Eau Claire Cardinals

• Location: Eau Claire, WI
• League: Northern League 1933
• Affiliation: None
• Ballpark: Chappell Field

The Eau Claire Cardinals brought professional baseball to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for the first time in 23 years and marked a run of 30 years from that point through 1962, except for a break during World War II. Player-manager Johnny Mostil (.367, .580 SLG) guided the team to a 52-45 record, finishing fourth in the first half and third in the second half. In a "consensus" All-Star team proposed by the Spalding Guide, Eau Claire had two Northern League All-Stars, 2B Stan Sperry (.318, 21 SB) and LF Frank Rendler (.310, .498 SLG).

Stable ownership was not a feature of this team. The original owner, David Quinn, was dissatisfied with attendance, and expressed interest in moving the team to Regina, Saskatchewan. This was opposed by league president and East Grand Forks owner R. L. Voelz, who, with the backing of a group of Eau Claire businessmen, assumed operation on June 26.

In July, a group headed by Herman White formed Eau Claire Baseball Club, Inc., and, on July 28, took over management of the club (which had adopted the Eau Claire Bears moniker in mid-July.) White assumed the presidency of the Northern League in 1935; he would prove to be a major player for decades. [1]

In the depths of the Great Depression, players who didn't live in the area generally stayed with fans for the summer, and frequently were paid little or nothing during the season. At the end of the season, most players reported receiving no more than $.50 for the year; [2] the club managed to catch up in time to avoid revocation of the franchise, the fate that befell Fargo-Moorhead.

1 1933 Northern League Notes

2 An Informal History of THE NORTHERN BASEBALL LEAGUE by HERMAN D. WHITE

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1933	52-45	4th	Johnny Mostil