Cardinals fans celebrate, prepare for World Series

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals' journey to the World Series may not have been a pretty one, but the chance to be world champions for the first time in more than 20 years is a beautiful thing for the team's fans.

While tears rolled down the cheeks of a few New York Mets faithful Thursday night at Shea Stadium, bars and living rooms across St. Louis were in pandaemonium.

"We went crazy," said Joe Collins, who woke his wife up late Thursday night to tell her the news. "I loved watching the Mets fans cry in the stands. I was so happy. Is that bad?"

Yadier Molina's two-run homer in the ninth inning secured the Cardinals' spot in the Series against the Detroit Tigers.

"I bit off all of my fingernails," said Mandy Goddard, of nearby Columbia, Ill. "'Stayin' Alive,' is our theme song."

Like other St. Louis fans, Goddard thought the season was done when the Mets' Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen's home run with an amazing catch over the outfield wall in the sixth. Goddard closed her eyes when the Mets threatened to tie or win in the ninth with bases loaded.

Games 1 and 2 of the Series are tonight and Sunday night in Detroit, then St. Louis plays the first of a possible three at home starting Tuesday.

Goddard, a season ticket holder, said, "Beware of the underdog."

She's throwing a watch party tonight for Game 1 and stopped by the stadium Friday to buy a "Cardinals No. 1" foam finger for $8.

The Cardinals' team store at the new Busch Stadium was packed with fans Friday buying newly minted National League Champion gear.

St. Louis made it to the Series despite an ugly loosing skid that almost cost the team a playoff spot at the end of the regular season. The Cardinals' 83 regular-season wins is the second fewest for a World Series team. St. Louis advanced despite finishing the NLCS in a 1-for-21 slump with runners in scoring position.

"It doesn't matter how they got there. They did it," said Chris McMahon.

The lifelong Cardinals fan stopped by the stadium to pick up standing-room-only tickets he secured in an online lottery the team used to sell tickets.

"I'm still trying to get over the adrenaline rush," he said.

St. Louis' last trip to the Series was in 2004, when the Cardinals were swept by the Boston Red Sox. St. Louis has not brought the championship title home since 1982, when the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers. This is their 17th trip to the Series in team history.

Meanwhile, Detroit is back in the World Series for the first time since 1984.

"St. Louis has one of the most rabid fan bases in the country," said Don Vaccaro, president of Ticket Liquidator in Vernon, Conn.

The online ticket broker is selling a few thousand seats for the World Series online, with prices starting at $300 (at least double the face value) and luxury seats being sold for $3,500 apiece.

"There's a lot of hard-core fans who'll pay just about anything to see their team," Vaccaro said.