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A Meditation On Happy Flight

Posted on October 20, 2011 at 12:18 PM
Filed Under: St. Louis Cardinals
I don't often deviate from writing about the Cardinals in this space.  Recaps, analysis, predictions, all that sort of stuff.  However, I am right now.  If you aren't a religious person, you may want to skip this one.  I don't think it's overtly offensive to those that aren't Christian, but your tolerance level may be at a different place than mine is.  No hard feelings if you skip this one, as long as you come back for more Cardinal talk later.  (And, really, even if you don't return, there's still no hard feelings on this end.)

Anyway, when I was looking over the Google analytics for the blog earlier this week, I noticed a lot of people were reaching this blog by looking for "the meaning of happy flight".  For some reason, that struck me not just as a Cardinal fan, but as a Christian.

If, for some reason, you are coming to this post not as a Cardinal fan, but one that is curious about the "happy flight" phrase, let me first give you what you are looking for.  Back in August, the team--I believe it started with Rafael Furcal, actually--started using that label as a goal.  If the Cardinals could win the game before they left town, the flight to their next location (home or away) would be a happy one.  The Cards kept winning those games (and others as well) and made a miraculous push to the playoffs.  The phrase "happy flight" now resounds as a catchphrase on those days, as evidenced by the team chanting it on the field in Milwaukee after they had won the National League Championship Series and punched their ticket for the Fall Classic.

The baseball reasoning behind the term is a fun story, one that will always be associated with the 2011 Cardinals.  However, you could put some religious meaning behind it as well.

As a Christian, I believe in the ultimate flight, that at some point all will ascend to heaven for judgement, whether when we pass away or on the actual Judgement Day.  That will happen.  The question is, will it be a happy flight?  Will the results be what we want?

The Cardinals are always going to take a flight when they have to change cities, just like we will take that eventual ultimate flight.  However, they have to put in the time, put in the work, play the game the right way to have a "happy flight."

We as Christians have to do the same.  We have to live our lives as if the flight is tomorrow.  That means making sure we have a good relationship with God and that we love our neighbor as ourselves.  There's no time for pettiness or selfishness.  We're working for that happy flight, and the toil and sweat of this earth, just like any blemishes in a winning game, will be quickly forgotten as we chant "happy flight."

Anyway, I hope that those that aren't Christian aren't offended by this, but it came to me and, as this is a baseball blog, it seemed appropriate.  (It's also my baseball blog, which seems somewhat relevant!)  I have another baseball-Christianity connections, such as the stitching on the baseball and the connection between Lent and spring training, but I'll spare you those unless the response to this demands that.

Of course, if you are interested in the intersection of baseball and Christianity, at least in the aspect of ballplayers writing about their faith, be sure to check out the E-Fellowship blog that players such as Adam Wainwright, Blake Hawksworth, and others contribute to.

Here's hoping the Cardinals have a baseball happy flight tonight!


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3 Comments

3 Comments | Leave a comment

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Jason Mark Anderman | October 20, 2011 4:12 PM | Reply

I'm Jewish, and have no problem with you making associations between Christianity and baseball. I believe people engender religious disputes when they argue that everyone must follow one religion (or sect) and have no interest in learning about other views. In that vein, and speaking as a long time reader of your blog, I'd encourage you to share your particular perspective so readers like me can learn about an eclectic take on baseball. I'd particularly like to read posts about "the stitching on the baseball and the connection between Lent and spring training."

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WilliaminMaine | October 21, 2011 12:44 AM | Reply

Count me in on the stitching and Lent stories. Really nice comment from Jason. A rational man is a good man.

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Author Profile Page Cardinal70 | October 21, 2011 8:58 AM | Reply

I appreciate the comments from both of you. Like I say, I didn't think it was all that controversial, but you know how it is when religion gets put into the conversation, no matter how innocently.

Maybe in the offseason I can put all my baseball/Christianity thoughts into one post--they aren't long or deep, just some of the things my mind thinks about while sitting in church!

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Heroes
Matt Holliday (5)
Matt Carpenter (4)
Rafael Furcal (4)
Carlos Beltran (3)
Jon Jay (3)
Kyle Lohse (3)
Lance Lynn (3)
Yadier Molina (3)
David Freese (2)
Jaime Garcia (2)
Adam Wainwright (2)
Lance Berkman (1)
Allen Craig (1)
Shane Robinson (1)
Fernando Salas (1)
Jake Westbrook (1)

2011 Top Hero: Lance Berkman (24)
2010 Top Heroes: Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols (24)
2009 Top Hero: Albert Pujols (28)
2008 Top Hero: Albert Pujols (25)

Goats
Matt Holliday (4)
Carlos Beltran (3)
David Freese (3)
Jaime Garcia (3)
Marc Rzepczynski (3)
Adam Wainwright (3)
Rafael Furcal (2)
Tyler Greene (2)
Jason Motte (2)
J.C. Romero (2)
Fernando Salas (2)
Mitchell Boggs (1)
Matt Carpenter (1)
Tony Cruz (1)
Daniel Descalso (1)
Jon Jay (1)
Erik Komatsu (1)
Kyle Lohse (1)
Victor Marte (1)
Eduardo Sanchez (1)
Jake Westbrook (1)

2011 Top Goat: Ryan Theriot (12)
2010 Top Goat: Brendan Ryan (14)
2009 Top Goats: Rick Ankiel and Todd Wellemeyer (13)
2008 Top Goat: Troy Glaus (13)

2012 Happy Flights
Happy Flights: 7
Happy Flight Opportunities: 12
Happy Flight %: 58%

Through 5/20

    Cardinal Nation Approval Ratings (March 2012)
    Adam Wainwright 91.9% (down 2.8%)
    Chris Carpenter 90.1% (up 3.2%)
    Lance Berkman 88.6%
    Tony La Russa 88.2% (up 17.4%)
    Yadier Molina 87.4% (up 3.7%)
    Matt Holliday 87.3% (down 3.8%)
    David Freese 85.5%
    John Mozeliak 85.4% (up 13.3%)
    Mike Shannon 85.3% (up 0.4%)
    Jose Oquendo 84.7%
    Derrick Goold 82.8% (down 5.0%)
    Mark McGwire 82.6% (up 20.1%)
    John Rooney 81.5% (down 2.8%)
    Mike Matheny 81.1%
    Bill DeWitt 79.8% (up 8.8%)
    United Cardinal Bloggers 78.9%
    Skip Schumaker 73.3% (up 9.2%)
    Jim Hayes 71.9% (down 4.2%)
    Jon Jay 71.1%
    B.J. Rains 69.5% (down 0.9%)
    Kyle Lohse 68.9% (up 13.8%)
    Dan McLaughlin 68.0%
    Joe Strauss 67.7% (up 10.2%)
    Ricky Horton 67.5% (down 1.6%)
    Al Hrabosky 66.4% (up 3.2%)
    Albert Pujols 54.9% (down 45.5%)
    Colby Rasmus 46.5% (down 35.3%)

    2011
    Dave Duncan 87.9% (up 0.9%)
    Matthew Leach 85.5%
    Pop Warner 76.7%
    Ryan Franklin 72.8% (up 3.1%)
    John Vuch 68.9%
    Jeff Luhnow 66.4%
    Dan Lozano 58.7%

    2009
    Rick Ankiel 83.9%
    Chris Duncan 69.1%


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