On Wednesday evening, the St. Louis Cardinals community mourned the loss of Red Schoendienst, an iconic figure, at the age of 95. The news of his passing was shared with Cardinal Nation by former Cardinals player and KMOX Cardinals announcer Mike Shannon.A native of Germantown, Illinois, Schoendienst was one of seven siblings.
Initially showing promise in his baseball career, Schoendienst had to become a switch-hitter batting left-handed in 1939 due to an injury to his left eye. In 1942, he signed with the Cardinals after a successful tryout, agreeing to a monthly salary of $75.
Schoendienst played in Major League Baseball during World War II and was drafted, but ultimately received a medical discharge due to a left eye injury. In 1945, he transitioned to the Cardinals, playing as a left fielder and second baseman. Schoendienst remained with the team until 1956, when he was traded to the New York Giants and Milwaukee Braves.
However, in 1961, Schoendienst returned to play for the Cardinals and stayed with the team until 1963.
Following the Cardinals’ victory over the New York Yankees in the 1964 World Series, Schoendienst became the team’s manager. He led the team for over 12 seasons, contributing to 5 World Series triumphs for the Cardinals.
In 1989, Schoendienst was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and was honored in the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum in 2014. He held the title of the oldest living Baseball Hall of Famer until his passing. Despite retiring from his baseball career in 1996, Schoendienst continued to proudly wear the Cardinals’ uniform, solidifying his place in the franchise’s history.
