On a frigid autumn week in late October, 142,337 hopeful fans went to Busch Stadium for games 3, 4, and 5 of the World Series, watching the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Boston Red Sox in what could have made history for the Redbirds.

 This was the 19th World Series for the Cardinals, who are the second winningest team in the history of Major League Baseball with eleven World Series championships.  The Redbirds entered the 2013 Fall Classic after knocking off division rival Pittsburgh Pirates in 5 games, followed by winning the pennant and beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in 6 games.  When the Cards returned to St. Louis for games 3, 4, and 5, after having tied the series 1-1 in Boston, the Cardinals seemed to be in good shape to win their 12th title.  After all, in 2006 the Cardinals won three consecutive games at home to win the World Series against the Tigers.  It especially seemed as though it could be in the cards for St. Louis to be World Champions when they won game 3 of the 2013 World Series, taking a momental 2-1 series lead with two upcoming home games.  The city was buzzing with excitement as World Series champion hopes began to escalate.

Then disaster struck.

The Cardinals dropped Games 4 and 5 at home, being forced to return to Fenway Park in Boston for Game 6 and, if necessary, Game 7.  The momentum of the series shifted drastically as a group of pesky bearded Red Sox were now one game from the World Series title.

In Game 6, the Cardinals came out strong, looking determined to keep fighting for the championship.  Some may recall the Cardinals’ previous World Series Game 6 when the Cardinals, who were down to the final strike twice, won the thrilling game in dramatic comeback fashion with hometown hero knocking in a two RBI triple in the ninth inning to tie the game and hitting a walkoff home run in the bottom of the eleventh inning.

This time around, however, the Cardinals were unable to capitalize in Game 6.

St. Louis was blown out by the Red Sox, as Boston was just too strong.

At CHS, many students’ work was actually dependent upon how the Cardinals performed in the Fall Classic.  History teacher Mr. Werner scheduled his students’ class  somewhat around the Cardinals.  “I’ll try to draw my students in by saying, ‘hey, if the Cardinals win, our test will be pushed back one more day,”’ Werner said.  Werner applies this policy because he, like so many other loyal Cardinals fans, recognizes how the city truly comes together to support the team.  “The Cardinals are a positive influence on our city,” Werner said.  “People get excited about it even if you aren’t in to baseball.”

Overall, the 2013 World Series truly was an event for people all across St. Louis, die-hard Cards fans or not, to get excited about, despite the Cardinals not being able to ultimately prevail.  The St. Louis Cardinals had yet another tremendous season, with the best regular season record in the National League, winning the NL Pennant, and advancing to the team’s fourth World Series in ten season.  The future looks bright for the Cardinals, with lots of talent and depth.  The Cardinals will be bringing the city of St. Louis lots more excitement in the years to come.