By now, the St. Louis Cardinals have completed the most thrilling late season and post-season run in recent memory. Game 6 of the World Series … I told Laura that I wanted to turn it off in the seventh inning. Fortunately, we did not and were treated to one of the more heart stopping, emotionally-charged 45 minutes of competitive drama that ended with the Cardinals on top 10-9.
Twenty-three hour later they were World Series champs for the eleventh time.
Attending Game 2
On the afternoon of game 2, my brother John rolled in from Kansas City with two Cardinals jerseys - Bob Gibson for him and Albert Pujols for me - and a load of enthusiasm. We got to downtown St. Louis two-plus hours before game time. After stopping at Hardees for a pre-game meal, we headed toward the stadium.
The downtown area was tricked out for Cardinal fanaticism, from hat and memorabilia vendors on every corner, to lots devoted to game parking for miles around the stadium to the red water springing from the fountain near City Hall.
The line at the left-centerfield gate was close to a hundred feet long, so it took us a bit to get in the park. We entered around 5:45, still an hour and twenty minutes before game time. The Rangers were finishing up batting practice, which we watched, before wandering the stadium a bit in search of an ATM.
Keep in mind that we had standing room only (SRO) tickets.
Our SRO experience
It is took us a bit to find an ATM and once we did we turned our attention to finding a spot to watch the game. At Busch Stadium, SRO sections are delineated with a yellow line. Find a yellow line, stand behind it and you are good to go. Where those sections are, however, is not terribly clear. We were surprised to discover that there are 60-70 SRO slots on the first level. Of course, wandering these sections an hour before game time was not fruitful, but hey, they do exist.
After our futile first level walk, we headed back toward the large SRO section behind the left field bleachers (what I pictured when I thought of SRO). That section, however, was (1) full and (2) the last row of bleachers is elevated above SRO, making it challenging to watch the game from there.
As we continued to walk the stadium, we discovered that all of the SRO sections were as full as the inns in Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus. Fifteen minutes before game time, we actually chose a spot that was not officially SRO. This spot was located roughly 600 feet from home plate at the very top of the stadium in the left field section. We figured no security personnel would bother us there.
We figured wrong.
At 7:04 p.m., a security guard informed us that we would not be able to watch the game from there. As the game started a minute later we found ourselves searching for a spot where we could see at least most of the field without craning our necks to an unsustainable degree. We took turns having one of us hold a spot while the other looked for a superior one.
John came up with the winning selection in section 337. This was located down the first base line and provided a good view of the entire field.
We actually had a more choice SRO selection than many folks, with a railing providing relief from constant standing. We settled into our permanent location in the third inning with a sigh of relief, a sense of accomplishment and renewed enthusiasm.
The game
Game two proved to be a pitchers’ duel as Jaime Garcia and Colby Lewis shut down their foes with the temperature a crisp 50 degrees and dropping. The Cardinals had taken game one 3-2, fueled by a pinch hit go ahead RBI by Allen Craig off of Rangers bullpen specialist Alexi Ogando.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals put a man in scoring position and Craig and Ogando squared off again. When Craig shot a line drive into right field, a celebratory shout escaped my lips almost involuntarily. The thrill of lightning striking twice and providing the game’s first - potentially game winning - run turned our pensive section into an adrenaline-filled hand-slapping party.
The Cards held the lead into the ninth, setting things up for closer Jason Motte. Ian Kinsler led off with a bloop single to center field. As Elvis Andrus tried to bunt Kinsler over, the Rangers leadoff hitter was able to get enough of a jump to take off for second. We thought Yadier Molina had thrown him out, but Kinsler was called safe. I ran and found a television to catch the reply and discovered that Kinsler had indeed beaten the throw.
Upon my returning to my section, Andrus delivered a key hit to center and advanced to second when the Cardinals muffed the relay/cut-off connection on the throw in. Suddenly, I began to fear we would not only fall into a tie, but lose the lead with only a half inning to play. Two sacrifice flies later that became reality.
The Cards couldn’t do anything in the bottom half of the ninth, leaving the Rangers as game 2 victors by a score of 2-1.
The experience
Despite the interesting SRO experience and the loss, being in Busch Stadium for a World Series game was priceless. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, despite the cold weather. I can only imagine what it was like for game 6, the four hour, twenty minute thriller that left me physically charged up and exhausted … in my living room.
It was great to be at a World Series game with my brother watching our favorite team duke it out. John and I enjoyed ourselves immensely and will log the experience away in our bank of special moments together. That the Cardinals went on to win the Series made it all the more special.
In reflection on the Series, I am reminded of James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Being a part of a team that is together for eight months, facing injuries to key players, crushing losses, crazy losing streaks and other obstacles requires determination. Being able to come out on top in the end, victorious in the biggest game on the biggest stage … I can imagine how sweet and exhilarating that would be, having competed on teams myself. Coming from behind adds an extra thrill and sense of accomplishment!
God designed us to enjoy such experiences as an act of worship to Him, not an ultimate experience in and of themselves. I hope that is what took place and continues to take place for the Cardinals in World Series victory and I am glad that is what took place for me.
I’ll post one more blog on this World Series experience that talks about living a life of worship to God versus the things of this world. God is giver of all good things: may He receive all glory.