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William Florine Sarni
St. Louis Cardinals
Catcher
Born: September 19, 1927, Los Angeles, CA
Acquired: Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Shreveport Sports (Texas League) in the 1949 minor league draft, December 5, 1949
Major League Teams: St. Louis Cardinals 1951-1952, 1954-1956; New York Giants 1956
Died: April 15, 1983, Creve Coeur, MO (age 55)
As a teenager, catcher Bill Sarni played in parts of four seasons in the Cubs organization, and he was playing with the unaffiliated Shreveport Sports when the Cardinals selected him in the 1949 minor league draft. Sarni would spend the 1950 season back in the minors before making his big league debut on May 9, 1951. After appearing in 36 games with St. Louis in 1951, he'd see just three big league games in 1952, and spend all of 1953 back in the minors. In 1954, he assumed regular catching duties for the Cardinals when Del Rice was injured in early June. Sarni would enjoy his best season, batting .300 in 123 games with nine home runs and 70 RBIs. He led all National League catchers with a .996 fielding percentage and with 12 double plays turned. Sarni would again serve as the most used catcher by the Cardinals in 1955, and was dealt to the Giants as part of a big 10-player trade in June 1956. Sarni would appear in 78 games for the Giants to finish out the season, his last action in the majors.
Building the Set
Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #30
This was one of the Original 44, and I re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Walt Dropo (#238) post, back in February. Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and this Sarni card is the twelvth of 16 from series three.
This was one of the Original 44, and I re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Walt Dropo (#238) post, back in February. Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and this Sarni card is the twelvth of 16 from series three.
The Card / Cardinals Team Set
A quick search of Getty Images led me to the original photograph used for the action shot here. That's the Dodgers' Jim Gilliam (#280) being tagged out by Sarni in a play at the plate on May 5, 1955. In the bottom of the fifth, with the game tied at 3-3, Gilliam doubled to lead off the inning, went to third when Pee Wee Reese (#260) grounded to second, and attempted to score on a Duke Snider (#150) grounder to second. Cardinals' second baseman Red Schoendienst (#165) threw home to catch Gilliam, but the Dodgers would ultimately win, 4-3. That's home plate umpire Frank Dascoli about to call Gilliam out.
The back of the card highlights Sarni beginning his professional baseball career at the age of 15. In 1943, he appeared in 33 games for the Double-A Los Angeles Angels in the Pacific Coast League.
1956 Season
Sarni was the opening day catcher for the Cardinals, and in 43 games with the club he batted .291 with five home runs and 22 RBIs. On June 14th, Sarni, Jackie Brandt, Dick Littlefield, Schoedienst and two players to be named later were traded to the Giants for Al Dark (#148), Ray Katt, Don Liddle (#325), Whitey Lockman (#205) and cash. Hal Smith (#283) and Katt would become the primary catchers for the Cardinals, with Sarni serving as the primary catcher for the Giants for the rest of the season. In 78 games for the Giants, he batted .231 with five home runs and 23 RBIs, and his last game as a major leaguer would unexpectedly come that September 18th.
1956 Season
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First Mainstream Card: 1954 Topps #194
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3): 1954, 1956-1957
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #194
11 - Sarni non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/22/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
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Order Collected: #238 Walt Dropo - Chicago White Sox / #250 Larry Doby - Chicago White Sox
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