On October 10, 1926, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Yankees, 3–2, in Game 7 at Yankee Stadium to win the franchise’s first World Series championship. The decisive game reached its climax in the bottom of the ninth, with St. Louis protecting a one-run lead behind Grover Cleveland Alexander. The veteran right-hander had entered in relief during a seventh-inning, bases-loaded crisis and preserved the Cardinals’ advantage by striking out Tony Lazzeri.
With two outs in the ninth, Babe Ruth worked a walk, becoming the potential tying run at first base. Bob Meusel came to the plate, with Lou Gehrig waiting on deck. On the first pitch to Meusel, Ruth broke for second. Cardinals catcher Bob O’Farrell threw to second baseman and player-manager Rogers Hornsby, who tagged Ruth out to end both the game and the Series.
The play remains one of baseball’s most famous endings—and, to date, the only World Series finale decided by a runner being caught stealing. The circumstances of Ruth’s dash have long invited interpretation: while it is commonly described as an attempted steal, some contemporary reporting and later research suggest the Yankees may have had a hit-and-run on, leaving Ruth exposed when Meusel did not put the ball in play. Whatever the call, Hornsby’s tag delivered the Cardinals’ first championship in an instant.
