Apr 24, 2023
There was one World Series that was played entirely in St. Louis, with the Cardinals playing the Browns for the title. This created many firsts, and many odd stories, including one about two apartment mates. Just press play to hear the whole story. ------———
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Podcast Transcript: I’m
Adam Kloppe, public historian with the Missouri Historical Society,
and Here’s History on eighty-eight one, KDHX. ———
The 1944 World Series holds a special place in the hearts of St. Louis baseball lovers. It’s special not just because it’s one of the Cardinals eleven World Series titles, but because the Cardinals opponent in that Fall Classic was the St. Louis Browns. Meaning, in 1944, every game of the World Series was played in St. Louis. Because of this, there are all sorts of unique facts about the 1944 World Series. ———
For example, 1944 was the first World Series played entirely west of the Mississippi River, which makes sense, as St. Louis was the westernmost city in Major League Baseball until the 1950s. It was also the third World Series where every game was played at one stadium. In this case, that stadium was Sportsman’s Park, home to both the Cardinals and the Browns. It was the last World Series played all at one ballpark until 2020, when covid restrictions necessitated that every World Series game be played in one stadium. ———
But perhaps the oddest fact surrounding the all-St. Louis World Series is a story involving the managers of the Cardinals and the Browns. You see, for the 1944 season, Browns manager Luke Sewell and Cardinals manager Billy Southworth split an apartment at the Lindell Towers. There was a housing shortage, and since the Browns and Cardinals were never in St. Louis at the same time, the two managers figured they could just split the apartment with no difficulties. When one man was at home, the other would be on the road. They rarely even saw one another. ———
As the season wound down, and the likelihood of an all-St. Louis World Series grew, Sewell, who was in St. Louis with the Browns, eventually sent a telegram to Southworth asking what should be done if the Browns should clinch the American League pennant. Southworth, who was on the road with the National League leading Cardinals, sent a telegram back to Sewell in St. Louis saying, “The Browns are going to win the pennant, so you go right ahead [and stay in the apartment]. I have rooms available at a hotel, and I’ll just move in there when we return home.” ———
Apparently, though, the hotel room brought some extra luck to Southworth. The Cardinals ended up winning the World Series in six games, clinching their second championship of the 1940s. ———
Here’s History is a joint production of KDHX and the Missouri Historical Society. I’m Adam Kloppe, and this is eighty-eight one, KDHX St. Louis. ———