The new year brings a sobering but important task to remember those members of the St. Louis Cardinals community who passed away during the prior 12 months.
After just two Cardinals depths from January through June 2022, it was shaping up to be a much better year than most, including 2021, when 15 former Cardinals passed. However, the second half of this year was very rough, with 13 more deaths, running the total to again 15 over the full year.
Among the Cardinals to leave us during 2022 is Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter and former executive Lee Thomas.
Those still with us include 1954 pitcher Bill Greason, the oldest living former Cardinals player. The right-hander celebrated his 98th birthday on September 3rd.
A short remembrance of each of the 15 follows. We conclude with a brief look at the St. Louis Browns, as is our annual custom.
2022 Cardinals deaths
January 29, David Green, age 61
The outfielder and native of Nicaragua came to St. Louis as a top prospect in the December 1980 mega-trade with the Milwaukee Brewers that included Rollie Fingers and Ted Simmons going the other way. Green played with the Cardinals from 1981 to 1984 and again in 1987, including with the 1982 World Champions. He passed away in his adopted hometown of Atlanta.
April 5, John Cumberland, age 74
After pitching parts of five prior seasons in the majors, Cumberland joined the Cardinals in June 1972 from the Giants. He appeared in 14 games that season for St. Louis, logging a 6.65 ERA.
That winter, Cumberland was dealt to the Twins and returned to the majors only briefly in 1974 with the Angels. He became a long-time pitching coach in the majors before retiring in 2004. Cumberland passed away in Florida due to cancer.
July 7, Ed Bouta, age 87
The native of Cuba joined St. Louis along with Julian Javier from the Pirates in 1960. Later that season, Bauta broke into the majors at the age of 25. The right-handed pitcher appeared in 80 games in relief over four seasons for the Cardinals, logging a 4.13 ERA until he was dealt to the Mets in August 1963.
July 11, Dick Schofield, age 87
“Ducky” spent 19 seasons in the majors from 1953-1971 and won the 1960 World Series with Pittsburgh. The Springfield, Illinois native had three stints with the Cardinals and played for them in the 1968 World Series.
Schofield, an infielder, first signed with the Cardinals in 1953, but while still a minor leaguer, was dealt to the Bucs in 1958. After playing with the Yankees, Giants and Dodgers, he returned to St. Louis as a free agent for the 1968 season. That winter, he was sent to Boston in trade only to be dealt back two years later. During the 1971 season, Schofield was traded again, this time to the Brewers.
His son and grandson also played in the majors.
August 14, George Kernek, age 82
Kernek’s entire MLB career consisted of 81 at bats over 30 games with the 1965 and 1966 Cardinals. The first baseman from Oklahoma logged an OPS of .664. Kernek played in Triple-A through 1970 for the Cards, White Sox and Reds before retiring.
August 18, Milt Ramirez, age 72
The native of Puerto Rico was a Rule 5 selection from the Reds in 1969 and debuted with St. Louis the next season. The infielder appeared in 66 MLB games with a .524 OPS in 1970 and 1971 before being dealt to Houston in 1972. Ramirez remained in baseball through 1980, mostly in the minors.
August 31, Lee Thomas, age 86
A St. Louis resident, Thomas was a Cardinals coach and front office executive during his 18 seasons with the organization, from 1971-1988.
Thomas was St. Louis’ bullpen coach after an eight-year MLB career and then served as a minor league manager and traveling secretary. In 1981, he was promoted by Whitey Herzog into the director of player development and served during the club’s three World Series appearances that decade.
Later, Thomas was the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies for a decade, from 1988-1997. He spent the next 20 years as a scout and front office exec.
September 5, Mark Littell, age 69
Cape Girardeau native Mark “Country” Littell debuted with the 1973 Royals at the age of 20 and became the club’s ninth-inning man in 1976 under manager Whitey Herzog. Following the 1977 season, the Royals and Cards swapped closers, with Littell and catcher Buck Martinez going to St. Louis for Al Hrabosky. After five years as a Cardinal and bothered by elbow issues, Littell was released in 1982 prior to the Cardinals’ World Championship run.
Littell was an author, coach and inventor in his post-playing days. The Missouri Sports Hall of Famer passed away from complications following heart surgery.
September 14, Cal Browning, age 84
On June 12, 1960, the then-22-year-old was clobbered for three runs in 2/3 of an inning in his debut with the Cardinals. It was the lefty from Oklahoma’s only MLB appearance. Browning pitched in Triple-A through 1965, then retired.
September 28, Tom Urbani, age 54
Urbani was a swingman for the Cardinals from 1993 until June 1996, when he was traded to Detroit. In 236 2/3 innings with St. Louis, the lefty had a 4.84 ERA. Urbani returned to the Cardinals in 1998 but was unable to get back to St. Louis before retiring.
October 13, Bruce Sutter, age 69
The celebrated closer of the 1982 World Champion Cardinals team spent four seasons in St. Louis, from 1981 through 1984. “Engine No. 42” was acquired in December 1980 from the Cubs for Leon Durham, Ken Reitz and a player to be named later.
In his final season with St. Louis, Sutter tied the then MLB record for saves in a single season with 45. He led the NL in saves for four consecutive years, two with the Cubs and two with the Cardinals. Sutter’s claim to fame was the split-fingered fastball.
Sutter won the NL Cy Young Award in 1979 and was a six-time All Star, twice as a Cardinal. In 2006 in his 13th year of eligibility, he was the first relief pitcher to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. As such, Sutter was also part of the 2014 inaugural class of the Cardinals Hall of Fame.
Sutter, whose number 42 has been retired by the Cardinals, died while in hospice care for cancer.
October 14, Ed Oliveras, age 85
The third baseman-outfielder’s MLB career consisted of 35 at-bats over 24 games in 1960 and 1961. His OPS was just .282, but his impact was longer lasting as he fathered a future Cardinal, starting pitcher Omar Oliveras.
November 12, Chuck Carr, age 55
Carr spent just one of his eight partial MLB seasons with St. Louis, in 1982. The outfielder was acquired from the Mets following the 1981 season and was lost to the Marlins in the expansion draft the next off-season. In 22 games with St. Louis, Carr’s OPS was just .581, but he went on to lead the NL in steals in 1983, his first season in Florida.
December 8, Tom Flanigan, age 88
Flanigan appeared in just three MLB games, with his final outing on the 1958 Cardinals. It consisted of a single inning during which he gave up a home run. The left-hander’s brief big league debut came four years earlier with the White Sox.
December 13, Curt Simmons, age 93
The three-time All-Star left-handed pitcher helped the Philadelphia Whiz Kids to the NL pennant in 1950 and was a part of the Cardinals’ 1964 World Series-winning squad.
After 13 seasons, the Phillies released Simmons in May 1960 and the Cardinals signed him a few days later. He remained with St. Louis until June 1966, whcn his contract was sold to the Cubs.
Simmons also pitched for the Angels on his way to a career record of 193-183. He retired in 1967.
Remembering the Browns
The living former St. Louis Browns dropped by 25% in 2022, with the passing of George Elder, who was 101 years of age when he died on July 7.
The count of Browns still with us as 2023 opens is just three – of the 764 men who once played for the team. Former players still alive are Frank Saucier (age 96), Ed Mickelson (age 96) and Billy Hunter (age 94).
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
Not yet a member?
If you enjoyed this article, please consider joining The Cardinal Nation to receive the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.
© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.