THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED BASEBALL CO-SIGNED BY: DENNIS "THE ECK" ECKERSLEY, RICK HONEYCUTT, TONY LARUSSA, CARNEY R. LANSFORD, MARK McGWIRE, WILLIE MCGEE, ROYCE CLAYTON, TOM PAGNOZZI, GARY GAETTI, TONY FOSSAS, DAVID BELL, CURTIS KING, JOHN FRASCATORE, MARK PETKOVSEK, RIGO BELTRAN, DELINO DESHIELDS, JOHN MABRY - HFSID 292740

1997 ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Baseball signed by legendary manager Tony LaRussa and 23 members of the team including Mark McGwire and Dennis Eckersley
Baseball Signed: "Tony LaRussa" (sweet spot), "Royce Clayton", "Mark Petkovsek", "David Bell", "Curtis King", "John Frascatore", "Mark McGwire", "Willie McGee", "Rick Honeycutt", "Carney Lansford", "Gary Gaetti", "Delino DeShields", "Rigo Beltran", "John Mabry", "Dennis Eckersley", "Tom Pagnozzi", "Tony Fossas" and 7 others. Rawlings Official National League baseball, Leonard S. Coleman Jr., President, signed in blue ink. The 1997 St Louis Cardinals finished fourth in the National League Central Division, with a record of 73-89. But this team with almost the same roster would turn in a winning season in 1998, and begin an ascent under manager Tony LaRussa to six playoff appearances in 7 years, an NL pennant in 2004, and a World Championship in 2006. These names will be familiar to Cardinal fans, and also to Oakland A's fans, since manager Tony LaRussa brought several of the key players from his winning Oakland teams (including McGwire, Eckersley and hitting coach Carney Lansford) to St Louis. Twelve-time All-Star MARK McGWIRE (b. 1963), who began his career with the Oakland Athletics (1986-1997), played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1997-2001. In 1998, McGwire broke Roger Maris' single season record of 61 home runs by hitting 70. (That peak was surpassed when Barry Bonds hit 73 homers in 2001.) "Big Mac" had hit 58 home runs in 1997 and 52 in 1996 becoming the only player in history to top 50 home runs three consecutive years. He added a fourth year when he topped 50 in 1999, the year he became the 16th player to hit at least 500 career home runs. A talented starting pitcher with the Indians, Red Sox, and Cubs, including a 20-8 record with Boston in 1978, DENNIS ECKERSLEY (b. 1954), achieved his greatest fame as a dominating closer after joining the Oakland A's in 1987. A six-time All-Star, Eckersley won both the American League Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards in 1992. He appeared in 11 postseason series, including World Series with the A's and St. Louis Cardinals. When he retired after the 1998 season, his 390 saves were the second highest career total in history. Eckersley was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 2004. Like many of the greatest managers, TONY LaRUSSA (b. 1944) had an unimpressive career warming Major League benches in the 1960s. He went on to become one of the best manager in baseball history. At the helm of the Chicago White Sox (1979-1986), Oakland A's (1986-1995) and St. Louis Cardinals (1996-2011). LaRussa, who holds a law degree, won 3 pennants and 1 World Championship with the A's, three pennants and 2 world championships with the Cardinals, and was named manager of the year four times. Fine condition.