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    Obama honors baseball champs St. Louis Cardinals

    By MARK S. SMITH | Associated Press – Tue, Jan 17, 2012

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Tuesday dubbed the St. Louis Cardinals the "greatest comeback team in the history of baseball" thanks to their thrilling late-season charge into the playoffs and death-defying, seven-game triumph in last November's World Series.

    The Cardinals were 10 ½ games back at the end of August, but rallied to win a National League wild card spot on the last day of the regular season. They trailed in each playoff round and were twice within a strike of elimination in Game six of the series with the Texas Rangers before David Freese's walk-off home run in the 11th saved them.

    "That has to be one of the best baseball games of all time," Obama said to applause and cheers as he welcomed team members in the East Room.

    Leading off at the event was first lady Michelle Obama, celebrating her 48th birthday. And with a swing of the bat, she nearly stole the show.

    Mrs. Obama was present at the series opener, and she thanked the Cardinals for all they do for military families. Then team owner Bill de Witt gave both Obamas team jerseys and souvenir bats.

    "I'm a little bit worried about giving my wife a bat," the president joked. "If I mess up..."

    His wife deadpanned, "I'll take my bat," then hefted and glancing meaningfully in Obama's direction, as Cardinals players, team officials and Missouri lawmakers chuckled.

    Two key figures of the championship season were absent. Manager Tony La Russa retired after the series. And star Albert Pujols signed a $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason.

    Meantime, baseball purists still debate which team is really the comeback king of the national pastime. Among the candidates: Some cite the 1951 N.Y. Giants, others the 2004 Boston Red Sox. But there was no doubting Obama's enthusiasm for the Cardinals' heroics.

    He noted in late August, Las Vegas oddsmakers had the Cards 500-to-1 underdogs.

    "But through skills, guts and I think the team would agree just a little bit of luck — just a touch — this team made the playoffs," Obama said. "And even though they trailed in each of the series that followed, they somehow had the spirit and the determination and the resolve to survive."

    "This team essentially played two months of elimination games," Obama said.

     

    11 comments

    • Warren
      Warren  •  4 mths ago
      NoBama 2012!!!!
    • Victoria Two
      Victoria Two  •  4 mths ago
      Gotta love my Cards. Now, we get to watch a new team develop. Exciting days ahead. One month from today, pitchers and catchers show up in Jupiter. Wahoooooooooooooooo!
    • Michael
      Michael  •  Dallas, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      I wonder what the Texas Rangers's reaction would be to be honored by the president.
      • Mike
        Mike 4 mths ago
        They would have sex with each other.
      • A Yahoo! User 4 mths ago
        THEY MIGHT SACRIFICE ANOTHER FAN

        by pushing them over the railing in arlington... obama likes sacrifices
      • Michael
        Michael 4 mths ago
        @Libbreaker, that's distatsteful man. You just can't make fun of someone's death like that.
    • JD
      JD  •  4 mths ago
      He then called them the Red Sox said have a good flight back to Kansas City. nitwit
    • Dont Believe It
      Dont Believe It  •  4 mths ago
      The Redshlox game back from 3 down against NY in the ALCS but swept the Cards in the Series. Not even close to what the Cards had to do from August to October.
    • abhorrent behavior
      abhorrent behavior  •  St Louis, Missouri  •  4 mths ago
      I was wondering how they were going to work mentioning a New York and/or Boston team in the story. Mark Smith you are bush league at best.
    • George
      George  •  Reseda, California  •  4 mths ago
      Unlike the Cardinals who have a very little chance of repeating, Obama has no chance at all
      • Dont Believe It
        Dont Believe It 4 mths ago
        Cards have every possibility to repeat. The team is even stronger this year than last.
    • Dr.Johnson
      Dr.Johnson  •  Las Vegas, Nevada  •  4 mths ago
      Now why don't he honor the country and resign!
    • A Yahoo! User  •  4 mths ago
      A REAL PRESIDENT WOULD HONOR OUR TROOPS FOR WINNING THE WAR IN IRAQ

      a spoiled ice cream cone eating kenyan muslim man-child only cares about sports teams
    • wendells
      wendells  •  4 mths ago
      The Cards should have either sent Chipper Jones a Worlds Series ring or invited him to the White House. Had he fielded that routine groundball with two outs in the ninth, there would be no Cardinal championship. These are the breaks.
    • Yeah, sure
      Yeah, sure  •  4 mths ago
      He then kissed a few babies then went back to planning his next exotic vacation.
      Get this bum out of Washington for good.
     Post a comment
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