:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/2003828/GYI0063658432.jpg)
On this day in 1923, Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst was born in Germantown, Illinois. The Cardinals signed him as a nineteen-year-old amateur free agent in 1943, and by 1945 he was a big league regular.
Schoendienst spent 15 of his 19 big league seasons with the Cardinals, and most of his best years came there. He represented St. Louis in nine of his ten All Star appearances, including eight straight from 1948-55. The Cardinals traded him to the Giants in 1956, though, and almost a year to the day later the Giants moved him along to the Milwaukee Braves.
Schoendienst was in the middle of one of his best campaigns when he came to Milwaukee in 1957, and finished that year with an NL-leading 200 hits and a .309/.344/.451 batting line. He was the Braves' primary second baseman for the second half of their lone World Series Championship season.
Unfortunately, 1957 was Schoendienst's last great season as a Brave. He appeared in just 179 games over the next three seasons before being released and returning to the Cardinals.
Schoendienst made 15 appearances on the BBWAA ballot and never received more than 42.6% of the vote, but was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1989. He turns 89 today. With help from the B-Ref Play Index, we'd also like to wish a happy birthday to:
- 2006 Brewer Jared Fernandez, who turns 40.
- 1970 Brewer Max Alvis, who turns 74.