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Monday, June 24, 2013

Two Years Too Little Too Late, Rangers Finally Win in St. Louis

   I'll never forget being tearful in the tunnel.
   After a 40-year wait, the climax was within four seconds. In the bowels of St. Louis' Busch Stadium on the chilly night of Oct. 27, 2011, I was among about 100 media members assembled on the perch of history. The Texas Rangers, long the laughingstock of Major League Baseball, led the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, three games to two and were now - despite blowing leads of 1-0, 3-2, 4-3 and 7-4 - just one strike away from their first title.
   With a 7-5 lead, two outs in the bottom of the 9th, two strikes on David Freese and All-Star closer Neftali Feliz on the mound, finally, this was it.
   As we watch on a tiny TV in the corner near the 1st-base entrance to the Cardinals' dugout, photographers and cameramen frantically wrap their equipment in plastic and themselves in ponchos to protect from the imminent onslaught of champagne. MLB officials from Major League Baseball hand out information regarding the logistics of the post-game ceremonies. And whisked by on carts are boxes containing Rangers' "World Champions" hats and T-shirts.
   With tears in my eyes and trembling in my hands, I prepare the celebratory Tweet I thought I'd never write:
After 40 years your Texas Rangers are finally champions. As Mark Holtz would've proudly bellowed: "Hello, World Series win column!"
   Since you know the rest of the story - Freese tripled, Rangers lost, and again the next night in Game 7 - you know I never hit send. Only the back-back-back-back button, until the Tweet, and the championship, were painfully erased.

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7 comments:

  1. I came here for more info on the bad radio deal.

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    Replies
    1. So. . . read the articles he posted yesterday about BaD radio.

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  2. Cruz made a catch at the warning track last night and all I could think was.... Damn it man why couldn't you do that in '11!

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    Replies
    1. everyone thought that...and cussed him at the same time

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    2. I think that every time he makes a tough catch out in right field.

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  3. I remember being at Baby Dolls hanging out with my uncle as a single guy. Now I'm married with a son, and the guy they use to call Mr. Ranger is wearing a different jersey.

    Damn... game 6 feels like a lifetime ago.

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  4. As a Rangers and Spurs fan, game 6 will always, always, always haunt me and I will be forever pessimistic about my teams winning until the final buzzer sounds or the final out is made. As a Cowboys fan, I'm just hoping I get to see them in another Super Bowl before I join AARP.

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