MLB
Why did David Freese decline induction into the Cardinals Hall of Fame?
Being elected to your hometown team’s Hall of Fame is a dream come true for any player, but for David Freese it would seem that the crown was too heavy.
A local boy grows up idolizing his home town team. He goes on to play for that team and hits one of the most memorable home runs in the team’s history, helping the team win the World Series. The local fans think so much of the boy that they vote to induct him into their team’s Hall of Fame.
Dream come true, right?
Not if you are David Freese.
You see, the St Louis area native played for the Cardinals, and provided one of the greatest moments in the city’s sporting history when he smashed a walk off homer in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, keeping the Cards alive to come back and win in Game 7. He was voted MVP of both the World Series and the NL Championship Series that year.
Fans in St Louis voted to add his name to the Cardinals Hall of Fame, joining such legends as Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Rogers Hornsby and Stan Musial.
And for a dyed-in-the-wool Cardinal fan like Freese, that is what gave him pause. “I look at who I was during my tenure, and that weighs heavily on me. The Cardinals and the entire city have always had my back in every way. I’m forever grateful to be part of such an amazing organization and fan base then, now and in the future.”
Simply put, Freese doesn’t think that he is good enough to go into the Hall, so he has declined the honor. He spent his first five major league seasons with St Louis before being traded to the Angels, before spending time in Pittsburgh and with the Dodgers.
His career stats perhaps bear his feeling out, with a .277 average and .774 OPS. Of his career 113 home runs, 44 were wearing Cardinal colors.
Here is the statement that Freese released:
“This is something that I have given an extreme amount of thought to, humbly, even before the voting process began. I am aware of the impact I had helping the team bring great memories to the city I grew up in, including the 11th championship, but this honor means more to me.
I look at who I was during my tenure, and that weighs heavily on me. The Cardinals and the entire city have always had my back in every way. I’m forever grateful to be part of such an amazing organization and fan base then, now and in the future. I’m especially sorry to the fans that took the time to cast their votes.
Cardinal Nation is basically the reason why I’ve unfortunately waited so long for this decision and made it more of a headache for so many people. I feel strongly about my decision and understand how people might feel about this. I get it. I’ll wear it. Thank you for always being there for me, and I am excited to be around the Cardinals as we move forward.”
While the Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt Jr said that he was sad that Freese had declined to be inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame, he understood and respected Freese’s position, saying that Freese is “always welcome at Busch Stadium.”