November 7, 1945: Eddie Dyer Gets The Job

     On November 7, 1945, Eddie Dyer was named the new skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals. The announcement came one day after Billy Southworth announced that he would be moving onto the Boston Braves. Southworth had taken the Cardinals job in 1940, and he led the club to three consecutive pennants with the first coming in 1942. Two of those three pennant winning squads won the title, and he had driven his stock high. The Braves made an offer that Sam Breadon would not match, and that Southworth could not refuse. Breadon knew that Southworth would be leaving for nearly a month. However, both parties chose to keep it under wraps until the Cardinals owner could choose his replacement. Once that was done the news hit the wires on consecutive days. A changing of the guard had taken place. Eddie Dyer now stood at the gate.

     With the string of recent success the club had, Dyer was stepping into some big shoes. The Cardinals had failed to win the pennant in '45, but they were considered a powerhouse club that had raced to the finish line, despite the fact that Stan Musial had to miss the season to serve his country. Dyer would be getting Stan back, and had all the talent he needed to guide the club to another title. He also had all the skill he needed, He had managed at various levels within organization, and had gained a great respect amongst his peers, which earned him a job that until then he had only dreamed about.

     The new skipper met the high expectations in '46 by guiding the team to a pennant winning season, then a subsequent World Series title. It had been a true battle between the Cardinals and the Dodgers that season, as they stormed down the stretch in a neck and neck race that ended with a tie. The tie set the table for a three game playoff that took Dyer's Birds just two games to decide the National League Champion. He then guided then guided them to victory over the Boston Red Sox in a classic seven game battle that put the words World Series champion on his resume.

     Ultimately, that was Dyer's finest hour as the skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers took over the National League in the latter part of the decade. It was not handed to them though. The Birds put up a fight. In 1949, the club finished just one game out, but in those days there were no extended playoffs, and a one game deficit meant no shot at the title.  Following the disappointment in '49 the club nosedived to a fifth place finish in 1950. It spelled the end for Dyer's position as manager. He made the decision to turn his interests to multiple business ventures he was involved in, and did not return to baseball thereafter. While the years that followed '46 were years that might have been considered a disappointment Eddie Dyer was a part of Golden Era in St. Louis. When he filled out his lineup card he was able to scratch the name Musial, Slaughter, Schoendienst, and quite a few others who made a name for themselves with the Birds on the Bat adorned on their chests.

If you would like to read more about Billy Southworth or Eddie Dyer you should check out their Society of American Baseball Research biographies provided below. The article featured in today's picture was featured in the Deseret News out of Salt Lake City, Utah on December 6, 1945.

SABR bios

Southworth: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/b8be8c57

Dyer: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/b3e94581

November 4, 1963: Roger Craig Gets Dealt To St. Louis

     On November 4, 1963, Cardinals General Manager Bing Devine sent outfielder George Altman and pitcher Bill Wakefield to the New York Mets in exchange for hard luck hurler Roger Craig. The 6 foot 4 righthander embraced the move with open arms. The Cardinals had been a thorn in his side up to that point. The thorn would be pulled out, and by the end of the '64 campaign he was one of many heroes that brought the city another Championship Title. 

     Craig had led the National League in losses in back-to-back seasons before the deal took place. He had lost 24 losses in '62, and 22 losses in '63, but he felt the trade would wipe his slate clean. He was headed to a  contender. However, the move to St. Louis did not provide an instant turnaround for him. He posted just a 7-9 record during the regular season, but it was what he did in the postseason that made the trade a great one.  

     Craig's performance in Game 4 of the '64 World Series earned him a win and a key victory in the seven game battle against Mickey Mantle and the Yankees. As far as the players that the Birds shipped to New York only Altman would spend significant time in the major leagues. He never did hit higher than .235 after he dealt. When it was all said and done, Craig spent just one season with the Cardinals. It was one helluva season to spend in St. Louis. 

If you would like to know more about the life and times of Roger Craig check this out: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/feb39a5f

November 3, 1968: Harry Caray Nearly Loses His Life In The Lou

     In the wee hours of the morning, on a rainy November 3rd in 1968, Harry Caray nearly lost his life after being struck by a car in front of the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis. The Hall of Fame broadcaster had returned from Columbia where he had called a Mizzou game the evening before, watched some Blues hockey, had dinner, then made a fateful decision to continue his night by going to the hotel to have a few drinks.

     Caray parked across the street from the hotel, and when he began to cross a 21-year-old man from Overland name Michael Poliquin was headed right for him. Poliquin did not see him until it was too late, and despite his efforts to stop he skidded into the Cardinals broadcaster. It was said that Caray flew 40 feet in one direction, and his shoes flew 25 feet in the other direction. Caray suffered a variety of injuries, which included compound fractures on both of his legs. As he lay there in the street he thought he was going to die.

     The man who had narrowly escaped death was listed in critical condition the following day. However, he upgraded quickly, and began a road to recovery. Within weeks he was smiling, and looking forward to getting back to work. The article on the left was printed the day after, while the photo on the right published five weeks later. There was no keeping Caray down.

Mark over at RetroSimba.com went into much greater detail. He even talks about how Caray turned his hospital room into party central. Check it out here: http://retrosimba.com/2013/11/04/how-harry-caray-survived-near-fatal-car-accident/

One other note, I noticed Caray was ticketed for crossing in mid block. Some unsympathetic cops I guess. I mean for Pete Kozma's sake if you break both of your legs there should be a pass given for jaywalking.

November 2, 1881: A Franchise Is Born

     On November 2, 1881, the American Association was born within the walls of the Gibson House in Cincinnati, Ohio. One of the six teams selected to join this new league would call the City of St. Louis home. They would call themselves the Brown Stockings initially, but today we all know them as the St. Louis Cardinals. A franchise had been born.

     The game began being played in St. Louis long before that meeting took place. A man by the name of Merritt Griswold  had made his way to the Mound City in 1859. He had learned the game in New York, and he brought it with him. On April 26, 1860, Griswold had the rules published with a diagram that had the positions in an issue of the Daily Missouri Democrat.  He had planted a seed, and it took root.

      Griswold then organized a club that was called the Cyclone. Other teams formed around the region as well. One of those other clubs called themselves the Morning Stars. They took their name because they like to get in a game in the early hours of the day. They were known to hit the diamond between 5 and 6 in the morning. The Morning Stars called on Griswold to coach them in this new game. They were playing it their own way, and wanted to get it right. Griswold himself said, that they did not embrace his coaching at first, and went as far to say that they were disgusted by the way he wanted them to play it. It was described as the men "kicked" in their version base ball, as it was obvious they had not truly grasped the game just yet.

      That would change. After the initial practice that had the men repulsed they decided to let Griswold try to teach them some more, and their efforts paid off. The Cyclone and the Morning Stars played the first game of organized base ball in St. Louis on July 9, 1860. The Morning Stars won that first game 50-24. That seed that had taken root was now becoming a tree, and that tree would have to weather a storm. The storm I speak of  is the Civil War, which began in 1861. Griswold fought for the North, while some of the men he had been teaching that game went and fought for the south. In some cases brother against brother, had turned into teammate against teammate. Many of those men never returned to a diamond. Many of those men did not return home. Griswold's Cyclone club disbanded because of the war, and he returned to New York thereafter. He did not return West. However, his contributions to base ball in St. Louis should not be forgotten.

     While the times were turbulent, base ball survived in the city. A man named Jeremiah Fruin arrived in St. Louis in 1862. After leaving school at the age of 16, Fruin joined his father's construction business in New York. He then spent some time in New Orleans. He too was affected by the war, and was a member of the Union Army. That is what brought him to St. Louis. He was stationed there, and it proved to be a bit of fate for the man and the city as well.

      Fruin's construction experience was something that both he, and St. Louis benefited from. He helped get roads paved, a sewer system installed, and was instrumental in bringing the first rail system to town. Fruin also founded a construction company in 1872 that many would be familiar with today called Fru-Con Construction. He was very involved within the city, and later in life he would serve as the police commissioner. He was a man who served his community in many ways.

     The founder of the Sporting News Alfred H. Spink once said Fruin  was the Father of Base ball in St. Louis. It was something that Fruin did not embrace since he knew that he was not there when it all began. The reason Spink felt that way was that Fruin did act as a glue that held organized base ball together in St. Louis. There was a great respect for him because he served his community in many ways.

     One of those ways came with the knowledge he had of the game that was played on the diamond. While growing up in Brooklyn he had played organized ball, and what he seen around St. Louis was not so organized. He joined the Empires, and with some effort he helped straighten things out. As Fruin captained and played second base for the Empires, the game took another step forward, with the city and the world around him evolving as well.

       As time moved forward Fruin taught his men to play the game the right way, and base ball bloomed Soon there were clubs forming all around him.  Meanwhile in Cincinnati, the first first professional team formed with the Red Stockings. Men were getting paid, and an organized league was on the horizon. The Red Stockings toured the country, and played wherever they could find a diamond. Some of those diamonds found came in St. Louis, which had become a hotbed for base ball. At one point the Red Stockings played Fruin's Empire club, and handed them quite a defeat. 31-9  to be exact. The professionals also beat other local teams before heading to their next stop on their base ball tours. The St. Louis clubs may have lost those contests, but they made it be known that the city could support the game as fans turned out to watch the pros play ball.

     The first professional league formed in 1871. It was called the National Association of Base Ball Players.Two teams from St. Louis joined the league in 1875. The Red Stockings played ball at Compton and Gratriot, while the Brown Stockings played at Grand and Dodier in a site that became known as Sportsman's Park. Neither club would have direct ties to the Cardinals organization. Although, like the teams that played around the city before them they too were a part of something bigger that was yet to come.

      Unfortunately, the St. Louis Red Stockings came and went quickly. The National Association folded in 1876, and the club followed suit. The Brown Stockings joined the National League that season, and put together a 45-19 record. It was good for a second place finish behind a club in Chicago that would become known as the Cubs.  That string showing did not equal long term success though. The club was accused of throwing games in 1877, and after a fourth place finish the club left the league altogether.

     The city was without professional base ball. The aforementioned Alfred H. Spink wanted that to change. Many of the players from the Brown Stockings still played ball at Grand and Dodier after the team left the National League, and Spink knew the game could survive. It just needed someone with the financial backing to make it viable. The viable option ended up being Chis Von der Ahe, a grocery store, and saloon owner. He purchased the rights to the name and the ballpark for $1,800 after noticing his profits spike at the saloon. That $1,800 today would be roughly $40,000. Things were coming together.

  Von der Ahe was not well versed when it came to the game of base ball. Some said he had no idea what he was doing at all, yet dove right in. He fixed up the site at Grand and Dodier, and with help from Spink and company Von der Ahe made it be known that St. Louis could support a professional franchise. His efforts led to him being in that room when the American Association founders met in Cincinnati in 1881. When he walked out of that room he was the very first owner of the team that we call the Cardinals.

      The new league adopted a liberal set of rules to rival the National League. They could play on Sundays, were cheaper at the gate, and something that Von der Ahe surely loved was they could sell alcohol at the ballpark. The team enjoyed great success during their decade, winning four AA Pennants, and taking home a World Series title in 1886. There were rough times as well. The largely wooden structure that the fans called the ballpark burned six different times between 1882 and 1892. Engineering had not advanced, and quite frankly they were a victim of the times. Even then the game survived.

     Another setback came in 1890 when the Players League formed. It took money and players right out of the hands of those who ran American Association teams, as the market became more and more competitive. Teams came and went, and several teams jumped to the NL, which included the Cincinnati and Brooklyn clubs. As the dominoes fell the American Association fell with them. It went under in 1891, and the St. Louis Browns joined the National League before the 1892 campaign began. While their stay in the American Association was just a decade in time, it did provide a solid foundation for the club that would become the Cardinals. It was the birth of a franchise in a city that loved the game of base ball from the moment it found its way west of the Mississippi.

                                                                   Sources included

Chris Von der Ahe: Baseball pioneering huckster written by Richard Eigenreither for the Society of American Baseball Reasearch, It can be found here: http://research.sabr.org/journals/chris-von-der-ahe-baseballs-pioneering-huckster (If you love baseball history you should consider becoming a member. I am. Check out the benefits here: http://sabr.org/member-benefits

Base Ball Pioneers 1850-1870: The Clubs and Players who Spread the Sport by Peter Morris, William J. Ryczek, and Jan Finkel

The St. Louis Baseball Reader by Richard 'Pete' Peterson.

St. Louis, the fourth city 1764-1909. This book provides a short bio into Jeremiah Fruin. It can be found here: http://archive.org/stream/stlouisfourthcit02instev#page/128/mode/2up

The Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri. It can be found here: http://archive.org/stream/encyclopediaofhi02cona/encyclopediaofhi02cona_djvu.txt

The Chicago Tribune

The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette 

A couple of other mentions to websites that I think anyone that has interest in baseball history would be interested in. The first is http://www.thisgameofgames.com/. The website provides a great deal of information about baseball in St. Louis before the turn of the 20th century. It is absolutely great. It helped guide me to other helpful sites as well. I tip my cap to the person that put it together.

Another website that is very interesting is http://www.19cbaseball.com/ it is all about 19th Century Base Ball. The history, the ever evolving rules, the teams, and more.

   

October 15, 1964: The Birds Take The Title

     On October 15, 1964, the Cardinals were crowned World Series Champions after beating the New York Yankees 7-5 in Game 7 of the World Series. It had been 18 seasons since the City of St. Louis could celebrate as champions, and Bob Gibson's complete game MVP performance on just two days of rest had a large part in making the celebration possible. The Birds also took advantage of key opportunities which led to the year 1964 being a year that will forever be celebrated in the history of the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

      Mel Stottlemyre was on the bump for the Yankees, and the rookie hurler was locked up in a dual with the 28-year-old Gibson through the first three innings. However, things unraveled for Stottlemyre in the third. Ken Boyer started the inning off with a single, and Dick Groat followed it up with a walk. Tim McCarver looked like he had hit into a double play, only to have Phil Linz throw wide to first. Boyer scored on the play, while McCarver stood on first. Mike Shannon moved the Cardinals catcher over to third with a single to right center, and the Birds were beginning to fly. When things are going right it seems everything falls into place, and the next Cardinals run is a great example of that, as McCarver and Shannon executed a double steal with Shannon swiping home for the second Redbird run. Dal Maxvill  added another one to the board with a single that brought McCarver in, before Stottlemyre could get the last two outs of the inning. When reflecting on the game later Yogi Berra saw the throwing error by Linz as the play that made all the difference in the inning, and quite possibly the game.

     Not only did the Cardinals plate three runs on the young Yankee hurler in the third, they also ended his day. He had tried to dive for the ball before Linz's critical error, and hurt his shoulder in the process. Berra said it led to his decision to pinch hit for him in the fifth. The Yankees could not get anything going in that inning. Then in the bottom of the frame Lou Brock took Stottlemyre's replacement Al Downing's first pitch, and put it in the stands to lead things off. It was going to be another big Redbird inning. Downing did not even record an out. He gave up a single to Bill White, then a double to Ken Boyer, before he was given a ticket to the showers. Rollie Sheldon inherited Downing's mess, and while he was able to record three successive outs, the first two were productive outs that brought White and Boyer trotting in. After five the Cardinals held a 6-0 lead, and the fans in the stands were buzzing. They could feel victory in the air.

     There was a man on that Yankees roster who would bring some of them back down to earth in the sixth. He was future Hall of Famer, and he had already broke a few Cardinals hearts with a walk off blast in Game 3. That man's name was Mickey Mantle, and he made Bob Gibson pay for giving up back-to-back singles by hitting a three run bomb that touched the clouds in St. Louis, and cut the Cardinals lead in half.  Gibby picked up two outs, then walked a man before ending the inning by striking out Clete Boyer.

     Ken Boyer grabbed one of those runs back with a solo shot in the seventh, and Gibby sailed into the ninth up 7-3. Just three outs away. They were not going to be easy outs. However, Gibby did strike out Tom Tresh to start things off. Suddenly the short rest might of caught up with Gibson, as he served one up to Phil Linz who was doing what he could to make up for the earlier error by launching a solo shot. Gibby then set down pinch hitter Johnny Blanchard with his ninth K, and he needed one more out to wear the crown. Clete Boyer made him wait by launching a bomb of his own into the seats, which made the Boyer brothers the first siblings, to both hit a home run in one World Series contest. To date, they are only brothers to accomplish that feat.

     As you could imagine there had to be many fans with their hands put together as they prayed, while other fans could hardly bring themselves to watch what turned out to be a historic last out. That out came with a soft pop up by Bobby Richardson that landed in the glove of Dal Maxvill.It had been a true seven game battle, and every man on each of those rosters gave their all before the St. Louis Cardinals were crowned World Series Champions.

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196410150.shtml

     Afterword: As mentioned before it had been 18 years since the fans could celebrate a World Series title in the city, and when Maxvill recorded that out, hundreds poured onto the field, as McCarver and the rest of the team ran to the mound to congratulate the warrior, the World Series MVP, the champion, Bob Gibson. The season had many ups and downs. From Bing Devine getting fired after building what proved to be a championship ballclub, to overcoming an 11 game deficit just to have a shot at winning that title. What the club had been through had simply battle tested them, and they were ready to take the title when they got their chance.

     Historically, the series has been looked at as a last hurrah for that Yankees club who had built on decades upon decades of success. Mantle had won seven World Series titles beginning in 1951. His last came in 1962. He did not appear in another World Series following the '64. In fact, he hung up the cleats at the end of the '68 campaign, and the Yankees did not make it back to the Fall Classic until 1976. That run in 1964 made Bob Gibson's name known in every household across America. He was already making a name for himself before that World Series before that title run, but after it came his name was splashed across the headlines of every major newspaper in the country. His legendary tale was just beginning, and it helped make the Cardinals one of the best clubs in the National League during the latter half of the decade.

     There would be immediate changes in management, as Johnny Keane resigned the next day. He ended up taking Yogi Berra's job in New York. Through the years I have read that it was big surprise, and it may have been. However, speculation was rampant during the World Series that Keane would be leaving St. Louis, and Gussie had to at least have some idea that the Cardinals skipper might be on his way out. Keane was not happy with the way things went with Devine, and there were rumors that Leo Durocher had already been tabbed the next Cardinals manager before the historic run had take place. Keane scoffed at the offer Gussie made him at season's end, and when the World Series was over he would not let the Cardinals owner make another offer. He was done. He did not let it turn into a distraction during that run to glory, which is something that makes me have a great respect for him. Keane did a masterful job of managing during that group of men. The speculation after Game 7 was that he was going to managing the Pirates. Nobody thought it would be the Yankees, considering Berra had just skippered them to a pennant winning season. However, the bar was set higher than a pennant in New York, and someone in that front office thought Keane would be able to  reach that bar. After just two years in the Bronx his days as a skipper were over, and a year after that he passed away just a month after taking a job with the Angels as a scout.

     Devine went onto win Executive of the Year after building the club that took the flag, then went
onto build a foundation that would evolve into the Miracle Mets in 1969. Coincidentally, he was back with the Cardinals following the Championship run in '67. Seems he never enjoyed the fruits of his labor the way he deserved to. He served as the Cardinals GM from '68 to '78, and after a brief stint with the football Cardinals he returned to the baseball Cardinals as a special adviser. A lifelong St. Louisan, Bing Devine's name is one of many names that each every Cardinals fan should know.

     The sudden departure of Keane opened a door, and it was not Leo Durocher that walked through It was Red Schoendienst, and he was at the helm when they took the top prize just three years later. He managed the team until 1976, and has been with the team in some capacity ever since, which included two other stints as skipper. In my opinion St. Louis has many treasures, and Schoendienst is one of them.

       I will be taking a break from the daily posts. I hope that all of those who have spent the time to read these have enjoyed them. I know that I have enjoyed writing them. This has been a fun season, and I feel blessed to know that as a Cardinals fan our postseason continues later today. Win or lose I will always be a proud fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

   

October 14, 1964: The Bronx Bombers Bomb The Birds In Game 6

      On October 14, 1964, the Yankees forced a Game 7 by knocking off the Cardinals 8-3 in front of more than 30,000 at Busch. The game featured starters Curt Simmons on the mound for the Cardinals while the Yankees countered with the Jim Bouton in what was a rematch of Game 2. Coincidentally, the Yankees prevailed in that game by the same exact score. However, the circumstances were very different, as the Bronx Bombers lived up to the nickname by bombing their way to victory.

     Things started out good for the Cardinals, as Curt Flood and Lou Brock picked up back-to-back hits to lead off the first. Flood moved over to third on Brock's hit, then scored when Bill White hit into a double play. While the double play ball was one of misfortune for White, there also a bit of fortune because it gave the club an early 1-0 lead, Curt Simmons looked to be on his game early, he worked into the fifth clinging onto the one run lead. It was that inning that he saw the score get knotted up. It began with a ground rule double by Tom Tresh, who ended up at third after Clete Boyer grounded out. With Tresh just 90 feet away Bouton came to the dish and lashed an RBI single. The .139 regular season hitter had come through against the veteran. Simmons got out of that inning by retiring Phil Linz with a long flyball that landed in Lou Brock's glove in left, but it was a whole new ballgame.

     Going into the bottom of the fifth still knotted at one Simmons was set to face the heart of that Yankees lineup, and they let him know that their heart was still beating strong. The Cardinal hurler set Bobby Richardson down to start the inning, then came the thunder and lightning of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle who hit back-to-back home runs. The score might have only been 3-1 at that point, but the staggering booms had dealt a hefty blow to the Cardinals. Simmons did settle down after the two big hits, but it hardly mattered because Bouton was keeping them off the scoreboard.

       Simmons was lifted after allowing a one out single to Clete Boyer in the seventh,  To make matters worse that single ended up with Ken's brother standing on second after Lou Brock committed an error in left. Simmons' day did not go the way he wished, With that said, the Cardinals were still in it, and Ron Taylor was able to get out of that inning with Bouton hitting a scorcher to second, which ended up with Boyer getting doubled off.

     Then came the inning that put the Cardinals to bed. A hero of Game 1 was called on when Johnny Keane handed the ball to Barney Schultz, and the well traveled veteran gave up a lead off single to Phil Linz. He then picked up back-to-back outs. They were productive outs though, as Linz moved over to third as they were recorded. Schultz wanted nothing to do with the big bat of Mickey Mantle, who had already taken him deep with the big walk off in Game 3, so he put him on intentionally. The Yankees backstop Elston Howard followed it up with an RBI single to give his club a 4-1 lead, then Schultz walked the bases full by issuing a free pass to Tresh. The Cardinals skipper Johnny Keane pulled the plug on Schultz, and called on a rookie southpaw to pitch to Pepitone in what was going to be a lefty on lefty matchup. The rookie hung a curve ball, and Pepitone pounced on it. As soon as he took the cut he knew it was a goner. It was the tenth grand slam in World Series history. It came just four days after Ken Boyer's historic slam in Game 4, and made Pepitone the just the tenth man in the history of the Fall Classic to belt a long ball with the bases full. The score was now 8-1, and the Yankees were well on the way to victory.

     Bouton had said that he did not feel comfortable until Pepitone gave him the big cushion, and even after he was given the comfortable lead the Cardinals made him work. Curt Flood led off the eighth with a walk, then was moved over to third on a Lou Brock double, before scoring the second Redbird run of the day on a ground out by Bill White. Bouton got out of the inning, then watched Bob Humphreys work a scoreless top of the ninth. He was lifted for Steve Hamilton after allowing back-to-back one out singles in the ninth. Hamilton gave up an RBI single to pinch hitter Bob Skinner, which brought the score to 8-3. It was too little to late though, as Flood hit into a double play to end the contest. The Yankees had come in with their backs against the wall, and did what they had to do to play another day. It was going to take a seventh game and the winner would take the crown. The Cardinals had been there before. Johnny Keane would be calling on Bob Gibson to get the job done, while Yogi Berra called on Mel Stottlemyre. It was going to be a classic that would end with celebration in St. Louis.  

Check out the box score here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196410140.shtml

October 13, 1964: The Birds Receive a Warm Welcome After Taking Two In New York

     On October 13, 1964, the Cardinals returned to Busch Stadium where they prepared to take on the Yankees in Game 6 of the Fall Classic. The night before the team received a heroes welcome when their plane arrived. An estimated crowd of 10,000 people joined a marching band to cheer on their Birds who had stunned the Yankees by taking two in New York, which set up a possible clincher in front of the St. Louis faithful. It is safe to say those fans who had waited 18 years were more than ready to celebrate a World Championship title.