The Bizarre season of the 1970 St. Louis Cardinals

Yesterday's Sports

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EPISODE SUMMARY

After winning the NFL Championship in 1947 and compiling a combined 21–5 record in 1947 & 1948, the Chicago Cardinals fell hard, having only two winning seasons in the next eleven seasons.

The team moved to Saint Louis in 1960, giving them new life, as they had five winning seasons and only four losing seasons. In 1964, the Cards finished the season with a 9–3–2 record, but unfortunately, it was only good enough for second place in the Eastern Conference as the Browns finished with a 10–3–1 record and went on to win the NFL Championship.

From 1965 to 1969, the team bounced up and down like a yo-yo, with a bad season in 65, a good season in 66, bad in 67, good in 68, and terrible in 1969, finishing 4–9–1.

Cardinal fans didn't expect to have much to cheer about in 1970, but they were in for a surprise. The season didn't start too well. Receiver John Gilliam and tight end Jackie Smith gained over 100 yards, but the Cards allowed six sacks and turned the ball over four times. The result was a 34–13 loss to the Rams. Dating back to the 1969 season, it was their sixth loss in their last seven games......

You can read the full blog post here.

YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUND

Host Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.

No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited Time

Running Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)