In every video replay of the game

till the end of time

Todd Worrell's foot slaps first

And the Cards win the Series

They lost the next day.

--from "The Cardinals Win the 1985 World Series"



The St. Louis Cardinals, whom many called "America's Team" in the early to mid 20th century, are a franchise with a winning past and a fan base that runs coast to coast. A handful of teams, perhaps, can say as much. The club's importance is better shown in its all-time roster, one of the better maps to baseball lore: "Alexander" marks the spot where Lazzeri and the murderous Yankees were bowed, "Gibson" where the hitters gave up hope and at last sent the rules framers to bat for them, "McGwire" where the haughty Ruth was made to doff his cap.

This book is a collection of poems devoted to the Cardinals and their fans. It covers more than 100 years of Cardinal people and moments, including celebratory poems for the triumphant squads, detailed portraits--the book's lush prints, as well as the poet's interest in the visual arts, justifies the term--of standout players, and memorial pieces for some of the greats who have passed from the Cardinal Nation.