Bernie: Tough call on 'Franchise Four' - STLtoday.com
Before Tuesday's All-Star Game, Major League Baseball revealed the "Franchise Four" selections for each franchise. According to MLB, more than 25 million votes came in. . The St. Louis Cardinals have a very tough precinct, and it's difficult to pick only four individuals from an extensive list of great players. A case could be made for six Cardinals, which we'll list in alphabetical order:. And some Cardinals historians-fans would place a seventh name, Red Schoendienst , into nomination. Red was on the list of eight candidates screened in advance by an MLB-appointed committee. Pitcher Dizzy Dean was the eighth player listed on the St. Louis ballot. When the Cardinals Mt. Rushmore was unveiled the winners were Brock, Gibson, Hornsby and Musial. Seven of the eight Cardinals are enshrined in the national Baseball Hall of Fame, and the only active player, Pujols, is bound for Cooperstown. No matter how anyone voted, the four-player limit would invariably result in the exclusion of worthy candidates. No one had to pass a Cardinals history test to qualify for ballot privileges. It was a subjective exercise that very much came down to personal preference. But my selection had nothing to do with Pujols'. Source: www.stltoday.com
