Magic Season by Wade Rouse

Author:Wade Rouse
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Published: 2022-03-04T18:27:28+00:00

October 2015

The Cards’ Brandon Moss hits a line drive single to right field. Peralta scores to tie the game, and Cruz races toward home.

I stand, yelling.

My father sits up in his chair.

“Out!” the home plate umpire signals.

Inning over. Game tied 4-4.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” my father yells.

He shakes his head.

“We’re all tied up,” I say. “They’re making a comeback.”

October 2011

“I’m going to bed.”

“What?”

I stood, folded the blanket and grabbed my pillow. Gary looked up at me from the couch.

It was Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, and the Cardinals’ goose was cooked.

The Texas Rangers were up, three games to two, and leading the Cards 7-5 in the top of the ninth.

It seemed hopeless. The Rangers had called in their ace, flame-throwing closer Neftali Feliz. The Cards’ first batter had already struck out.

One out, bottom of the ninth.

Game over. Season over. Nightmare year over. Career over.

“You never give up on the Cards,” Gary said.

“Good night.”

I headed into the bedroom just around the corner from our tiny TV room in the knotty pine cottage in Michigan where we lived. I turned off the light and crawled into bed.

“Mabel!” I yelled to our shaggy mutt, the one who never left my side.

“She’s not giving up either!” Gary yelled.

“Traitors,” I said to the sheets.

The TV continued to blare. Joe Buck’s voice. I leaned over, slammed the door and pulled the pillow over my head.

This season, this series, this game, this year has been among the worst of my life.

The Cards shouldn’t even have made the playoffs, much less made it to the World Series. Just a few weeks ago, at the end of August, the team was barely over .500 and had only a minuscule chance of even reaching the postseason. But they made an improbable September comeback, going 23-9 over their last thirty-two games to erase a 10.5 game lead by the Atlanta Braves, who lost their regular season finale to allow the Cardinals to make the playoffs.

The Cards faced the heavily favored Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series. The series was razor close and made national headlines for the appearance of the “Rally Squirrel” at Busch Stadium, which zipped across the field in Game 3 and then again in Game 4, when it ran directly across home plate as a Cards player was batting. The Cards were ahead 3-2 at the time and held on for a 5-3 victory, with many Cardinals fans claiming the squirrel was a good-luck omen. The Cards defeated the Phillies 1-0 in Game 5 behind a masterful Chris Carpenter three-hit shutout. They then beat the Brewers in six games to reach the World Series.

But now against Texas, the talented team destined to finally win a title, the Cards seem to have met their match.

Me, too.

I think of the Cards’ year, and I think of mine. I have nearly killed myself trying to save my father and my career. I have tried for an improbable comeback. And I have lost. My father has won.

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