Sweetness

Tonight, the St. Louis Cardinals are World Champions of 2011. How does that sound Cardinal Nation? Improbable? Yes. Now who would have "thunk" that 2 months ago. I'm sure "Don" Tony La Russa, the madhatter manager of the Cardinals, had serious doubts about this team in late August. The fans and the media sure did.

The baseball Cardinals had a widely perceived "no chance" in late August of getting into the post season. Their play was sloppy, uninspired and inconsistent. The Cards were 10.5 games out of the wild card race. A few trades later, winning baseball and losing baseball by others in the last six weeks of the season redeemed them. By late October, they were crowned champions after beating the three best teams in baseball in the playoffs. As Tim McCarver asked rhetorically after Game 6 of the World Series, "How did this happen?" Call it a mixture of destiny, talent and a gritty will to never give up amidst it all.

Above are seven endearing and iconic images of the just concluded World Series. Starting at the top from Game 1 to Game 7 are moments in each game which defined that particular game. Each game had high drama of excellence and stupidity. Baseball always reveals both over nine innings in front of the world.

As a fan, I'm glad it's over. It's tough being a fan in baseball because it's so unpredictable, gut-wrenching and such an interminably long season. I'm happy for the Cardinals. I'm sad for the Rangers. Manager Ron Washington and his team are first class. The Cardinals and the Rangers showed the world, and the other teams in the playoffs, how baseball should be played at the highest level, with respect for the game, their teammates and for the other team. But only one team could win and that is the screaming agony of sports.

So, as the curtain drops on another Fall Classic and winter arrives, it will give us baseball fans a few months to repair from the past season and prepare for Spring Training in February. Only 106 days until Pitchers and Catchers arrive in Jupiter, Florida. See you there with or without Albert.

#11 in 2011. UNBELIEVABLE. AMAZING. INCREDIBLE. This one was for Tony.

Congratulations to the best organization in professional baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals and to the best baseball city in America, St. Louis, Missouri. You have made us all proud.

Go Cards in 2012.