Cardinals: 5 memorable moments from 1982 Championship Season

The St. Louis Cardinals will honor the 1982 World Championship club during the weekend of August 12-14 when the Milwaukee Brewers are in town.

This year represents the 40th anniversary of the Cardinals 1982 World Series Championship. For those of us who remember that year and the team, there are many special memories.

Why is the ’82 team so special? The World Championship was the first for the Cardinals since 1967, and their first postseason since 1968. The postseason drought during the 1970s was long and painful for most Cardinal fans.

Now, I would like to share some of the most memorable moments from 1982. These special memories include Willie McGee, Bob Forsch, Glenn Brummer, Bruce Sutter, Keith Hernandez, and Darrell Porter, to name just a few.

The moments below are just some which stand out to me. For those of you who remember 1982, you may have other special memories.

Cardinals clinch Eastern Division

On September 27th, 1982, the Cardinals clinched their first NL Eastern Division Championship in the franchise’s history with a 4-2 win over the Montreal Expos. In fact, it was the first championship of any type for the Cardinals since they won the NL Pennant back in 1968.

The Cardinals had just finished a seven game homestand which saw them going 4-3, and entering Montreal with a 5.5 game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies. This was the start of a six game road trip to end the season. With a 90-66 record to start the series, the Cardinals needed just one win to clinch their first postseason birth in 14 years.

After a rain delay of 63 minutes, the Cardinals jumped on the Expos in the first inning.  Ken Oberkfell hit a one out double and came home on a Dane Iorg single. Darrell Porter drew a walk and Willie McGee hit a line drive to left center field which went under the glove of Expo center fielder Andre Dawson. McGee circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run and the Cardinals had a 4-0 lead.

The rest of the game became academic, with starter Dave LaPoint going 5 2/3 innings, and Bruce Sutter recorded his 36th save. LaPoint won his 9th game of the season, with Expo starter, Bill Guillickson(12-13) taking the loss.

The Cardinals lost their next 4 games, but finished the 1982 season with a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on October 3rd. They finished with a  92-70 record, which was the best in the National League.

Bob Forsch and Game 1 of the 1982 NLCS

After the Cardinals clinched the NL East title in Montreal on September 27th, relief pitcher Jim Kaat said, “This is like winning the first leg of the Triple Crown. We’ve just won the Kentucky Derby, now there’s two big races to go.”

The next big race was the NLCS against the Western Division Champions, Atlanta Braves. The Braves were managed by former Cardinal Joe Torre, and on his staff were other former Cardinals, Bob Gibson and Dal Maxvill.

The key game in the 1982 NLCS turned out to be Game 1: Take 2.

Game 1: Take 1, was a rainout. In other words, with two outs away from an official game, and the Braves leading 1-0, the umpires stopped the game during an downpour. The game never re-started and was postponed to the following night, in which Game 1 began from the start.

Game 1: Take 2, started much like Take 1, but eventually the Cardinals took control during a 5 run 6th inning, on the way to a 7-0 win. Bob Forsch kept the Braves hitters off balance all night and pitched an complete game gem, in which he only yielded three hits.

Game 2 was close, but the Cardinals pulled out a 4-3 win. Game 3 was anti-climatic, with the Cardinals scoring 4 runs in the second inning and winning 6-2, sweeping the series 3-0.

The Cardinals were then propelled into their first World Series since 1968, against the American League Champs, Milwaukee Brewer.

The Willie McGee game

Keith Hernandez once said, “Without Willie, we don’t win it in 1982.” He could of been talking about Willie McGee’s impact during the 1982 season, or he could could’ve been talking about Game 3 of the 1982 World Series.

Likely Hernandez was talking about both. Nevertheless, McGee almost single handedly saved Game 3 of the World Series by himself. And, without Willie’ Game 3 performance, the Cardinals don’t win the 1982 world Series.

The series was tied 1-1, and had moved to Milwaukee for the next three games. With Joaquin Andujar and Pete Vuckovich on the mound, the game was locked in a scoreless tie going into the 5th inning. McGee hit a three run homer to break up the scoreless game, and later added another home run in the seventh.

But it was McGee’s leaping defensive snare in the ninth by robbing Gorman Thomas of a home run which made Willie a Cardinal legend.  Additionally, he made a running catch of a Paul Monitor line drive in the first inning.

Willie’s heroics led the Cardinals 6-2 win, and a 2-1 lead in the Series. Arguably, many consider McGee’s performance in this game as one of the best in World Series history.

Bruce Sutter and Game 7

What you see today from closers is often a one inning outing. However, Bruce Sutter was relief workhorse who would bring his split finger fast ball for two or three innings to save a game. Game 7 of the 1982 World Series was no exception..

Game 7 was highlighted by RBI  singles by Lonnie Smith, Keith Hernandez, George Hendrick, Darrell Porter, and Steve Braun. It was also highlighted by Joaquin Andujar giving the Cardinals seven strong innings before turning it over to Bruce Sutter.

However, it was Sutter’s 8th and 9th innings and who he had to face in those two innings, which makes this game memorable.

Inheriting a 4-3 lead, Sutter started the 8th by going up against the heart of the Brewer lineup. The right hander started the inning by getting Paul Monitor to ground out, then struck out Robin Yount, and induced Cecil Cooper into a ground out.

With the Cardinals leading 6-3 going into the ninth, Sutter once again set the lineup down in order. The final out being a swinging strikeout of Gorman Thomas. The Game 7 scene has always been completed by Porter and Sutter running into each other’s arms after Thomas’ strikeout.