It's Falling

The Tuscan Hills Winery doesn't look like it belongs in Effingham, IL. Stucco and brick walls, the tile roof, the Mediterranean fountain in the circle courtyard - they did a job job of using property near the highway frontage road, and it's quiet and secluded. Yes, it's lovely. But the grapes are southern Illinois grapes, so frankly, the wine is generally too sweet for me. I did like the Chambourcin dry red, which had a strong fruit note: cherries and blackberries, as if coming out from the oak barrels.

We sat there, on Saturday, October 22, and enjoyed each other's company. I was with some women friends for a rare get-away. We had to catch the third game of the World Series, so we trekked back to the hotel - a Comfort Suites at exit 159. The manager let us turn on the lights in the breakfast lobby, and told us if we didn't make too much noise, we could turn on the television. We watched as the ball started really flying in the warm Texas air. When the score was 11-6 Cards, a fan got ejected from the game for throwing a cup on to the field. He was trying to distract the Cards' right fielder as he went for a pop-up. The catch was made, however, and the fan was forced to take a long walk.

It seems odd to me to see the major leaguers with the funny-looking twisted cords around their necks. What is that? Bungee cords? Soap on a rope? Turns out, most MLB players are wearing these things now - they are made in Japan, and coated with titanium. It is supposed to help with fatigue, but I think it looks silly around these big, superstitious guys.

Albert Pujois smashed in three home runs in this game, becoming the first player to do so since Reggie Jackson and before him, Babe Ruth. It was a memorial, career cinching game, one for the books. Albert looks like a giant playing among Lilliputians, his quiet power overwhelming the field. Three home runs haven't be done by a player in the Wold Series since 1977. Until this game, he was 0 for homers in the first two.

After this game, it seemed as though the Cardinals were invincible, but what a difference a day makes. With the lovely Laura Bush in the stands behind home plate, the Rangers would go on to dominate game four in a 0 - 4 shutout on October 23. My blog isn't showing the last day I worked on a post, so sorry. It shows the day I begin a draft, and somehow I can't date it for Monday the 24th as I finish it. Always something new to learn. More World Series action to come - stay tuned.