2013 Essays

My Father and Stan the Man

Mitchell, Lincoln A.

A few hours after the Cardinals won the 2011 World Series, I got an email from my father saying "Tonight, this old Cardinals fan is very happy." My father is far from a big sports fan and grew up in New Jersey, making it unclear why he was a Cardinals fan. It was possible that he was simply rooting against the Rangers because of the presence of George W. Bush in the owner's box periodically during the World Series, but it was unlikely that my father was even paying attention that closely. Over the years, I have met other men my father's age who were also lifelong Cardinals fans despite growing up in the east, where they were a lot closer to Boston, New York, Philadelphia or Washington.