President Obama Hosts the Cardinals at the White House

Back in August the Cardinals were 10.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League wild card race. They finished the season on a tear going 18-8 in September to win the wild card spot on the last day of action.

Then after a strong playoff run, they found themselves just one pitch away from elimination in the 6th game of the series against the Texas Rangers. Cardinals David Freese hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to tie the series 3-3. The Cardinals went on to win. It was for these reasons President Obama commented on the Cardinals place in the history of ‘comeback teams’….

Manager Tony La Russa, who retired after the series, and slugger Albert Pujols, who signed with the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason, were not with the team that made the trip to the nation’s Capital, which will also include a stop at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., to visit with patients and their families.

Obama admired Pujols for hitting three home runs in one game and La Russa’s managerial career. He also praised the Cardinals as “the greatest comeback team in the history of baseball.” [via]