The Year St. Louis Became a Baseball Town

Relive the World Series upset that gave rise to St. Louis's baseball obsession

With a legacy of eleven World Series wins, the Cardinals are intertwined with the culture of St. Louis. It all started in 1926 with a legendary World Series upset against Babe Ruth’s Yankees. But what goes untold are compelling stories—like Ruth charming the city into what became a tradition of cheering opposing players—that made St. Louis fans go baseball crazy for the first time. Meanwhile, early radio broadcasts helped turn the region into “Cardinal country.” These forgotten anecdotes made 1926 more than another championship season. The victory transformed St. Louis into a baseball town, putting in place practices, traditions, loyalties, and an energy that have been passed down through time.

Terry Lemons, a St. Louis native, brings a reporter’s eye to recover faded memories that shine new light on the story that began in 1926.