As a die-hard Cardinals fan, it was tough to see them lose the World Series. I felt the way any baseball fan would feel when witnessing their team lose after making it all the way to the biggest stage in baseball. But if there was any team that was more deserving than the Cardinals, it was the bearded warriors of the Boston Red Sox.
The significance of the beards is a Boston baseball tradition. Every time the Red Sox are in position to go to the playoffs and make a run, the teammates start growing their beards sometime in September. This year they did it again as they prepared for what would be a run at their 8th title as a franchise.
After the devastating bombings of the Boston Marathon last April, the Red Sox were determined to give the wonderful city of Boston hope for the remainder of the season. Hope is exactly what they gave them, as Boston finished the season with a 97-65 record, best in the American League. However, just as every postseason would have it, the road to the World Series Championship wasn’t a walk in the park.
After a relatively easy American League Division Series (ALDS), The Red Sox found themselves in a 1-2 hole to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Champion Series (ALCS). Game 4 was a must-win for the bearded Boston Red Sox. Being down 5-1 in the bottom of the 8th inning, it would seem pretty unlikely and intimidating for anyone coming up to the plate. The Tigers felt pretty confident about walking away with a win in game 4. Unfortunately for them, they forgot about David “Big Papi” Ortiz.
With the bases loaded, Ortiz fired off an unlikely and unforgettable Grand Slam to tie up game 4 that would eventually result in a win that changed the momentum of the series. This ultimately sent the Red Sox to the World Series to face the young and fast-pitching team, the St. Louis Cardinals. After a great 2 game start to the World Series, the series was tied 1-1. Game 3 on the other hand, resulted in a finish that no one saw coming.
Obstruction: a ruling instituted by the MLB that gives the runner the freedom of running from base to base without being interfered with by another player. Allen Craig, Cardinals designated hitter, was rounding third base because of an errant throw by the Red Sox Catcher Jarrod Saltamachia, when he tripped over 3rd baseman Will Middlebrooks leg. One of the most controversial calls in World Series history gave the Cardinals a 2-1 series lead.
After another odd finish in game 4 that concluded with a Cardinals base runner getting picked off for a Red Sox win, the series was tied 2-2 and Boston Strong never looked back. After winning the next two games and locking up their 8th title, the Red Sox celebrated a world series win in their city of Boston for the first time since 1918.
As a crushed cardinals fan, it was still hard not to feel good about what they had accomplished. The city of Boston rallied around their team. They gave them hope and pride. They gave them a reason to believe that even when the city faced tragedy. The feeling that their team, their city, and full-grown beards could overcome anything.
