David Freese and Venice Beach

First off, congratulations to David Freese, Max Lanier and Jose Oquendo for being elected to the Cardinals Hall of Fame. My David Freese story is more about how he played a major role in one of the most magical experiences I have ever had as a lifelong Cardinals fan than anything else.

The Blues schedule had a hole in it late in October of 2011 that allowed time for Barb and I to travel to southern California to visit our son Stewart who lived there then. A bit of SoCal enjoyment and family time was the focus of the trip. It just so happened to be at the same time as the World Series between the Cardinals and Texas Rangers. Normally, my priority would be to be around St. Louis for a Cards series. But the trip was planned well in advance. 

On the Thursday of game 6 of the series, Barb and Stew planned a visit to Venice Beach and the boutiques and beachfront stores near the ocean for a day of shopping, sight-seeing and food. I tagged along. As the day wore on, I knew that the crucial game 6 (with the Cards down 3 games to 2) was going to start late afternoon Pacific Time (7 Central). So, having had enough of the tourist activity, and wanting to watch the game somehow, I broke off from the group and walked into what looked like an inviting sports bar along Pacific Avenue, a block or so from the beach boardwalk. 

The establishment (can't recall the name) was a combination sports bar and upscale restaurant. It featured a long bar with several good- size (remember this is 2011) television screens high on the wall behind the bar. A dining area with some 40 tables sat back away from the bar. I took a seat at the bar and ordered a beverage in anticipation of the start of the game. Not long after, a younger gentleman sat down at the seat next to me. We struck up a conversation as it appeared he was there for the same purpose. Turns out he was in SoCal on business, lived in Dallas, and stopped in to watch his Rangers win the series. (Or so he thought). 

It was late on a Thursday afternoon in the LA-area and there were just a few patrons in the bar as game six got underway at 7:06 St. Louis-time. As you may recall, the game was a back and forth affair with each team scoring a run here, two there, and as the game went on my new Rangers-fan buddy grew more and more confident and asked if I wanted to bet on the outcome. I'm not a betting guy, but I said I'd buy him a drink if the Rangers won, and he would do the same for me if the Redbirds won it. Deal. 

Of course, there was a lot of trash-talking as the game swung back and forth. But when the Rangers plated 3 runs in the 7th inning to take a 7-4 lead my friend started his celebration and asked if I wanted to buy him that drink. I was not ready to concede. As the game went on, the place filled up with the after-work crowd and those who made dinner reservations. By the 7th inning, the place was almost packed and even the normally blase' California sports fans could see that a classic baseball game was happening..and everyone was into it. 

With Texas up 7-5 going into the bottom of the 9th my bet was looking pretty sad. But, as you know if you're a Cardinals fan, the magic was about to hapopen. With 2 on and 2 out, and the Rangers one out away from their first World Series title, the bar was like a California earthquake when Freese strokes the triple to right field to tie it at 7. But then Texas plates 2 in the top of the 10th and my friend starts celebrating again. What an unbelievable game this is! Down to their last out again, Lance Berkman comes up to knock in 2 in the bottom of 10 to knot it up at 9. Amazing...I thought I must be dreaming!  

By this time everybody in the place was glued to what some have called the greatest World Series game of all time. Cards veteran pitcher Jake Westbook holds the Rangers scoreless in the top of the 11th to set up David's heroic and unforgettable night. Freese blasts the first pitch of the home team's half of the inning to center-field as Joe Buck...ready with a tribute to Jack..announces "We will see you tomorrow night!" just as the ball hits the terrace beyond the fence. 

I jumped around like a little kid. My new friend did not...face in his hands. Barb and Stewart had re-joined me after their shopping excursion for dinner and we all celebrated together. The four-hour-and-thirty-three minute baseball game for the ages had set the Venice Beach bar into a frenzy. And that drink the Rangers fan bought me tasted so very special. He had to admit it was a pretty awesome game..aside from a terrible heartbreak.   

Even though I couldn't have been much farther from the action...some 2,000 miles away...I enjoyed this baseball game, and the way the usually disinterested SoCal sports fans enjoyed it too, about as much as any game I have ever watched on television. Of course, the Cardinals clinched their 11th world championship the next night in game seven. 

It was an unforgettable, totally amazing, and almost surreal experience for this Cardinals fan. That magical night alone, in my humble opinion, qualified David Freese for the Cardinals Hall of Fame.