1963: Cards sweep Cubs

8/1/63 - Sportsman's Park
GAME 1 - Cards 7, Cubs 6 (15 inn)
Larry Jackson vs Bob Gibson
Gibson fanned 10 in 7 innings of work but was showered and shaved long before the contest was finally decided in the 15th inning.  Both starters (Jackson/Gibson) were victimized by poor fielding, so neither had a hand in the decision.  After 5 scoreless extra frames the game took a wild and wacky turn in the top of the 15th.  Bobby Shantz would take the mound for the Cards and give up a 1 out double to Ron Santo.  After getting Ellis Burton to fly out to his counterpart Curt Flood in center, Shantz made a colossal mistake grooving an 0-2 fastball to Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks who deposited into the left field pavilion to but Chicago up by 2.  The well traveled Lindy McDaniel had already pitched 3 scoreless innings in relief before taking the mound in the bottom of the 15th needing just 3 more outs to protect a 2 run lead.  Ken Boyer greeted McDaniel with a double down the left field line, but the aging future HOF'er Stan Musial...in his final year...struck out looking at a nasty slider.  George Altman would pick up Stash with a single to put runners on the corners.  Rookie Tim McCarver would pull his team to within 1 run with an RBI single to right to score Boyer.  Youngster Julian Javier would also single and George Altman would come home with the tying run thanks to Billy Williams booting the ball in left.  Williams error r would allow McCarver to move up to third where he would score on a McDaniel wild pitch that is still rolling around the gateway city.
Cardinals lead series 1-0

8/2/63 - GAME 2 - Cards 2, Cubs 1
Dick Ellsworth vs Ernie Broglio
Great pitchers duel between two future teammates.  Ellsworth gave up 2 quickies in the first, which would haunt him for the rest of the day.  A two out double by Ken Boyer would score Dick Groat and clutch RBI single by Charlie James would plate Boyer for what would turn out to be the game winning run.  Ernie Broglio was tough on Cub hitters all day and would allow only one run in the 6th courtesy of Ron Santo singling home the enigmatic Louis Brock.  Broglio would go 8, fan 6 and give up that lone solo run in the 6th.  Ron Taylor would pitch a scoreless 9th to post the save.
Cardinals lead series 2-0

8/4/63 - Wrigley Field
GAME 3 - Cards 7, Cubs 4
Curt Simmons vs Bob Buhl
Returning home to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field did not help the Cubbies stave off elimination.  Chicago jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on Billy Williams' RBI triple and Santo's RBI ground out.  Five runs in the third and a solo run in the 4th by the Redbirds chased Buhl as well as Chicago's chances of staying alive in the series.  Bill White's 2 runs shot capped off a big inning where 8 men came to the plate.  Simmons would go the distance and not crack under the pressure down the stretch even though Dick Groat's throwing error in the 8th accounting for 2 more Cub runs, which at the time made it 6-4.  Tim McCarver would knock in White with an RBI single in the top of the 9th to give Simmons a bit more cushion.
Cardinals win series 3-0