We have a photograph, likely from February of 1953, of August Busch. We are fairly certain this shortly after Busch bought the Cardinals based on the newspapers seen on the table and the wall. Gussie is holding a pennant with a single Bird on Bat and the word Cardinals. Curiously, the border of the pennant has a hand written label that says “GUS. A. WEIS FROM MAYOR HY. W. KIEL 1920”
Henry Kiel was the mayor of St. Louis from 1913 to 1925, and died in 1942.
We do not know who Gus. A. Weis was.
This is incredibly confusing, as we know the Cardinals identity did not involve birds until 1922. We do not know the reason that this bird would have anything pre-1922 associated with it. We think this seems more like a pennant from the 1930s.
History Mysteries
Why is the pennant labeled 1920?
Is there a possibility a bird on a bat predated 1922?
Who is Gus A Weis?
Who are the other men in the photograph?
Cardinals Uniforms & Logos 