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October 22, 2011
It was October 22nd of 2011 when Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals became only the third player in history to hit three home runs in a World Series game. Only four short years ago, we saw one of the most exciting World Series in recent memory, but it was this Game 3 blowout in which Pujols continued to grow his legacy. The only two others to do so were Reggie Jackson and Babe Ruth.
The most memorable moment of the 2011 World Series was undoubtedly the Game 6 comeback, in which David Freese hit both the game tying triple in the bottom of the ninth, as well as the game winning home run to force game 7. The next day, ESPN baseball analyst Buster Olney called it the greatest game in the history of baseball. Freese would go on to be named the World Series MVP.
After his 2012 signing with the Angels, Pujols’ numbers began to dip off, and his Cardinal days are further in the rear view mirror. This year he had a bit of resurgence, making it to his tenth All-star Game. We forget however, that he was one of the best players in MLB and on pace to be one of the greats before 2012, in the same breath as the aforementioned Jackson and Ruth.
That 16-7 blowout in Game 3 was another feather in the cap of Pujols. His accomplishments are impressive. At 555 home runs, Pujols is a member of the 500 club. He is a ten-time all star, along with three-time NL MVPs. In 2003, he was the NL batting champion, and the NLCS MVP in 2004. In 2009 and 2010, Pujols was the home run leader for the National league, and led the league in RBIs in 2010. He began his career in 2001 and was the NL rookie of the year. He even had success in the field, winning the Gold Glove in 2006 and 2010.
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It was Pujols’ run as a Cardinal that was the truly memorable stretch of his career. His three home run game on October 22nd of 2011, however, would be one of his last in St. Louis. The following offseason, he went on to join the Angels, and was followed shortly after by fellow Cardinal hero David Freese.
Birthdays
1907 – Jimmie Foxx
1949 – Arsene Wenger
1956 – Frank DiPino
1961 – Leonard Marshall
1963 – Brian Boitano
1973 – Ichiro Suzuki
1982 – Robinson Cano
1982 – Heath Miller
1989 – Muhammad Wilkerson
