Ernie Broglio was on the wrong end of the “most lopsided” trade in major league baseball. That is the end of the story, because in June of 1964, the three for three trade was originally deemed in favor of the Cubs.
Broglio was a fixture in the St. Louis rotation for five plus years, posting 18 victories in 1963 and in 1960 had his career year with a 21-9 record and 2.74 ERA, finishing third in the Cy Young voting. After his slow start in the 1964 campaign, winning only 3 and losing 5 games for the Cardinals, he was traded along with Doug Clemens and Bobby Shantz for Jack Spring, Paul Toth and . . . Lou Brock.
Brock had been a disappointment for the Cubs, the Cubs had lost patience with this speedy outfielder and Broglio was a top-flight pitcher.
In two and half years in Chicago Broglio posted a record of 7 and 19 and Brock went on to bat .348 for the remainder of the 1964 season, help the Cardinals win the World Series that year, “star” in 2 more series’ (67 and 68) and play for 15 more years. Brock set the career mark for stolen bases at 938 (since broken by newly elected HOF Ricky Henderson). Lou Brock was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985 and Broglio stormed out of Wrigley Field in 1966, burned his uniform and never returned to Major League Baseball
I highlight this 1966 Broglio card for a couple of reasons. First and for most he is in a Cubs uniform. Secondly, as is my usual theme for “vintage” cards, the back is more interesting. The top right cartoon indicates Broglio led the league with 21 victories in 1960 (the year of my birth by the way) and describes the June15th 1964 trade in detail.
In my opinion, Ernie Broglio does not deserve the lifetime tagline of “Brock for Broglio – the most lopsided trade in baseball history”, no one’s deserves that.
Three other questionable trades involving the Cubs include:
ReplyDelete*December 11, 1917: The Philadelphia Phillies trade Pete Alexander to the Chicago Cubs for Mike Prendergast, Pickles Dillhoefer, and $55,000
* Phillies trade Ryne Sandberg and Larry Bowa to Cubs for Ivan DeJesus in 1982
* White Sox trade Sammy Sosa to Cubs for George Bell in 1992
While my Redbirds got the better of your Cubs in 1964, the Phillies got the better of the Cardinals in 1972 when we traded Steve Carlton for Rick Wise.
ReplyDeleteThe racial angle of this trade is something that gets wrongfully overlooked. Here's a post I wrote about it if you're interested: http://bluebattinghelmet.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/revisiting-brock-for-broglio/
ReplyDeleteI wish the Cubs had pulled it off in 1969, but this makes me feel like they got what they deserved for making this trade.