[Nick Soulis]

Series #241



1972 St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 75-81
Finish: 4th in NL East
Manager: Red Schoendienst
Ball Park: Busch Stadium
WAR Leader: Bob Gibson (7.8)
Franchise Record: 10-7
1972 Season Record: 1-0
Hall of Famers: (3)
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/1972.shtml

1973 Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 74-88
Finish: 5th in AL East
Manager: Del Crandell
Ball Park: County Stadium
WAR Leader: George Scott (6.7)
Franchise Record: 6-8
1973 Season Record: 2-1
Hall of Famers: (0)
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/1973.shtml
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THE HEAVEN’S DUGOUT SHOW — SERIES #241 PREVIEW


Broadcast from the Field of Dreams press pavilion overlooking the diamond, where the golden light is fading into blue. Theme music swells — strings, then the soft crack of a bat, then applause fading under Bob Costas’ voice.

Segment 1 — “An Era Within an Era”

Costas:
Good evening, everyone, and welcome back to Heaven’s Dugout. We are here for Series Number 241 of the Field of Dreams Tournament, where two clubs from the heart of the 1970s — the ’72 St. Louis Cardinals and the ’73 Milwaukee Brewers — take their place in the cornlight. I’m Bob Costas, joined tonight by three men who’ve lived and breathed the game: Derek Jeter, Mickey Mantle, and Bob Ryan. Gentlemen, we’ve seen powerhouses and dynasties pass through this field. Tonight feels… quieter. Two teams from the middle decade, not dominant, not forgotten — just alive again.

Jeter:
That’s what makes it cool, Bob. The 1970s weren’t all about the Big Red Machine or the Yankees. You had teams like these Cardinals still hanging on to that ’60s precision, and the Brewers just starting to build an identity. They played baseball that was gritty. No flash, just execution.

Mantle:
That’s the kind I like — knock a man down, steal second, knock him in. The Cardinals knew how to do that. They were smart, fast, mean when they needed to be. Gibson on the hill — you didn’t dig in too long.

Ryan:
It’s also the culture, Mick. By the early ’70s, baseball was changing: artificial turf, free agency on the horizon, expansion clubs finding their feet. Milwaukee was reborn after losing the Braves. They had a chip on their shoulder and a city that missed baseball. This matchup is a microcosm of the decade itself — tradition clashing with reinvention.

Segment 2 — “The Shadow of Bob Gibson”

Costas:
You can’t talk about the 1972 Cardinals without mentioning the man on the mound — Bob Gibson. Forty-two complete games in ’68 changed the rulebook itself. By ’72 he wasn’t invincible anymore, but the aura never left.

Jeter:
Yeah, intimidation doesn’t age out. You just see him out there and you feel the game slow down. He competed like it was personal. Guys like that don’t exist anymore.

Mantle (grinning):
They didn’t exist back then either, Derek — except for him. Gibson didn’t pitch; he declared. You dug in and thought, “Lord, don’t let me guess wrong.”

Ryan:
Statistically, his later years don’t shout dominance — ERA closer to 3.00, fewer innings — but the mystique? Still unmatched. Think of Nolan Ryan, Clemens, Verlander. They all owe a little piece of that attitude to Gibson.

Costas:
He’s not just a pitcher; he’s a moral force. On a field like this — where memory itself is the opponent — Gibson’s presence turns the mound into a pulpit.

Segment 3 — “Milwaukee’s Moment”



Costas:
Let’s turn to the other side. The 1973 Brewers — young franchise, middle of the pack in the standings, but filled with character. George Scott, Don Money, Johnny Briggs, Jim Colborn. Bob, how do they fit into this story?

Ryan:
They’re the bridge, Bob. The franchise was still carving its identity — not yet Yount or Molitor, but not expansion filler either. That ’73 team hit .250, played hard, and started showing Milwaukee belonged in the American League. They were craftsmen.

Jeter:
And sometimes, those teams are the most dangerous. No one expects them. You’ve got guys who spent their careers proving they belonged. They’ll fight every at-bat.

Mantle:
Yeah, they’ll scrap. But I’ll tell ya, you can’t win a fight against Bob Gibson just by being scrappy. You need someone who doesn’t blink. Let’s see if the Brewers have one.

Costas:
That’s the question — who blinks first. And in a tournament like this, one blink can end an era.

Segment 4 — “The 1970s Identity”

Costas:
Let’s widen the lens a bit. These are teams from a decade that still divides fans — polyester uniforms, new stadiums, fewer heroes but deeper rosters. What does a matchup like this tell us about baseball’s soul in the ’70s?

Ryan:
It’s the democratic era, Bob. The 1970s proved anyone could win — the A’s, the Pirates, even the ’75 Red Sox coming close. The Cardinals were fading from dynasty, the Brewers rising from expansion. That’s balance.

Jeter:
It’s also when baseball started to feel modern. You had more movement, more analytics coming in quietly. These two teams sit right on that fault line.

Mantle:
To me, it was when the game got faster and tougher. The money changed things later, but in ’72 and ’73 it was still about pride. These clubs played for the name on the front, not the back.

Costas:
And now they meet again, not for pennants or parades — just for survival.

Segment 5 — “Predictions and Legacy”

Costas:
So, final thoughts. What do you expect from Series 241, and what’s the lasting story here?

Jeter:
I think Gibson sets the tone, but the Brewers steal one game late. The question is, can the Cardinals score enough? They’ll need Torre and Simmons to hit.

Mantle:
Cardinals in five. They’ve got the big-game heart. And if Gibson smells blood, it’s over.

Ryan:
I’ll hedge — Brewers surprise people early, but St. Louis steadies the ship. What we’ll remember isn’t the score; it’s seeing a team like Milwaukee get to measure itself against a legend.

Costas (smiling):
Baseball has a long memory and a short attention span. This series will remind us that every decade — even the polyester one — had its giants and dreamers.

He turns toward the camera.

“For Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter, and Bob Ryan, I’m Bob Costas. From the edge of the cornfield and the heart of the game — this is Heaven’s Dugout. May the rhythm of the ’70s swing again.”

Cue theme reprise. The camera pans over the field where both teams are warming up under the lights, Gibson throwing his final warm-up pitch, steam curling from his breath.

The broadcast team for the series is:
Gary Thorne and Steve Stone