Posted on 10/28/2006 3:36:31 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
As the Cardinals closed in on their 10th World Series championship, former major-league executive Buzzie Bavasi agonized.
"They're killing me,'' said Bavasi, a general manager with three major-league teams over 30 seasons. "Just killing me.''
Bavasi's case of Cardinal-envy was half-joking and half-real.
As the general manager for the Brooklyn-Los Angeles Dodgers from 1950-68, Bavasi jousted with the Cardinals for the distinction of king of the National League. According to Bavasi, the Cardinals were more of a nemesis to the Dodgers than the hated New York-San Francisco Giants. Advertisement
The Dodgers-Giants rivalry was based on geography as much as any factor. Cardinals-Dodgers was about league dominance.
Bavasi held his own: producing four World Series winners and eight NL champions. The balance of power has changed.
With their latest triumph, the Cardinals have reached the tipping point. They have pulled away from the Dodgers and every other competitor to become the NL's flagship franchise not just for this season or this decade but in its history.
The Cardinals are the only NL team with double-figure World Series titles. The Dodgers are second with six.
"They're the premiere franchise,'' said Jack McKeon, a former major-league manager and general manager. "Go back as far as you want, and it's been that way.''
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
Ping. :)
Tough to argue with 10 World Series titles, but the Damn Yankee fans will show up soon enough to announce that the Cards have nowhere nearly as many titles as they do, even though they are now fimly under the Curse of Hillary...
Congratulations to the Cardinals from me, a life long Detroit Tigers' fan. Love St. Louis, love the fans, also love Cincinnati and the Reds. If we had to lose, glad it was to at least one of these two teams.
Still, three years ago the Tigers lost over a hundred games. They had a wonderful season and I still love them.
You're a classy Tigers fan, kjo. All due kudos to your guys, as well; they had one helluva terrific season!!! :)
Amen. I'm a Red Sox fan, but it's nice to see the Tigers back. I especially loved the way you bounced the Steinbrenner's out of the postseason... ;^)
:)
There IS something special about beating teams from NY, isn't there?
I took my family to a Cards game last year while on vacation. I was admonished by fans for booing the umps. "we don't boo here, we cheer good play regardless which team does it".
The fans were better behaved and more baseball knowledgable then at any park I'd ever beeen to.
The Cards lost to Colorado that night and yet everyone had a great time and I was most impressed. As good a time as I'd ever had at the old ball game.
A class act beyond compare, congratulations St. Louis.
Being a Sox fan, I root for 2-3 teams, the Sox and whoever is playing the Damn Yankees and Mets.
I root for the Nationals. Our turn will come. I am very glad for the Cardinals. There is hope for us all.
They're not that good... both leagues are watered down. Having 3 divisions in each league is great for the fans... but it provides a lower-quality product.
Certainly, that would help to explain 2004. :)
Congrats Cards fans.. It was a great win and the classy fans of St Louis deserve it.
Hey Kent... I'm a Yankee fan... AND I AGREE TOTALLY!
My sincere apologies, sir. I saw the flag fluttering away merrily on your profile page, and leaped to an unwarranted assumption. (Particularly wince-inducing, given that I'm a Cardinals diehard, and I'm where I am...) :)
Crowd activity did pick up around the 9th inning but nothing like it was in Fenway when the Boston Red Sox won it all a couple of years ago.
Well, Jack McKeon ought to know. He used to tee up the ball for Ty Cobb when Ty was just a boy. Jack's been around.
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