In 1991, a large percentage of the Gustavus student body was in diapers and, for some of the first-years, not even born. From family, friends and the greater Minnesota sporting fan base, I have learned that Oct. 26, 1991 was a “I remember where I was when Puckett hit the walk-off in game six” moment. Many people don’t even remember there was a game afterwards that determined the championship that year.

It is those memories, good and bad, that burn into your mind. As Vikings fans we remember 1998 when Gary Anderson missed the field goal to send the Vikings to the Super Bowl. Or just two years ago when Brett Favre threw an interception across his body, costing the Vikings yet another Super Bowl.

Moments like these in playoff baseball have the ability to ignite a town. We can all recall the majority of the past decade where the Twins have been in the playoffs. Many baseball fans remember the Smell ‘Em T-shirts and The Piranhas of the early 2000s. In the playoffs the state catches the fever. Watching games in class and hanging onto each pitch and at-bat became staples of Twins playoff baseball coverage.

As the Twins were nowhere near the playoffs, the greater Minneapolis area was left without the excitement for a year. However, Texas and St. Louis found themselves in such an environment and Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 would prove to be a night of ignition for St. Louis and the Cardinals.

Exactly twenty years after Kirby sent the Twins to game seven, David Freese hit a home run that had Cardinal’s Joe Buck saying, “and we’ll see you tomorrow night,” just as his father Jack Buck said when Puckett was pumping his fists rounding the bases in the Metrodome.

With a series of comebacks, game six of the 2011 World Series was the best baseball game of our lifetime. While Gustavus may not have the local tie to the Cardinals or the Rangers, the intricacies of that game led any baseball fan to appreciation.

This series was a chess match between Cardinals’s manager Tony LaRussa and Rangers’s manager Ron Washington. LaRussa admitted to making a mistake by not having his closer warmed up in game five so he had to leave left-handed Mark Rzepcynski in the game to face the right-handed Mike Napoli who in turn ended up doubling, costing the Cardinals the game and nearly the series.

Cardinal first basemen Albert Pujols left a game earlier in the series after a loss without talking to the media. He was instantly ambushed with hate. Writers attempted to “Lebronatize” him and make him the antagonist. They said this would be bad terms if he left St. Louis, as this is the last season on his current contract.

The media was wrong all along. And while the Cardinals inched into the playoffs at 90-72, today they are the best team in baseball. Behind David Freese and Allen Craig, two upcoming superstars, the future looks bright in St. Louis with or without Pujols.

Pujols may be one of the best hitters baseball has ever seen with a doubtful future, but none of that matters now. St. Louis was ignited after winning game six and that city is still on fire after they went on to win the 2011 World Series. After how game six ended was there really ever a chance they were going to lose game seven?