The Cardinals lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1930, but the teams met again the following year, the Cardinals this time led by the fleet John Leonard Roosevelt "Pepper" Martin. This series would mark the last appearance for the A's in the Series for forty years.

The aging Redbirds pitcher, Burleigh Grimes, won two games, which included 7 no-hit innings in Game 3. Burleigh's career preceded the rule outlawing the spitball in 1920. A grandfather clause allowed Grimes to continue "wetting his pill" for the rest of his career.

Pepper Martin was an Oklahoma boy, known among sportswriters of the day as "the wild horse of the Osage". He led the league in stolen bases, and had 5 in the Series. When someone asked him what made him so fast, he said that where he had grown up in Oklahoma, "once you start runnin', ain't nothin' to stop you." Pepper also was a clutch hitter, batting 500 in the 1931 World Series.
Later in his career, he tried his hand at managing, once receiving a fine and suspension for choking an umpire.

That shadow behind the Third Base Coach? That'd be old Pepper Martin, urging the Cardinals runners to take just one more base.