» November 25, 1947: Sam Breadon sells the Cardinal empire to Postmaster
General Robert Hannegan and Fred Saigh. The price
is in excess of $4 million with the new owners getting
the Cardinal players, physical assets, 16 minor league
franchises, $2.1 million in reserve funds and payment
on a new ballpark site, 4 minor league parks, and
the lease on Sportsman's Park. Breadon had first
acquired an interest in the Cardinals in 1917 and
bought control in 1920 for an investment of $350,000.
» January 27, 1949: Fred Saigh buys out the interest of Robert Hannegan and now controls 90 percent of the Cardinals' stock. Saigh and Hannegan had swung the deal in 1947 with only $60,300 in cash in a $4 million deal. Hannegan came out with $866,000 profit in two years.
» December 11, 1950: At the winter meeting, held in St. Petersburg, FL, ML owners vote 9-7 against renewing Commissioner Happy Chandler's contract for a new term, starting in 1951. The Cardinals' Fred Saigh led the opposition to Chandler, who had jeopardized the reserve clause and ordered investigations of the alleged gambling activities of several owners.
» January 28, 1953: Owner Fred Saigh of the Cardinals is found guilty of income tax evasion and is sentenced to a 15-month jail term. He plans to sell the club. Cardinal Vice President W. Walsingham, Jr., is the acting president until Saigh can divest himself of his stock.
» February 20, 1953: August A. Busch buys the Cardinals from Fred Saigh for $3.75 million and pledges not to move the team from St. Louis.
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