Yankees) 4–0 ** Jim Bottomley (MVP)
1929 MLB NL 4th 78 74 .513 20
1930 MLB NL ** 1st 92 62 .597 — Lost World Series (Athletics) 4–2 **
1931 MLB ‡ NL ** 1st 101 53 .656 — Won World Series (Athletics) 4–3 ‡ Frankie Frisch (MVP)[3]
1932 MLB NL 6th 72 82 .468 18
1933 MLB NL 5th 82 71 .536 9½
1934 MLB ‡ NL ** 1st 95 58 .621 — Won World Series (Tigers) 4–3 ‡ Dizzy Dean (MVP)[3]
1935 MLB NL 2nd 96 58 .623 4
1936 MLB NL 2nd 87 67 .565 5
1937 MLB NL 4th 81 73 .526 15 Joe Medwick (MVP, TC)[2][3]
1938 MLB NL 6th 71 80 .470 17½
1939 MLB NL 2nd 92 61 .601 4½
1940 MLB NL 3rd 84 69 .549 16
1941 MLB NL 2nd 97 56 .634 2½
1942 MLB ‡ NL ** 1st 106 48 .688 — Won World Series (Yankees) 4–1 ‡ Mort Cooper (MVP)[3]
1943 MLB NL ** 1st 105 49 .682 — Lost World Series (Yankees) 4–1 ** Stan Musial (MVP)[3]
1944 MLB ‡ NL ** 1st 105 49 .682 — Won World Series (Browns) 4–2[i] ‡ Marty Marion (MVP)[3]
1945 MLB NL 2nd 95 59 .617 3
1946 MLB ‡ NL ** 1st[j] 98 58 .628 — Won World Series (Red Sox) 4–3[k] ‡ Stan Musial (MVP)[3]
1947 MLB NL 2nd 89 65 .578 5
1948 MLB NL 2nd 85 69 .552 6½ Stan Musial (MVP)[3]
1949 MLB NL 2nd 96 58 .623 1
1950 MLB NL 5th 78 75 .510 12½
1951 MLB NL 3rd 81 73 .526 15½
1952 MLB NL 3rd 88 66 .571 8½
1953[l] MLB NL 4th 83 71 .539 22
1954 MLB NL 6th 72 82 .468 25 Wally Moon (ROY)[4]
1955 MLB NL 7th 68 86 .442 30½ Bill Virdon (ROY)[4]
1956 MLB NL 4th 76 78 .494 17
1957 MLB NL 2nd 87 67 .565 8
1958 MLB NL 5th 72 82 .468 20
1959 MLB NL 7th 71 83 .461 16
1960 MLB NL 3rd 86 68 .558 9
1961 MLB NL 5th 80 74 .519 13
1962 MLB NL 6th 84 78 .519 17½
1963 MLB NL 2nd 93 69 .574 6
1964 MLB ‡ NL ** 1st 93 69 .574 — Won World Series (Yankees) 4–3 ‡ Ken Boyer (MVP)[3]
Bob Gibson (WS MVP)
1965 MLB NL 7th 80 81 .497 16½
1966[n] MLB NL 6th 83 79 .512 12
1967 MLB ‡ NL ** 1st 101 60 .627 — Won World Series (Red Sox) 4–3 ‡ Orlando Cepeda (MVP)[3]
Bob Gibson (WS MVP)
1968 MLB NL ** 1st 97 65 .599 — Lost World Series (Tigers) 4–3 ** Bob Gibson (MVP, CYA)[3][5]
1969 MLB NL East[o] 4th 87 75 .537 13
1970 MLB NL East 4th 76 86 .469 13 Bob Gibson (CYA)[5]
1971 MLB NL East 2nd 90 72 .556 7 Joe Torre (MVP)[3]
1972 MLB NL East 4th 75 81 .481 21½
1973 MLB NL East 2nd 81 81 .500 1½
1974 MLB NL East 2nd 86 75 .534 1½ Bake McBride (ROY)[4]
1975 MLB NL East 4th 82 80 .506 10½
1976 MLB NL East 5th 72 90 .444 29
1977 MLB NL East 3rd 83 79 .512 18
1978 MLB NL East 5th 69 93 .426 21
1979 MLB NL East 3rd 86 76 .531 12 Keith Hernandez (MVP)[3]
1980 MLB NL East 4th 74 88 .457 17
1981 MLB NL East 2nd 30 20 .600 1½
2nd 29 23 .558 ½
1982 MLB ‡ NL ** East ^ 1st 92 70 .568 — Won NLCS (Braves) 3–0
Won World Series (Brewers) 4–3 ‡ 		Darrell Porter (WS MVP)
1983 MLB NL East 4th 79 83 .488 11
1984 MLB NL East 3rd 84 78 .519 12½
1985 MLB NL ** East ^ 1st 101 61 .623 — Won NLCS (Dodgers) 4–2
Lost World Series (Royals) 4–3[r] ** 		Willie McGee (MVP)[3]
Vince Coleman (ROY)[4]
Whitey Herzog (MOY)[6]
1986 MLB NL East 3rd 79 82 .491 28½ Todd Worrell (ROY)[4]
1987 MLB NL ** East ^ 1st 95 67 .586 — Won NLCS (Giants) 4–3
Lost World Series (Twins) 4–3 **
1988 MLB NL East 5th 76 86 .469 25
1989 MLB NL East 3rd 86 76 .531 7
1990 MLB NL East 6th 70 92 .432 25
1991 MLB NL East 2nd 84 78 .519 14
1992 MLB NL East 3rd 83 79 .512 13
1993 MLB NL East 3rd 87 75 .537 10
1994 MLB NL Central[t] 3rd 53 61 .465 13 Playoffs cancelled[s]
1995 MLB NL Central 4th 62 81 .434 22½
1996 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 88 74 .543 — Won NLDS (Padres) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Braves) 4–3
1997 MLB NL Central 4th 73 89 .451 11
1998 MLB NL Central 3rd 83 79 .512 19
1999 MLB NL Central 4th 75 86 .466 21½
2000 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 95 67 .586 — Won NLDS (Braves) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Mets) 4–1
2001 MLB NL Central 1st[u] ¤ 93 69 .574 — Lost NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–2 Albert Pujols (ROY)[4]
2002 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 97 65 .599 — Won NLDS (Diamondbacks) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Giants) 4–1 		Tony La Russa (MOY)[6]
2003 MLB NL Central 3rd 85 77 .525 3
2004 MLB NL ** Central ^ 1st 105 57 .648 — Won NLDS (Dodgers) 3–1
Won NLCS (Astros) 4–3
Lost World Series (Red Sox) 4–0 **
2005 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 100 62 .617 — Won NLDS (Padres) 3–0
Lost NLCS (Astros) 4–2 		Albert Pujols (MVP)[3]
Chris Carpenter (CYA)[5]
2006[v] MLB ‡ NL ** Central ^ 1st 83 78 .516 — Won NLDS (Padres) 3–1
Won NLCS (Mets) 4–3
Won World Series (Tigers) 4–1 ‡ 		David Eckstein (WS MVP)
2007 MLB NL Central 3rd 78 84 .481 7
2008 MLB NL Central 4th 86 76 .531 11½ Albert Pujols (MVP)[3]
2009 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 91 71 .562 — Lost NLDS (Dodgers) 3–0 Albert Pujols (MVP)[3]
2010 MLB NL Central 2nd 86 76 .531 6
2011 MLB ‡ NL ** Central 2nd ¤ 90 72 .556 6 Won NLDS (Phillies) 3–2
Won NLCS (Brewers) 4–2
Won World Series (Rangers) 4–3 ‡ 		David Freese (WS MVP)
2012 MLB NL Central 2nd ¤ 88 74 .543 9 Won NLWC (Braves)
Won NLDS (Nationals) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Giants) 4–3
2013 MLB NL ** Central ^ 1st 97 65 .599 — Won NLDS (Pirates) 3–2
Won NLCS (Dodgers) 4–2
Lost World Series (Red Sox) 4–2 **
2014 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 90 72 .556 — Won NLDS (Dodgers) 3–1
Lost NLCS (Giants) 4–1
2015 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 100 62 .617 — Lost NLDS (Cubs) 3–1
2016 MLB NL Central 2nd 86 76 .531 17½
2017 MLB NL Central 3rd 83 79 .512 9
2018 MLB NL Central 3rd 88 74 .543 7½
2019 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 91 71 .562 — Won NLDS (Braves) 3–2
Lost NLCS (Nationals) 4–0
 Mike Shildt (MOY)[6]
2020 MLB NL Central 2nd ¤ 30 28 .517 3 Lost NLWC (Padres) 2–1
2021 MLB NL Central 2nd ¤ 90 72 .556 5 Lost NLWC (Dodgers)
2022 MLB NL Central ^ 1st 93 69 .574 — Lost NLWC (Phillies) 2–0 Paul Goldschmidt (MVP)[3]
2023 MLB NL Central 5th 71 91 .438 21
2024 MLB NL Central 2nd 83 79 .512 10

All-time records

Totals Wins Losses Win %
781 432 .644 American Association regular season record (1882–1891)
16 21 .432 American Association post-season record (1882–1891)
10,505 9,970 .513 National League regular season record (1892–2024)[z]
134 128 .511 MLB post-season record (1892–2024)
11,286 10,402 .520 All-time regular season record (1882–2024)
150 149 .502 All-time post-season record (1882–2024)
11,436 10,551 .520 All-time regular and post-season record (1882–2024)

Record by decade

The following table describes the Cardinals' regular season MLB win–loss record by decade.

Decade Wins Losses Pct
1880s 618 323 .657
1890s 563 816 .408
1900s 580 888 .395
1910s 652 830 .440
1920s 822 712 .536
1930s 869 665 .566
1940s 960 580 .623
1950s 776 763 .504
1960s 884 718 .552
1970s 800 813 .496
1980s 825 734 .529
1990s 758 794 .488
2000s 913 706 .564
2010s 899 721 .555
2020s 367 339 .520
All-time 11,286 10,402 .520

These statistics are from Baseball-Reference.com's St. Louis Cardinals History & Encyclopedia,[7] and are current through the 2024 season.

Footnotes

  • a The current variations of the Cardinals, Reds, and Pirates all began playing in 1882. The two older clubs are the Atlanta Braves, who were founded in 1871 in Boston, and the Chicago Cubs, who have played continuously since 1874.
  • b The Cardinals did finish in last place of the NL East in 1990. However, the Atlanta Braves of the NL West had a worse record. The next longest streak is by the Cincinnati Reds, who most recently finished in last place of the NL in 1982. The similar streak in the American League is held by the Boston Red Sox, who last finished in last place of the AL in 1932.[8]
  • c For lists of all National League pennant winners see National League pennant winners 1876–1900, National League pennant winners 1901-68, and National League Championship Series.
  • d The Finish, Wins, and Losses columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play. Regular and postseason records are combined only at the bottom of the list.
  • e The GB column lists "Games Back" from the team that finished in first place that season. It is determined by finding the difference in wins plus the difference in losses divided by two.
  • f The dispute in 1885 concerned Game 2, which was forfeited by St. Louis when they pulled their team off the field protesting an umpiring decision. The managers, Cap Anson and Charles Comiskey, initially agreed to disregard the game. When St. Louis won the final game and an apparent 3–2 Series championship, Chicago White Stockings owner Albert Spalding overruled his manager and declared that he wanted the forfeit counted. The result of a tied Series was that neither team got the prize money that had been posted by the owners before the Series (and was returned to them after they both agreed it was a tie).[9]
  • g The Cardinals moved from their original home, Sportsman's Park, to a new field called New Sportsman's Park where they played until 1920. The ballpark would later be named League Park and then Robision Field under different Cardinals ownership.
  • h During the season the Cardinals moved from Robison Field, where they had played since 1893, to become tenants of the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park. The Cardinals had originally played at Sportsman's Park from 1882 to 1892.
  • i The 1944 World Series was nicknamed the "Streetcar Series" and featured the NL Cardinals against the AL St. Louis Browns. Every game during the series was played at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.
  • j The Cardinals finished the 1946 regular season tied for first place in the National League with the Brooklyn Dodgers. However, the Cardinals claimed the pennant by winning the first two games in a best-of-three playoff series.
  • k The 1946 World Series is best remembered for Enos Slaughter's Mad Dash to score the go-ahead run in the 8th inning of Game 7.
  • l In 1953 the Cardinals were bought by Anheuser-Busch and Gussie Busch became team president, which he would remain until his death in 1989. Busch then purchased Sportsman's Park from the rival St. Louis Browns and renamed it Busch Stadium. The Browns would leave St. Louis after the season for Baltimore, Maryland.
  • m In 1962 the National League increased the schedule from 154 games, which had been established since 1904, to 162 games, where it remains today.
  • n During the season the Cardinals moved from Busch Stadium I, where they had played since 1920 to Busch Memorial Stadium.
  • o In 1969 MLB expanded by 4 teams to 12 in each league and split each league into an East and West division, the Cardinals were placed in the National League East.
  • p The 1972 Major League Baseball strike forced the cancellation of the first seven games (thirteen game-days) of the season.[10]
  • q The 1981 season was shortened by a player's strike. MLB decided to split the season into two halves with the division winner of each half playing in a Divisional Round of the playoffs. The Cardinals finished with the best overall record in the NL East at 59–43, but they finished in second place in both halves of the season and did not make the playoffs.[11]
  • r The 1985 World Series, nicknamed the "Show-Me Series" or "I-70 Series" because it featured two Missouri teams in St. Louis and the Kansas City Royals, is most remembered for The Call in Game 6. With the Cardinals leading the series 3–2 and Game 6 1–0, they took the field in the 9th inning to claim the championship. Pitcher Todd Worrell faced the Royals Jorge Orta first, Orta hit a slow ground ball to first baseman Jack Clark, who flipped the ball to Worrell at first for the apparent out. However, umpire Don Denkinger called Orta safe and the Cardinals unraveled to lose Game 6 and got blown out in Game 7.[12]
  • s The 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike ended the season on August 11 and caused the entire postseason to be cancelled.[13]
  • t In 1994 MLB split each league into 3 divisions. The Cardinals were placed in the newly created National League Central.[14]
  • u In 2001 the Cardinals and the Houston Astros tied for first place in the NL Central. Since both teams were assured of a place in the playoffs, MLB declared it a shared championship. Houston was granted the NL Central's position in the playoff bracket by way of a better head-to-head record and St. Louis was given the Wild Card spot.[15]
  • v The Cardinals began play in the new Busch Stadium in 2006 after 40 years at Busch Memorial Stadium. They became the first team since the 1923 New York Yankees to win the World Series in their first season in a ballpark.
  • z Major League Baseball considers this to be the Cardinals' official all-time record. MLB does not count the years played in the American Association or post-season games towards the official record.

References

General

  • "St. Louis Cardinals Year-by-year results". www.stlcardinals.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
  • "St. Louis Cardinals Team Index". www.baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  • "St. Louis Cardinals Post-season results". www.stlcardinals.com. Archived from the original on August 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
  • "St. Louis Cardinals Awards". www.stlcardinals.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
  • "National League season-by-season". www.baseball-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2007-05-05. Retrieved 2007-05-08.

Specific

  1. ^ "Tip O'Neill stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "Triple Crown winners". Major League Baseball Official Website. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "MVP winners". Major League Baseball Official Website. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Rookie of the Year winners". Major League Baseball Official Website. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  5. ^ a b c "Cy Young winners". Major League Baseball Official Website. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  6. ^ a b c "Manager of the Year winners". Major League Baseball Official Website. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  7. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  8. ^ "National League season-by-season". Baseball-Reference. Archived from the original on May 5, 2007. Retrieved May 8, 2007.
  9. ^ Jon David Cash, Before They Were Cardinals: Major League Baseball in Nineteenth-Century St. Louis. University of Missouri Press 2002
  10. ^ Morgan, Joe (August 21, 2002). "Strike is no longer necessary". ESPN. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  11. ^ "Year in Review – 1981". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
  12. ^ "1985 World Series". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  13. ^ Zirin, David (August 18, 2004). "The MLB Strike – 25 Years in the Making". Buzzle editorials. Archived from the original on March 15, 2009. Retrieved 2008-05-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ^ "1994 National League". Baseball Reference. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  15. ^ "2001 St. Louis Cardinals". St. Louis Cardinals Official Website. Archived from the original on May 13, 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-05.