Cardinals-Mets

[REDSOX]

Thank you guys for sharing your memories. This is what the game is supposed to do to people and that is why it is the greatest sport. As you can see I am a Red Sox fan. I named my son after Ted Williams. We call him Teddy because when Ted would talk about himself he would refer to himself in third person by calling himself Teddy Ballgame. I am new to this message board but it is a privledge to share and talk with passionate baseball fans. Thank You Now if they just can restore order to the game and get rid of all those who cheat by taking steroids. I for one will never recognize those records that have fallen to those who do not play the game the right way. The game is still great and and needs to kept that way.

[jusdontno]

My first World series was 64. Cards beat Yanks. Gibson gutting it out and going the distance in game 7 on 2 days rest. Ken Boyer's grand slam in game 4 turned series around. Tim McCarver's 3 run homer in game 5. The Mick had some key HR's for Yanks. Cardinals are only team that has played Yankees multiple times in WS and come out ahead. Cards have won 3 out of 5 series against Yankees. After the series Yankees manager Yogi Berra was fired and cardinal manager johnny keanne resigned and replaced Berra as manager of the Yankees the next year. We were out of school for "cotton Picking" (won't even try to explain that one to you) and I snuck off and snuck into someone else's house close to the field where we were picking--no one locked their doors back then--and watched game 7. Seems like only yesterday.

[Solomon]

My first World series was 64. Cards beat Yanks. Gibson gutting it out and going the distance in game 7 on 2 days rest. Ken Boyer's grand slam in game 4 turned series around. Tim McCarver's 3 run homer in game 5. The Mick had some key HR's for Yanks. Cardinals are only team that has played Yankees multiple times in WS and come out ahead. Cards have won 3 out of 5 series against Yankees. After the series Yankees manager Yogi Berra was fired and cardinal manager johnny keanne resigned and replaced Berra as manager of the Yankees the next year. We were out of school for "cotton Picking" (won't even try to explain that one to you) and I snuck off and snuck into someone else's house close to the field where we were picking--no one locked their doors back then--and watched game 7. Seems like only yesterday.

 

Funny, and I understand it. Remember where I am from.

 

My dad, unfortunately, did grow up a Yankees fan. I'm not 100% sure if he ever completely forgave my grandfather for making him pick cotton on that fateful day in 1956 when Larson threw his perfect game and not let him listen to it.

 

I think part of the reason I am enjoying this NLCS so much is because I grew up hating the Pond Scum Mets of the 80s. Brings back memories of loathing Doc Gooden, Strawberry, Howard Johnson, Mookie Wilson, and Keith Hernandez (whose drug problem probably cost St. Louis 3 additional titles from 83-87 because Whitey wanted nothing to do with it and traded him - just imagine those Whiteyball teams with him at first and Clark in right). There always has and always will be a soft spot in my heart for hatred of the Mets.

 

(Oh yeah REDSOX, welcome to the Plus boards, always can use another knowledgable baseball fan....even if I hate your team.)

[REDSOX]

SOLOMON it is good to meet someone as passionate as me but if you hate my Redsox merely because they swept you your Cardinals 04 then I need to remind you that the Cardinals beet my Redsox in 7 in 1946 and also beat them in 7 in 1967. It came full circle is all. These are two storied franchises with a whole lot of tradition. This why I root for the original teams. The Mets are an expansion team so I say go Cardinals!

[Augielio]

Ah.......reminissing on old baseball stories. This is what makes the game so great and different for any other sport.

 

I became a Cards fan in 86 becuase of the best reason I can think of, my tee-ball team was the Cardinals and for some reason I felt it my obligation to cheer for St. Louis, because, well they were the Cardinals too! Thankfully I wasn't on the Braves, or heaven forbid, the Yankees, because I would probably have become a fan of that team.

 

That meant that 87 was the first time that I cared about how a team was doing or actually kept up with it, as well as a 7 year old could. And what a fun year it was to be a Cardinals fan! (My mom and dad were amazed at how much I knew about all of it.) I remember playing in my backyard until I had to go in, and I had a radio out there with me listening to Jack Buck call the sames. When I had to go in, I'd take my radio with me and listen in my bedroom. I still enjoy listening to radio broadcasts because of him and cried in 02 when Buck died. I still remember being outside that late September afternoon in 87 when the Cards beat the Expos to clinch the division and hear him scream "That's a winner!" and jumping up and down because they won.

 

My first game in person was July 31, 1987 and the Cards beat the Pirates 4-3 to break a 7 game losing streak. Vince Coleman stold 2nd in the bottom of the 8th to start a 2 run rally to win. It was my first experience at any type of college/professional game and I still remember the place going crazy when they won. And to this day I still love Whitey-ball. If Jack Clark doesn't get hurt, they win the Series that year, easily.

 

Baseball has to be handed down and taught from one generation to the next. Even the new wife has taken an interest in it and I've got to teach the game to her. It's

 

fun and what makes it so great.

 

 

 

Solomon, you are so right. Baseball is not a sport--at least, not a very good sport, not enough action, too much standing around, one position much more dominant than the others, etc. Baseball is a way of life. It's pace is its charm.

 

People can quote baseball stats who don't have a clue about stats in other sports.

 

And the attachments are long-lasting. I cried when the Pirates traded Dick Groat to the Cardinals.

 

Baseball was/is a rural game--basketball is the city game.

 

Baseball is the most cerebral of all the major sports. Most of the complexity of baseball is hidden in its simple exterior. A baseall manager has far more control over what happens once the game starts than do football or basketball coaches.

 

There is a "hidden game" in baseball which escapes most modern fans, those who were drawn in after "steroid and home run" craze contrived to regain fans after the strike.

 

Baseball is not popular with many young people today--not enough glitz, not enough bragging and trash-talking---and way too cerebral.

 

Here's to baseball. It's the most American of our pasttimes. It is America in many ways. May our grand kids get as excited about playoff games and World Series as we do.

Edited October 17, 2006 by Augielio

[REDSOX]

Solomon, you are so right. Baseball is not a sport--at least, not a very good sport, not enough action, too much standing around, one position much more dominant than the others, etc. Baseball is a way of life. It's pace is its charm.

 

People can quote baseball stats who don't have a clue about stats in other sports.

 

And the attachments are long-lasting. I cried when the Pirates traded Dick Groat to the Cardinals.

 

Baseball was/is a rural game--basketball is the city game.

 

Baseball is the most cerebral of all the major sports. Most of the complexity of baseball is hidden in its simple exterior. A baseall manager has far more control over what happens once the game starts than do football or basketball coaches.

 

There is a "hidden game" in baseball which escapes most modern fans, those who were drawn in after "steroid and home run" craze contrived to regain fans after the str

Baseball is not popular with many young people today--not enough glitz, not enough bragging and trash-talking---and way too cerebral.

 

Here's to baseball. It's the most American of our pasttimes. It is America in many ways. May our grand kids get as excited about playoff games and World Series as we do.

VERY WELL SAID!

[Solomon]

SOLOMON it is good to meet someone as passionate as me but if you hate my Redsox merely because they swept you your Cardinals 04 then I need to remind you that the Cardinals beet my Redsox in 7 in 1946 and also beat them in 7 in 1967. It came full circle is all. These are two storied franchises with a whole lot of tradition. This why I root for the original teams. The Mets are an expansion team so I say go Cardinals!

 

I was in St. Louis for Game 3 in 04. Great time...bad ending. But I always get to say I was at a Series game. And if they somehow win two of the next three, I'll be headed back next week too, with or without tickets.

 

No, it's not so much the Sox I suppose I hate so much as the hype of the team around them and the Yankees and the fact that their arms race is what is killing the NL right now. It's no longer a big market vs. small market fight now as much as it is an AL vs. NL fight for players. And for two reasons. 1) Those two teams can afford to get the best players via free agency and can outlandishly outbid anyone else overall, and 2) Who they don't get, other AL teams are always ahead of the NL in getting because the players know their chance of publicity and being on national TV in the like increased three times as much because of those two teams. That's my biggest gripe. I am just tired about 2 franchises (right now three - the Mets) dominating every last bit of national attention whether they deserve it or not. That plus I got tired of seeing every other person wearing a Sox hat after the 04 Series.

 

Despite my "hatred" of the teams (and trust me, it is still 1000 times greater for the Yankees), I have it in my goals to make a game at both Yankee Stadium and Fenway in the next couple of seasons. I wanted to make it in 03 when the Cards were on their northeast interleague swing, but couldn't afford it (was a poor college kid). Hoping Hopeing maybe in 08 they might head that way again. I love the tradition and history behind the teams, I'm just tired of the never ending soap opera.

[REDSOX]

SOLOMON much of what you say is true but just remember that we were victims of the Yankees free spending this last off season when we lost Johnny Damon. The current administration will no longer hand out big contracts like they did with Manny Ramirez. We just signed Big Papi to 12mil a year and you and I both know that the Yankees would paid way over that amount. And yes I do not like all the band wagon fans since 04 but I have to tell you that most people I ask about the hat admit they just like the hat and are not fans. So do not be so hard on old REDSOX here and the rest of the NATION. We really for the most part are very good fans who have a love for the game.

[Bledsoebtheboys]

Cards take game 5....4-2...

[Solomon]

Well, if there was any questions about Dave Duncan's ability to fix a broken veteran picture, I give you the best evidence to date - Jeff Weaver.

[REDSOX]

Well, if there was any questions about Dave Duncan's ability to fix a broken veteran picture, I give you the best evidence to date - Jeff Weaver.

I always thought weaver had good stuff. He just needed someone like Duncan to get him on track. That was a big time performance on a big stage. Stottlemeyer never could get the best out of Weaver and the Yankees gave up on him. He was resurrected somewhat with the Dodgers but this is the best I have seen pitch. Congrats to the Cardinals. One to go. Edited October 18, 2006 by REDSOX

[Solomon]

I always thought weaver had good stuff. He just needed someone like Duncan to get him on track. That was a big time performance on a big stage. Stottlemeyer never could get the best out of Weaver and the Yankees gave up on him. He was resurrected somewhat with the Dodgers but this is the best I have seen pitch. Congrats to the Cardinals. One to go.

 

Half of his problem was that everyone expected him to be the next Yankees ace, when in reality, he's a 4 or 5 guy. Another thing is that not everyone can handle the big city media, and I think he was one of those who just couldn't do it. I think reading about how bad he was every day just finally destroyed his confidence. For the most part, in St. Louis, you have to do something pretty bad to get bad-mouthed by the media. Compared to most, the media is pretty tame and unlike to majro markets, they want the guy to do well and not fail so they can sell a story.

 

I really hope Carp has his stuff tonight. My nerves (and my wife) really don't want to have to handle a game 7.