In truth, I couldn’t tell the difference.

During that series, a strange thing happened. People around the country began to dislike the Cardinals. I remember reading stories in which the writers said it was a compliment. And yes, in a way it was. When I was a kid, many people disliked the Yankees. That’s because they won so much. That certainly explained the resentment that some people felt toward the Cardinals.

But I suspect some of it had to do with the Cardinal Way.

It’s like that “Best Fans in Baseball” stuff. When I arrived here in 1980, St. Louisans weren’t calling themselves the best fans in baseball. They seemed to consider themselves good fans, very good fans, the equal to any fans in the country. As good as fans in Detroit. As good as fans in Chicago. As good as fans in Pittsburgh. Better than fans in Philadelphia. (They boo too much.) But not the best fans.

Of course, St. Louis was a Midwestern city back then. Midwesterners are understated. Over the years, Missouri has slid down the map and taken St. Louis with it. We’re Southerners now. Southerners aren’t understated.