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1931-1940

    Still trying to get an affiliate with a professional team, Eckert spoke with Branch Rickey, of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931. After several meetings, Rickey agreed to Eckert’s proposal and decided that White City Park was in dyer need of many improvements, that would allow the team to stay competitive. Before the beginning of the season, $14,000 ($169,280.00) of improvements were made to the field. Flood lights were added, a rebuilt outfield fence was installed, they changed the dirt infield to a grass turf, and the clubhouse was improved.

   During the one year reign of team manager Eddie Dyer, the team changed it’s name to the Redwings and played in a 6 team league.  Other Cardinal clubs played the Redwings in exhibition games and discount nights to increase the attendance.   One notable that played during this year was Paul “Daffy” Dean, brother of famed St. Louis Cardinal pitcher “Dizzy” Dean.

   The Redwings won both halves of the season, which gave them the automatic championship title.

   In 1932 Springfield was made the training camp for the Cardinals in the Midwest.  The Danville, Elmira, Scottsdale, and Keokuk clubs all trained in Springfield.  Most of the teams in the league were financially unstable, Springfield was the only team that were financially stable with major league backing.

   With the population of Springfield pushing 60,000 the 1932 season had a total paid attendance equal to the population of 60,000. They won the first half of the season and came in second in the second half. They also won the league title in a playoff. While most teams lost money, the Cardinals were of the few that showed a profit.

   In 1933 the Springfield Cardinals became a Class “A” team in the Western Association. The Springfield team led the league in attendance for the second half of the season.  Manager Tom Fairweather led the team to a fourth place finish in the first half of the season and second place for the second half of the season.  They were removed from the league in the off-season.

   In 1934 Al Eckert, again involved with the Springfield team, reorganized the 6 team Western Association.

   Nicknamed “The One Man Gang”, since he could play any position, player/manager Mike Ryba led the Cardinals to a first place title for the first half of the season.  And they won the second half of the season as well as the playoffs. Paid attendance was 58,000 and the team made a profit.

   In 1935 the Arkansas State League became a informal farm club, or developmental league⁴,  for the Cardinals. This allowed the team to pull players from within the league, instead of the higher division Cardinals.  Prospective players were sent to the Arkansas League for seasoning of their game.

   The Cardinals won the first half of the season, placed second in the second half and lost in  the playoffs.  They  again led the league in attendance. Stars of the team included such players as Lyle Judy and Arnold Owens, who was later known as Mickey.

   For the 1936 season the new manager for Springfield was Joe Brown. The Cardinals set an attendance record with 10,000 paid fans on merchant loyalty night.  The population was under 60,000, which makes this feat even more amazing.  Almost one-fifth of the city attended the game that night.

   The St. Louis Cardinals were no longer sending players down to the lower leagues, so the team could not stay competitive. The team finished first in the first half of the season.  Due to the lack of quality players they only finished fourth in the second half.

   In 1937 the new manager was Clay Brown. Due to a new four team playoff format the Cardinals were unable to win the championship this season.

   In 1938, most of the quality players were sent up to the higher club during the off season. The organization was still putting money into the team, new lights and bleachers were added to White City.  Also during this year a ruling was made by the league that one baseball organization could not own more than one club, so the Cardinals ended it’s control of the Arkansas League.  The Cardinals finished second in the season, but were eliminated in the playoffs.

   George Silvey became Cardinal manager in 1939. Silvey led the team to their 6^th league title, after finishing third in the league.  Silvey started the season off as manager of the 1940 season, but Ollie Vanek finished it. For the first time since the inception of the 4 team playoff system, the Cardinals didn’t make the playoffs. The Cardinals finished the season 56-76, their worst season since the Midgets, and lost $10,000 ($130,990.48 today).  It was customary, when a team lost money during a season, that they were removed from that league. But, the Cardinals were given another chance. The Springfield population had risen to 61,238.