Well, that was quick.
I’m back, sort of.
After a long discussion between myself and my editor, Michelle Willard, she convinced me to at least continue my column during the holiday season. Unfortunately, because of my busy schedule, this will be the only weekly contribution to the Post during the next couple of months.
Last week, baseball fans across the world felt every emotion during the end of the legendary 2011 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers.
By now, every fan knows the story about how the Cardinals barely made the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, and used the momentum to win another World Series trophy in a classic seven-game series.
At the same time, this will also be remembered for how the Texas Rangers were one strike away – twice – from ending 50 years of dreadful history.
However, the Cardinals David Freese hit a game-winning, history making solo home run in the bottom of the 11th to force a game seven and ended the Rangers dream of a championship.
Game six of this World Series is comparable to Game six of the 1975 World Series, in which Carlton Fisk ended the game the same way with a home run.
Although I was born six years later, I’ve seen the game on ESPN Classic, and also read an excellent book about that series by Mark Frost.
This was my generation’s Fisk moment, but I wished it did not happen, since I have been a Rangers fan since Nolan Ryan, who is now the current owner of the team, threw gas for them in the 1990s.
After last season’s defeat in the World Series by the Giants, who also ended years and years of frustration.
Coming into this season, I was hoping the Rangers would make it back to the playoffs since Cy Young pitcher Cliff Lee signed a free-agent deal with the Phillies. Stars like Michael Young and Josh Hamilton were back. Also, Texas signed one of the best third baseman in the game, Adrian Beltre.
Of course, the Rangers won the AL West title and beat the Tampa Bay Rays and the Detroit Tigers in the playoffs.
In Game Six of the World Series, I was just about to celebrate the first title by the team that started off in Washington D.C. as the Senators back in 1961.
But Freese hit a two-run triple for the Cardinals in the ninth.
The Rangers had another chance to win it with two strikes and two outs in the 10th, but St. Louis’ Lance Berkman hit a RBI single to again tie the score.
Of course, you know what happen an inning later when the Cardinals put away the game and extended the series with a home run.
The next day, St. Louis won the game seven and its 11th World Series title.
At first, I was bummed after watching the Rangers lose the World Series again for the second consecutive season.
Then again, it’s only a game.
Everybody has bigger issues right now than what happened in a baseball game.
I learned a long time ago not to get too down when a team that you root for loses a game, even if it is for the championship.
Sports is a great escape from everyday life for a few hours, but life will still be waiting for you, when the game is over, regardless of the outcome.
In the meantime, this will be a series baseball fans everywhere will be thinking about for a long time. |
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