Dream Big

Every baseball-loving youngster born in St. Louis wanted to play for their beloved hometown St. Louis Cardinals, particularly in the World Series. I wanted to. My brothers wanted to. My cousins wanted to. My friends wanted to. Being born in St. Louis, it's in our DNA. We had no choice but to dream of playing for the Cardinals. It was our birthright dream. But to be the home town hero in a World Series game transcended even our wildest dreams. What happened in St. Louis tonight was pure Hollywood. Dreamlike but very real. So move over The Natural and screenwriters get ready to crank out the redemption story of David Freese and of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.

St. Louis Cardinal and forever hometown hero, David Freese, 28, is exceeding in living the dream all of us had as kids. That is he in the above picture being mobbed by his riotous teammates after hitting the walk-off home run in the 11th inning against the Texas Rangers tonight. It is only the fifth walk-off home run in Games 6 or 7 in World Series history. He hit a 3-2 91mph change up at the knees over the center field wall with a swing as smooth as a cold Bud and as powerful as a double-single malt shot.

Freese, from Lafayette High School in St. Louis, gave up the sport in college. Too much failure. Became bored by it all. Partied at Mizzou and drifted away into a collegiate stupor. By God's divine guiding hand, he eventually returned to the sport he once loved. Spent years in the minors regaining his swing and confidence. Traded to the home town Cardinals. Had his demons with alcohol. Freakish crippling injuries stalled his progress. Prolonged batting slumps. Feeble fielding slumps. Team stood by him. Then, when it mattered most, he found his game.

With one more game left in this magical dreamlike season, stands one man above the rest, David Freese, a St. Louisan, who is living the dream that we, his kindred souls, wanted so much for ourselves.

I can assure you every baseball-loving kid or old man in St. Louis connects with Freese. Vicariously, he represents all of us wannabes. He has provided us baseball thrills for a lifetime in this post season. Thank you, David. Now go out there tomorrow and give us #11 in 2011.

Go Cards in Game 7.

Postscript: Was that the greatest Cardinal baseball game ever played? Maybe. It can only to be trumped by what happens tonight. But in the meantime, stay delirious Cardinal Nation!!!!