Cardinals Hall of Famer John Tudor staked his claim as one of the greatest pitchers in the Major Leagues during the era known as ‘Whitey Ball’

To say that John Tudor had an amazing and improbable run as a starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals would be an understatement. The smooth-tossing lefthander came to the Gateway City after spending the early stages of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox. And while he had always been a capable pitcher, it was his time with the Redbirds that truly defined his career.

Tudor was acquired as part of a trade that sent outfielder George Hendrick to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Up to that point, he had been a serviceable but not sensational southpaw starter. And in 1985 – his first season with the Redbirds – things didn’t exactly get off to a smooth start. Through his first eight decisions, his record stood at 1-7. While the Cards continued to win and lead their division, Tudor’s starts seemed like a black hole.

Something was missing. That’s when the phone rang.

It was a call from Tudor’s former high school catcher, who pointed out to the veteran pitcher that he noticed a bit of a hitch in his windup. After making the adequate adjustments, Tudor went 20-1 the rest of the way, eventually challenging for the National League Cy Young Award (the Mets’ Dwight Gooden would take that honor).

Meanwhile, the Cards lefty finished the ’85 season with a 21-8 record, an ERA of 1.93, and 10 shutouts. St. Louis advanced to the World Series, losing to the Kansas City Royals in seven games. Tudor posted a 2-1 record in the tilt, but he lost the decisive game seven. He would play in another Series in 1987, where the Redbirds lost to the Minnesota Twins in seven games.

John Tudor would finally get his first World Series ring in 1988, after being traded to the Dodgers. A couple of years later, he returned to St. Louis in 1990 and wrapped up his career in the place where he had his greatest success. He retired as a Cardinal with a 117-72 lifetime record, along with a 3.12 ERA and 988 strikeouts.

Tudor was elected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2020. And while he will never be remembered as the greatest Redbird hurler of all time, the laid-back lefty was the perfect pitcher at the perfect time for the team.

The 1985 season was John Tudor’s statement that he was an elite pitcher in Major League Baseball. And his short (but magical) run while wearing the Birds on the Bat will be remembered forever by Cardinal Nation.

Ryan K Boman is a sportswriter whose previous work has appeared at The Miami Herald, SB Nation, Fansided, and Yardbarker, as well as several other print & digital media outlets. Follow him on FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM