Colorizing Early St. Louis Baseball: The St. Louis Story of Branch Rickey

In the annals of baseball lore, one name shines bright: Branch Rickey. He was a man of many hats – player, manager, and executive. His legacy transcends beyond integration of the game, as he left an indelible mark on its operations that we use to this day. The Farm System, which he started in St. Louis.

Portrait photo of a young Branch Rickey in a suit shot from the chest up — *1903*

Rickey’s journey commenced on the diamond, at the beginning of the 20th century where he was a catcher at Ohio Wesleyan University. Upon graduation, he took on a coaching role. Eventually Rickey took his catcher’s gear to the St. Louis Browns and then the New York Highlanders.

A Colorized photo of Branc Rickey swinging from the left side of the plate with the 1906 St. Louis Browns — *1906 St. Louis Browns*

An arm injury ultimately ended his playing career. During a game in 1907 against the Washington Senators, Rickey gave up 13 consecutive stolen bases prompting him to forego throwing altogether. By game’s end, h had set a record that still stands. Ouch!

A Colorized photo of Branch Rickey, while he was coaching at the University of Michigan. It is apparently a team portrait. — *1910-1913 Coaching at the University of Michigan*

But his ambitions stretched beyond the confines of the field. After being stricken with tuberculosis in 1908, Rickey spent most of 1909 in a sanatorium recovering. H went to back to school earning a law degree from the University of Michigan. While studying for his degree he also took on a coaching job with the university’s baseball team.

Eventually and thankfully for baseball lovers, Rickey returned to the professional game with the St. Louis Browns. While he only played in two games of the 1914 season, if you think about it, that’s kind of impressive. To take that many years off from the game and the pick up with a major league club feels like no small feat. His organizational and recognition of talent acumen was what really got him on with the club.

Branch Rickey is depicted in the follow-through motion of a baseball swing. He is wearing a gray uniform with dark stirrup socks and a cap, and the wooden baseball bat is extended away from his body after making contact with the ball. He is standing on the dirt of the batter's box, and a blurred baseball field is visible in the background. — *1914 – St. Louis Browns*

Rickey and the Browns parted ways by the 1917 season, and Ricky picked up with the cross city team the Cardinals, as President of Baseball Operations. It is during this time when the seeds of innovation took root. It was here in St. Louis that he first toyed with the notion of a farm system, a revolutionary concept that would forever alter the landscape of player development in baseball.

But, in August of 1918, Rickey embarked on an absolutely stunning chapter of life, starting military service during World War I at 36 years of age! He set sail for France and the Western Front aboard a steamship. In mid-September braving the waters of the Atlantic, he contracted a bout of pneumonia. By landfall he had recovered andRickey assumed command of a training unit within the Chemical Warfare Service. This unit included luminaries such as Captains Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson.

Colorized photo of Branch Rickey in military uniform serving during World War I — *For further information*

This was no easy athlete war assignment. Amidst the chaos of war, Rickey’s unit found themselves thrust into action as part of the esteemed First Gas Regiment, confronting the grim realities of trench warfare and chemical attacks.

With the signing of the armistice in November, Rickey returned to the United States by the end of the year. He would resume his duties with the Cardinals in 1919.

This time he stepped into a new a new role, field manager as well as General Manager. It was a pivotal moment in Rickey’s life, as he navigated the transition from the battlefield horror to the pastoral baseball diamond

1920 – Rickey coaching sliding

In 1925, Rickey would step away or some would say be pushed out from his field managerial position. He did stay on as General Manager. In this role he wasted no time implementing his bold vision for the franchise.

*1925 – wearing a new hat you could say*

Central to his strategy was the expansion and fortification of the Cardinals’ farm system – a concept that was as audacious as it was unprecedented. With meticulous precision, Rickey orchestrated the acquisition and management of over 20 minor league teams, effectively creating a pipeline of talent that would feed into the major league roster.

This innovative approach bore fruit almost immediately, as the Cardinals emerged as a powerhouse in the 1920s and 1930s, capturing four coveted World Series titles under Rickey’s astute guidance (1926, 1931, 1934, and 1942). Rickey’s farm system revolutionized the very fabric of player development in baseball, setting a precedent that would be emulated by franchises across the league for decades to come. His keen eye for talent and shrewd negotiating prowess saw the Cardinals become a breeding ground for future stars.

His motivations for developing a farm system were multifaceted, driven by a desire for competitive advantage and a commitment to long-term sustainability. By establishing a farm system, he aimed to provide a structured pathway for promising players to develop their skills, ensuring a steady supply of talent for the major league team.

Rickey saw the farm system as a means to gain a competitive edge. By controlling minor league teams affiliated with the major league club, Rickey could cultivate talent according to the organization’s specific needs, fostering a cohesive and synergistic approach to player development.

Additionally, by developing talent in-house, the Cardinals organization was able to reduce its reliance on expensive free agents and mitigate the risks associated with fluctuating player markets. Rickey demonstrated the ability to groom and promote players internally at considerable cost savings and success.

The mid-1930s brought unprecedented expansion to the Cardinal farm system, with the number of affiliated teams swelling to 33 by 1937. Despite initial concerns voiced by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Rickey’s farm system not only withstood the challenges of The Great Depression but also served as a lifeline for minor league baseball, preserving its relevance in the face of shifting tides.

The parting of ways between Branch Rickey and the St. Louis Cardinals was a culmination of various factors, intertwined with both professional dynamics and personal ambitions. Rickey’s insatiable appetite for innovation often clashed with the traditionalist ethos that pervaded the organization.

As Rickey sought to expand his influence and assert greater control over player development and personnel decisions, he encountered resistance from within the organization. Inevitably, divergent priorities sowed the seeds of discord leading to Rickey’s departure from the franchise he had helped elevate to greatness.

The parting of ways between Rickey and the Cardinals was not merely a matter of contractual dynamics but rather a complex interplay of vision, ambition, and the ever-evolving landscape of professional sports. In bidding farewell to the Cardinals in 1942, Rickey and the club won their final World Series together. He would embark on a new chapter with the Brooklyn Dodgers and just five years later…