The Cardinals, Babe Ruth & the 1926 World Series
One hundred years ago, a legendary upset of Babe Ruth's Yankees changed a city forever. Former White House reporter and St. Louis native Terry Lemons recovers the forgotten stories that turned St. Louis into a baseball town.
Published by Arcadia Publishing's The History Press · 192 pages
With a legacy of 11 World Series titles, the Cardinals are woven into the culture of the St. Louis region. But the city's baseball obsession traces back 100 years — to 1926 and a stunning World Series upset of Babe Ruth's Yankees. This book takes a fresh look at long-forgotten events that captivated not just hometown fans but much of the country, setting in motion traditions, loyalties, and an energy still felt today.
The Babe, at the height of his fame, charmed rowdy St. Louis fans with a historic three-homer game at Sportsman's Park. But he ends Game 7 with a stunning mistake.
Grover Cleveland Alexander, an aging pitcher released mid-season by the Cubs, emerges as an unlikely Cardinals hero. Later, he's played on film by future President Ronald Reagan.
Some 100,000 fans jammed downtown St. Louis for boisterous celebrations of the Cardinals capturing the National League pennant and their World Series triumph.
Decades before Ozzie Smith, there was Tommy Thevenow. The light-hitting shortstop stuns the Yankees by sparkling with the glove and turning in a surprising performance at the plate.
Two decades before he brings Jackie Robinson to the Major Leagues, Branch Rickey makes history by creating the first minor-league farm system that fuels the Cardinals' success in 1926.
KMOX aired the first Cardinals games in 1926. Stations that banded together to cover the Series became the NBC Radio network just weeks later.
The book reveals new details about pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh's surprising role with the Cardinals and the World Series.
Massive crowds gathered outside newspaper offices in Missouri, Illinois, and more than a dozen states to track the World Series results on giant scoreboards and cheer the Cardinals.
4:00–7:00 p.m.
The Royale Food & Spirits, 3132 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63139
5:00–8:00 p.m.
Clyde's of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001. Reception sponsored by Frost Law. RSVP required by emailing TerryLemonsCreates@gmail.com.
Just in time for Father's Day, the June 9 release from Arcadia Publishing explores the magical year for the Cardinals and uncovers lost stories that created the city's baseball obsession. The after-effects from the 1926 season shaped the culture of St. Louis and Cardinals fans that can still be felt today.
Read the ReleaseI'm not a die-hard baseball fan, which is exactly why this book surprised me. Terry Lemons uses the 1926 World Series as a window into a larger story about St. Louis, technology, culture, and community. The baseball provides the drama, but the real magic is seeing how a championship season reflected the changing world around it. From the rise of radio to the birth of St. Louis' fascination with baseball, the book brings an important moment in American history to life. Even readers who aren't devoted baseball fans will find themselves drawn into this fascinating story.
“A vivid, deeply reported account that finally gives the 1926 season the storytelling it deserves.
“Lemons writes with a reporter's nose for the telling detail. Cardinals fans will not be able to put it down.
“The forgotten story behind a century of St. Louis baseball, brought brilliantly back to life.
Beginning with its June 9 release, the book will be available at retail locations across Missouri, Illinois and other Midwest markets — including bookstores, Target, Walgreens, and other locations where Arcadia Publishing books are carried.
Available in both hardcover and paperback.
Terry Lemons has been a baseball fan for a long time, but not so long that he remembers the 1926 World Series. Lemons grew up in St. Louis and became a newspaper reporter after attending the University of Missouri. He wound up in Little Rock, where he covered Bill Clinton's presidential campaign for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Following the 1992 election, Lemons moved to the nation's capital, where he covered the Clinton White House and Congress for the Arkansas newspaper. He later spent 25 years running national communications for the Internal Revenue Service in Washington.
After his government retirement in 2025, he resumed writing. His articles have appeared in publications including Forbes.com, Washington's The Hill, and Alexandria (VA) Living magazine.
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For interviews, review copies, and event requests, contact Terry Lemons.