On Jan. 5, 1946, the Cardinals sold catcher Walker Cooper to the New York Giants for $175,000 - at that time the largest amount ever paid for a single player. Here is how the Post-Dispatch reported the news.
Walker Cooper, the Cardinals' star catcher now in the Navy, has been told to the New York Giants, and Jimmy Brown, regular second baseman of the 1942 world championship Redbird team, has been sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates, President Sam Breadon of the St. Louis National League club announced.
They weren't fooling when they wished Breadon a Happy New Year.