You can list them without even thinking about it — those indelible plays that immediately come to mind when someone asks about great moments in St. Louis Cardinals history. You even remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when they happened.
That’s exactly what the January project of the United Cardinal Bloggers is: to name our choices for the top five iconic Cardinals moments. It didn’t require much thought to determine them, nor any discussion, although there are certainly more we could have listed. But, five was the rule.
So here’s this week’s Friday Five, presented in chronological order.
1. “Go crazy, folks, go crazy!”
Game five of the 1985 NLCS on Oct. 14, Dodgers vs. Cardinals at Busch Stadium, series tied at two games, score tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the ninth …
We all know what happened next. Ozzie Smith stepped to the plate. The count ran to 1-2. Ozzie swung, the ball went flying and then came the famous Jack Buck call: “Go crazy, folks, go crazy!”
That was a winner — a very famous walk-off winner.
Only I didn’t enjoy it at the time. No, I was a (misguided) Cubs fan back then so was rooting for the Dodgers while watching the game in my college dorm room. And probably said a bad word or two about Ozzie …
Sorry.
2. No. 62
Don’t think about what you know now — put that out of your head for a moment.
Instead, let your memory wander back to what the summer of ’98 was like and especially the night of Sept. 8 when the Cubs and Cardinals played. Remember the energy and excitement? The special Fox broadcast of the game? The absolute media frenzy surrounding Mark McGwire?
Friends of mine who didn’t even follow baseball were engrossed in the home run chase. And I, still a misguided Cubs fan at the time, absolutely adored Mark McGwire. I cried when he hit No. 61 the day before. I cried more when he hit this one.
And there was stuff like this, which is from from the Washington Post, published everywhere.
Mark McGwire completed an amazing and wonderful journey into baseball history tonight, finishing a mission that has captivated a nation, revived a sport and constructed a legend. With one more mighty swing, he became the first man in history to hit 62 home runs in a season, surpassing the previous – and once seemingly untouchable – record of 61 by Roger Maris in 1961.
No matter what you think now, chances are you thought differently then. Watch the moment here — and remember how you felt when Steve Trachsel threw that pitch and Mark McGwire connected.
Somewhere, I still have the extra edition Sports Illustrated published a few days later to commemorate No. 62. (That’s how much of a frenzy it was.)
3. The homer off Lidge
This is another instance where we need to remember how we felt then, and not how we feel now (but for obviously different reasons).
A little over a year ago, I wrote about this game in a feature for Baseball Digest on Albert’s birthday. And here’s how I described the ninth inning.
Closer Brad Lidge was in for the Astros, and he quickly struck out John Rodriguez and John Mabry. The crowd at Minute Maid Park was on its feet, including former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, in the front row behind home plate.
David Eckstein stepped to the plate. The count ran to 1 and 2 — one more strike needed for the stadium to totally erupt. Yet Eckstein singled through the left side of the infield. Jim Edmonds was next, and he walked on five pitches. Then came Pujols. He was hitless for the night.
Lidge’s first pitch was strike one; the second was directly over the plate. Pujols connected and blasted the ball over the train tracks high above the field in left.
What had been pandemonium turned to silence, except in the Cardinals dugout. Pujols zipped around the bases and then exchanged high-fives with Eckstein and Edmonds after crossing the plate. Following a strikeout to Reggie Sanders and three quick outs by Cards closer Jason Isringhausen, Albert once again carried the Cardinals to a win.
See that homer, and hear Mike Shannon’s call, here.
And at least the win provided one final game at Busch Stadium — the chance to properly say good-bye to the ballpark.
4. The curve
Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS was an absolute classic.
Tense, close, obviously incredibly important with the National League pennant on the line. Yadier Molina gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead in the top of the ninth with a memorable homer that silenced the Shea Stadium crowd.
Bottom of the ninth, rookie closer Adam Wainwright on the mound. The score was still 3-1, there were two outs, but the bases were loaded — with Carlos Beltran, Cardinals killer, at bat.
Pitch one, strike one. Pitch two, strike two. Then this – the curveball no one will ever forget.
Now, in a few weeks, it will be welcome back Waino … and welcome, Carlos Beltran. Earlier this week, Beltran was interviewed on MLB Network and was asked which one of them will bring up that moment first, Waino or him. Carlos laughed.
5. “We will see you tomorrow night!”
We know it, we revel in it, we’ve watched it countless times already.
And we’ll watch it countless more.
Best World Series game ever? From a Cardinals perspective, quite possibly.
Birth of a legend? Absolutely. David Freese’s moment will be featured on future MLB post-season commercials for years to come. And deservedly so.
In some ways, it seems much longer ago than exactly three months today. Yet it also feels like it just happened yesterday.
Regardless, we’ll never forget it. Or Freeser. Or 11 in ’11.
So, those are our five. What are yours?
Christine Coleman is the senior St. Louis Cardinals reporter for Aaron Miles’ Fastball. Follow her on Twitter, @CColeman802, or email aaronmilesfastball@gmail.com. Also follow @AMilesFastball for the latest updates.
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