As a baseball photographer, the season is long and each day usually provides some sort of story, some worth remembering and others, well…  there’s always tomorrow.  And then, there are the once in a lifetime days, the career days, the days you will never forget…  July 23, 2009 was one of those days for me. I’d like to once again share my thoughts, emotions and outcome of what it’s like to experience and capture for the ages one of baseball’s rarest feat’s…  the perfect game.  I’d been looking forward to covering the finale of the four game series between the Rays and White Sox… we (…being the team photographer, I always consider the White Sox “we”) had an opportunity to get back into first place with a victory, and with Mark Buehrle on the bump, not only did the chance sound reasonable, it might also happen quickly.  Mark is well known for his “speed”, and game times at or around 2 hours are a regular occurrence for the All-Star lefty.

Around the fifth inning I thought I'd better at least start making a few shots of Mark, even though I had plenty of file photos already in the archive. This day might become special. I was right.

Before the game I reviewed my archive and noted that I’ve already shot a number of games with Mark pitching, so adding more “file images” wasn’t really a pressing thing on my agenda…  We were preparing a cover story on Scott Podsednik, so Scott was really my focus (pun intended) for the day…  Things began well for the White, helped by a second inning grand slam by Josh Fields that gave the White Sox a quick 4-0 lead…  But in general, it was a rather “boring” game…  no pictures, a lot of three up and three down innings, and as we progressed along, the clouds came and we had a few sprinkles to dampen the day…

The fifth inning started and that’s when the chatter about a no-hitter began in the photo box…  We had more than the usual amount of photographers in house this game, and I remember telling Brian Kersey “I don’t know if I’m in the mood to shoot a no-hitter today, I’m a little tired from this homestand”…  Superstitions be damned, we were gonna start talking about what was going on, since A) we really didn’t think it would happen anyway, B) Mark had already thrown a no-hitter, how likely would it be that he would throw another and C) the Rays are a pretty dominate offensive club…  tough to keep off base and then once they’re ON base, tough to keep in one place.

Well, Mark kept mowing em’ down… on to the sixth…

I decided to change the conversation to that of a perfect game…  I let everyone know that we had more than a no-hitter going, we had a perfecto, and, well, I’m tired and I just don’t think I can handle the pressure of shooting a no-hitter, much less a perfect game.  However, I think most of us in that box agreed that if we get into the seventh inning and Mark’s still throwing a perfect game, it will be time to get serious…  minutes later, the side was retired and we were moving on into the top of the seventh…  show time, my friends…  time to “put on the blinders, block out the noise and put ‘The Plan’ into gear…”

I spent the seventh inning settling in on my final location, as well as making additional images of Mark in action. Glad I did, I ended up landing a Gatorade ad for my efforts.

The Plan…  I’ve rehearsed The Plan in my mind, and occasionally, on location a few times in recent years.  But as luck would have it (or really lack of luck), someone would get a hit and it was, well, better luck another day…  and July 23 was just that as I went back to my office to re-group and prepare.  I loaded new batteries, installed fresh cards and made the decision as to which lenses to come out with for the top of the eighth inning….  I grabbed my Nikon 70-200 and  200-400 zoom lens and set my D3 on the 70-200 to shoot RAW plus JPG and headed back to the field…

For those of you who don’t know me personally, not only is the combination of baseball and photography my career, they are my two passions.  I LOVE the classic photos from the game, photos that have forever been associated with the great players and moments in Major League Baseball history.  And when I would think about no-hitters and perfect games, iconic images of Sandy Koufax and Don Larsen come to mind…  and to me, what made these images classic and memorable was one key ingredient… the scoreboard in the background.  Scoreboards tell a wonderful story all by themselves, whether they were from the Yankee Stadium in 1956 with Don Larsen, the 60’s at Chavez Ravine with Sandy Koufax or July 23 with Mark Buehrle.  The combination of the player and the scoreboard tells the perfect visual story.

There you have it…  The Plan…  for “The Picture”…  now comes the tough part.  Execution!!

I made my way down next to the Rays dugout on the first base side of U.S. Cellular Field in the top of the eighth inning and sized up the situation.  The VERY BEST location was a seat in the middle of the front row, one section to the left of the dugout.  Cool!  Well, not quite…  there were fans in those seats today, and considering what was going on, my talking them out of those seat were, well…. impossible.  That’s when I noticed that maybe that seat wasn’t so great… it was in-line with the Rays on-deck circle.  And there isn’t a player in the game today that just “sits in the on-deck circle”… they move around.  Dangerous stuff when you’re attempting to record history.  Time to modify The Plan…

I spent the eighth inning "test shooting" The Picture". Mark pitches so fast I didn't get much practice in!

I went right next to the Rays dugout and talked to one of our security officers who was stationed in that spot.  Thankfully, most everyone at the ballpark knows me, and he graciously let me sit in front of him on a stool near the Rays batboy…  I sized up my shot and felt it would work…  it was the best I felt I could do with the least amount of “risk”, so I settled in.

As Mark polished off the Rays in the eighth, I felt it was a good time to have a “chat” with the Rays batboy…  I tapped him on the shoulder and said “should ‘things’ happen next inning, please be aware that I’m right behind you to your right, and to please avoid as best you can walking in front of me to the dugout”.  He shook his head in acknowledgement and, as I can say now, remembered what I said…  I don’t know your name young man, but if you read this before I see you again, “thank you”… job well done!  I “put on the blinders” to start the ninth.  I basically spent the entire time looking through the lens and listening to the crowd reaction.  They roar or groan of the crowd would be my audio indicator as to what was going on around me.  All I had to do is concentrate…

Problem is, Mark Buehrle pitches INCREDIBLY quick!!  Even when shooting file images, it’s really difficult to re-compose, re-focus and shoot!  Now, with an added sense of nerves working against me, his speed was, well, freakin’ me out a bit…  slow down, Mark…  yeah, sure…  The first batter in the ninth, Gabe Kapler, lifted a long, high fly ball towards the left centerfield gap…  I thought it was gone from where I was situated.  I began thinking about my other close but not quite games…  I had shot a no-hitter back in 1984 by Jack Morris, but I think he had 6 walks…  I remember shooting two games where the no-hitter or perfect game came apart with two outs in the ninth… Scott Garralts at Candlestick Park and Milt Wilcox at Comiskey Park…  oh well.  Then I heard the crowd…  A loud roar bellowed throughout U.S. Cellular Field as DeWayne Wise made one of the greatest catches, considering the importance of the catch, I think there has ever been!  I really didn’t know how great a catch it was until I watched highlights later…  WOW!  One out!   Quickly, the next batter, Michel Hernandez, was out on strikes…  One out to go…

While all this was happening, I was “test shooting” The Picture with every batter… I really had to concentrate on my focus point.  Using the 70-200, I have found it is much harder for me to focus “short glass” than it is long telephoto lenses.  My tests confirmed this.  Settle on a focal length that works, concentrate (quickly, remember, it’s Mark pitching!) on focus and be ready.  The 200-400 was between my legs, ready to go once the pitch was delivered.  But The Picture was to be made with the 70-200…  Jason Bartlett, always a tough out, was the last batter.  I shot every pitch, listening closely to the crowd.  Everyone was on their feet, cheering every strike, groaning with every ball… quickly, it was 2 balls and a strike… the wind up and pitch…

CHICAGO - JULY 23: Mark Buehrle #56 of the Chicago White Soxn Bartlet throws the final pitch of the game to Jason Bartlett to record the 18th perfect game in major league history against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 23, 2009 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox defeated the Rays 5-0. (Photo by Ron Vesely)

I heard the bat followed by the crowd roaring… dropping my 70-200 to my lap I grabbed my 200-400…  history!  I was now in what I call “machine mode”…  I felt like no one else was around me…  Just shoot as best you can…  a few of the Rays made their way back into the dugout, so I was unable to see the initial reaction and celebration, but I picked up on it as soon as my sight lines cleared…  But if I accomplished what I had rehearsed in my mind for years, preparing for this moment, I should have succeeded in achieving my goal… The Picture...  everything else would be gravy from this point on as long as I made The Picture…

Just like many of the more recent perfect games tossed in the majors the past 4 seasons, the jube was nothing to write home about. But it's NOT history...it's the result OF history!

I didn’t have time to “chimp” The Picture until later…  geez, that makes me reminisce about what it would have been like to have made The Picture back in the film days…  no chimping, 36 frames per roll, lousy processing screwing it all up, scratches on the emulsion side of the film from a crappy slide mounter…  Forget hitting the buffer!  Try capturing these great moments with 36 frames per roll!  (Flash back…  Joe Carter walk-off World Series winning home run…film…how did we do it?)  Film… the “good old days”?  I don’t think so!  It’s a no brainer for me… I’ll take my chances with filling the buffer!

Every perfect game seems to have that one special moment. For Phil Humber, it was Brandon Ryan swinging at ball four as it skipped away from A.J. Pierzynski, Buehrle's was DeWayne Wise's spectacular catch.

After a few seconds, I leapt over the wall (remember, the security guards all know me and I had club credentials… don’t try this or you might end up spending the night in “the cell”, and I don’t mean U.S. Cellular Field, and headed out to follow Mark.  I set my 200-400 down on the ground behind home plate and quickly realized that the 70-200 was a bit tight for what I really needed…  but it still time to concentrate, and I’m glad I was because I was able to capture Mark hugging DeWayne Wise, who made the perfect game saving, home run stealing catch.

I wish the shaving cream pie in the face and water dumped on the head was a thing of the past. I hate having a historical moment cheapened by such behavior. It doesn't seem fitting nor appropriate.

It looked like all of the wire and newspaper photographers went to transmit as soon as Mark left the field, but I made my way to cover his press conference and was surprised to see that I was the only still photographer there.  Reminiscent of my coverage of the White Sox World Series run in 2005, I was in  “historian” mode and wasn’t about to leave Mark’s side until he returned to the clubhouse.  Shortly after the press conference began, word came that a certain White Sox fan who lives in the White House was looking to talk to Mark personally.  Quickly, the press conference was concluded and Mark was led to White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf’s office, where he would take the call. Marty Maloney from our PR staff and I were allowed to record this memorable moment.  Marty’s video made the evening news around the country, and my images were distributed via Getty Images to the world as well.

Buehrle received his call from President Obama immediately following the game. I understand Philip received a call too.

And of course, the fun was just only beginning!  My cell phone began ringing (unfortunately… I should have put it on “silent’) before the dust even settled… I was covering the press conference when I heard from Nate Gordon at Sports Illustrated.  Nate left a message asking if I made The Picture, and to give him a call.  Nate, Brad Mangin and I have discussed The Picture many times, usually in the context that no one made it, so I quickly made a return call to let Nate know that it was in the bag…  That said, I wanted to make sure that The Picture would be initially available exclusively to Sports Illustrated.  Of course, the White Sox could use it immediately since I was working for them, but that meant that MLB Photos and Getty Images would have to wait to be able to post or distribute my two images of The Picture.  They could distribute everything else, just not The Picture.

It took countless phone calls and emails to ensure that this indeed was worked out, but in the end it did and I believe by keeping this photo OUT of the mainstream media, it made it a special image, and I was rewarded for these efforts when I got the call from Nate on Monday to tell me that The Picture was the August 3 cover of Sports Illustrated!  Very cool on many counts, since not only was The Picture used on the cover of SI, but The Picture itself was also such an important moment in baseball and White Sox history.  Only the 11^th White Sox cover in Sports Illustrated history…  The baseball fan in me was amped up about this!

Next time you have the opportunity to cover something historic, think beyond a potential jube picture or isolated reaction image and think history, think about all those cool, old images that were shot loose and include items that tell the story.  Don’t over think your plan, yet think ahead of time (now is a good time) and have a plan in the back of your head so that it’s ready to go when you need it.  You’ll be glad you did, because history happens quickly and usually, without warning!  I’m truly blessed and still living the dream… I’ve been able to cover such historic events such as Kirby Puckett’s 1991 World Series home run, Joe Carter’s 1993 World Series walk-off Series ending home run, the 2005 White Sox World Championship run, Jim Thome’s walk-off 500^th home run, and now Mark Buehrle’s perfect game…

Kudo’s to photographers Ben VanHouten and Rod Mar.  Those boy’s got game, and made The Picture.  Anybody else??  Let me know, but I don’t think so.  For the record, shooting a random pitch in the ninth inning doesn’t cut it.  That image isn‘t history.  Remember… FORGET THE JUBE. MAKE  THE PICTURE.

Don’t let history pass you by.  It might be the only chance you’ll ever get!

Former Director of Photography at MLB Photos, Rich Pilling, reacts to having his photo taken prior to Milwaukee Brewers photo day in Maryvale, Arizona.

This year marked my 27th trip down to cover the rights of spring.  For me, the first order of business most every spring since 1985 has been covering photo days.  This year was no different than the previous 26, well, I take that back, it was slightly different this year since former Director of Photography of MLB Photos, Rich Pilling, decided to come out of retirement (two months off the clock doesn’t qualify as a retirement in my book!) to shoot a few photo days instead of running the show from his office back in New York.  It was fun to have Rich back in the trenches with us!  Needless to say, we managed to have a few laughs…

Long time Chicago Cubs team photographer Stephen Green lines up a shot during their photo day in Mesa Arizona. Steve has been the Cubs team photographer since the early 1980's.

A visit to Mesa found my good friend Stephen Green had things well under control at Cubs camp, and as I moved from camp to camp (I ended up covering 7 different club photo days), the usual assortment of fun projects and interesting studio locals added to the unforgettable memories of covering yet another week’s worth of early morning assignments out in the Arizona desert.

Rob Tringali surveys his photo studio prior to getting underway at Texas Rangers photo day. Space is at a premium at many facilities, so sometimes ya' gotta make the best of what you have available. In Rob's case, it was in the shower stall in the visitor's clubhouse.

One of the great perks of covering spring training is being able to catch up with baseball photographers from all over the country who are able to get together for a few short weeks every spring.  In no particular order, I squeezed in some quality time with baseball photogs Stephen Green, Brad Mangin, Rich Pilling, John Biever, Andy Kuno, Bob Binder, Brad Newton, Scott Paulus, Rob Tringali, Michael Keating, Mark Duncan, and many, many others.  Good times!

New White Sox manager Robin Ventura looks on during a spring training workout on the back fields at Camelback Ranch.

I consider myself extremely fortunate, since my plate was full right off the bat (pun intended).  Sports Illustrated had me on board working with the legendary John Biever and Bay Area photog and good friend Brad Mangin on a Robin Ventura story that was initially pushed back a week by the Lenny Dykstra sentencing, then again the following week by the New Orleans Saint’s scandal.   Needless to say, I ended up with a boat load of Robin Ventura images.  This visual cornucopia of Ventura images was a welcome addition to my archive, since Robin was the cover story for our first program.

Just one of the many frames from my cover photo shoot with Robin Ventura, photographed in the batting cages at Camelback Ranch.

A look at my set during my photo shoot with Robin.

Shooting for Sports Illustrated on the Ventura story while also lining up cover photo shoots of Robin and John Danks for our game programs kept me hopping that first week (don’t forget, in the morning, I was shooting the MLB photo days).  Streamlined workflow never seemed more important than it did that week!  It was hectic, but it sure was fun. Nothing like getting back in the saddle with the pedal to the metal!

Sometimes simple is good. John Danks, one softbox and reflector, photographed on a windy afternoon in the dugout at Camelback Ranch.

Once the games started I discovered there was fun to be had making pictures with my iPhone.  I’m easliy hooked by some of the cool app’s now available that transform ordinary iPhone snaps into interesting little works of art.  I’m a fan of all this technology (HDR and all are just a part of the digital darkroom as far as I’m concerned) As it turned out, the White Sox ended up liking what I was coming up with so much they decided to Tweet a few of my shots as their official “photo of the day”.

The White Sox lineup for the National Anthem prior to the game against the Rockies at Salt River Fields, shot with my iPhone and tweaked using the Dynamic Light app.

Then it was time to concentrate on making action images of some of our new players, prospects, and regulars (when I could come up with clean backgrounds).  The White Sox are one of only a few teams that wear their regular uniform during spring training.  This means my images have a shelf life a bit longer than the 4 weeks most spring training pictures have.

Surprise Stadium is one of THE best ballparks to shoot in during spring training.  Luckily for me, the White Sox had a road game scheduled the first week, so I happily headed up to Bell Road to catch this match-up.  The overhead positions there are outstanding.  Their close proximity to the field reminds me of the upper deck photo baskets at old Tiger Stadium.  Awesome.

Brent Morel goes airborne to try and snare a line shot against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.

After minor league photo day concluded (140 or so headshots in 90 minutes), I headed home to work on our archives and start getting everything ready for the season.  The last week or so was also my last chance to upgrade my computers (I dislike taking any chance with operational issues once the season starts.  I can’t afford any downtime), so I made the leap to Lion on my desktop and Mac book Pro.  After spending a full day making the switch to Lion, migrating from MobileMe to iCloud and setting up iTunes Match, I’m ready to take on the world!

April 11th and 12th I will be warming up at Wrigley to ready myself for the White Sox opener April 13th.  Ready or not, here we go again. It’s baseball time!

“Play Ball” never sounds better than on Opening Day!  I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.

Game on.

Gary Carter finished his career where it started, with the Montreal Expos in 1992.

My first encounter with Gary was during spring training down in Sarasota Florida in March of 1985.  1985 was my “rookie year”, and needless to say, I was a bit nervous approaching stars like Carter, asking them to pose for me so I could take their Fleer baseball card picture.  Posing players was a personal event.  You couldn’t hide 100 feet way with a 400mm lens and make the picture.  You had to interact with the player on a personal level, engage them in conversation and convince, coerce, or do what ever you could to get them to pose for you.

Carter was a true "gamer" who didn't hesitate to get dirty. Hidden behind his trademark smile was the grit of one of baseball's all-time great competitors.

Working with professional athletes for the first time can seem intimidating.  Whether or not this intimidation was real or perceived is debatable, but it sure felt real, especially to new photographers (as I was at the time).

I first worked with Gary in Sarasota, Florida during spring training 1985.

When it came to working with Gary, my fears were unfounded. As I gingerly approached him and introduced myself, he quickly he made me feel at ease while posing for as many photos as I needed.  Working with players like Gary Carter that gave me the confidence I needed to develop into a successful young photographer.  Thanks, Gary.

A true Hall of Famer in every way, Gary Carter will be missed by all those who had had the privilege to share the same path.

CHICAGO - 1986: Gary Carter of the New York Mets bats during an MLB game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Carter played for the Mets from 1985-1989.

An 11-time All-Star over an 19 year career, Carter was the player who, even when he beat you, you couldn’t really dislike.  Everybody loved Gary Carter.

Even between innings, Carter found ways to have fun. His smile was contagious.

What I will miss the most is his smile.  Even his Hall of Fame plaque makes mention; “An exuberant on-field general with a signature smile who was known for clutch hitting and rock-solid defense over 19 seasons”.  Through his smile you could feel his love for the game.

RIP, Kid.  Your passing creates a void in the world of baseball that will be difficult to fill.  You were special.

Thanks for the memories.

2012 Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin dusts himself off after stealing second base during a game at Riverfront Stadium.

It’s events like this that give me the kick in the pants to open up my file cabinets, grab a Schneider 4x loupe, fire up the Coolscan and take a brief journey back in time.  Quite the opposite of working in today’s digital world of metadata and PhotoShelter, where a simple search of my PhotoShelter archive produces results in seconds, locating slides could became a daunting task that could go from difficult to impossible if one didn’t maintain some sort of cataloging system.  Lucky for me I am one of those “organized” type guys.  My slides are like my children.  I know everything about them.  Not only do I know where each slide is located but I also remember details about the image itself, the game, the moment, the events of the day or perhaps some other nuance that more often than not triggers a momentary flashback to days gone by.  It’s kind of like hearing a classic song on the radio.  It evokes an emotion, a memory.  Maybe that’s why music was and still is such a major force in my life.  How much so?  More than you can imagine.

NEW YORK-CIRCA 1989: Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds looks on against the New York Mets during an MLB game at Shea Stadium. If you listen carefully, you might hear the roar of jets on final approach to LaGuardia.

Take the batting image of Larkin below for example.  Take a close look and you will discover that the Cubs Jody Davis is the man behind the mask.  What comes to mind?  “Jody, Jody Davis, catcher without fear”,  as sung by Harry Cary to the tune of Davey Crockett (Harry sang this often when Davis came to bat) is what popped into my head!  I know, a little crazy.  But this is why I love digging through my files.  There’s more.

CHICAGO - AUGUST 22: Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds bats against the Chicago Cubs during an MLB game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Larkin made his major league debut a few weeks earlier in Cincinnati. Larkin played for the Reds from 1986-2004. (Photo by Ron Vesely) Subject: Barry Larkin.

The slide mount itself told a story.  August 86 was printed on the mount by the good people at Qualux.  As I prepared to write this blog I conducted a little research and found that Larkin made his Major League debut only a few weeks prior to the date imprinted on this chrome.  Early, very early Larkin action.  Nice.  Oh yeah, there’s more.  How about this tidbit?  Pete Rose played his last game as a player only a week before this image was taken.  One slide.  Many memories.

You'd better have brought a 600mm lens if you wanted to shoot batters from the outside photo position (which was actually part of the Reds dugout) at Riverfront Stadium.

Back when I traveled extensively while covering baseball, Cincinnati was one of my stops.  Although Riverfront Stadium, with its AstroTurf wasn’t what I would call “photo friendly” (think the mysterious focus issues of Camelback Ranch caused me headaches, shooting film on a hot, sunny day while using a 600 at Riverfront was a real treat), it was still a place to visit at least once a year to get the Reds at home in their white uniforms.  You needed either a 300 or less to shoot from the inside well, or a 600mm to shoot from the far outside position (actually part of the dugout).  For batters, that was the spot.  Check out the security guard in the background, obviously distracted.  Lucky for him Barry didn’t foul one off his coconut.

My journey continued as I came upon this headshot I made of Barry during spring training in Plant City. I recall setting up my “studio” on a screened in porch near the Reds clubhouse, on a cool and rather foggy and humid Florida morning.

I see I missed something while making this picture. I forgot to have Barry button that top button.

It’s been years since I covered spring training in Florida, but I remember one little tidbit that made the visit to Plant City a memorable one.  There was rumored to be a large alligator lurking in the pond just beyond the clubhouse.  Never did see him, but it wasn’t cause I wasn’t trying!  Must have been the fog.

CHICAGO: Barry Larkin celebrates with Bo Diaz of the Cincinnati Reds after Larkin hit a home run during an MLB game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Larkin played for the Reds from 1986-2004.

Sometimes the memories aren’t always happy ones.  Scanning this image of Larkin celebrating at home plate, I noticed he was celebrating with Bo Diaz.  Bo Diaz.  I remember him, and unfortunately, I remember that he died tragically young, shortly after retiring from baseball.  He was killed while adjusting his satellite dish at his home in Caracas.  37 years young.  Just another reminder to live every day like it’s your last.  Balls out, friends.  Because one day, it will be.

My travels took me to the west coast at least once every season, usually for a week at a time.  I loved shooting in the Bay Area! I would  be lying if I didn’t admit that I have become a tad envious of friend and MLB Photos World Series teammate Brad Mangin’s locale.  68 and sunny, not a cloud in the sky, every single game.  Or so it seems. This image of Barry was made while visiting Candlestick, and although the photo is nothing special, it brought back memories of hanging with Brad, Jeff Carlick, Martha Jane Stanton, Otto Gruele, Mike Zagaris and others for the better part of a week.  I can still taste the oyster shooters special from happy hour at the Hyatt.  Delicious!

Sunny and not a cloud in the sky, typical summertime weather in the Bay Area. Barry knew to flip down the sunglasses to help find the ball in that "high sky".

Maybe it was while I was on this trip that I signed all of the baseball’s Jeff had on display in a beautiful Carlick pottery creation. (On the sweet spot, every one, I might add).  There’s more, but I think you get the idea.  The stories are endless.

Thanks, Barry, for being elected to the Hall of Fame.  The memories you provided are priceless.

Mark celebrates the White Sox division clincher in Detroit in 2005, the first of four champagne parties we enjoyed together that fall!

Once again, I have been around to witness the development of a baseball superstar from the very beginning only to sadly watch him depart before I’m ready to see him leave.  That’s baseball though, and business is, well, business.  However, Mark was special.  His departure inspired me to take a look back at his career as seen through my lens.  Highlights?  There were many.  Laughs?  I’ve lost count.  Moments that can’t be shared here?  There are definitely a few of those too.

I think you get the idea...

Let’s just say that he had a certain salute reserved for me whenever he was in front of my camera.  I have quite the collection and hope to add to it the first time the Marlins make their way to Wrigley Field next season.

Some things may end, but they never change…

Mark knows how to have fun, and it showed both on and off the field.  That’s where the laughs came from.  Whether it was filming a TV commercial or shooting a program cover, it was all about fun for him, and in turn that made it fun for everyone else.

Mark Buehrle delivers a pitch at Comiskey Park as a rookie during the 2000 season.

Mark made his debut in 2000 on a White Sox club that made the postseason for the first time in 7 years, albeit only to have the Mariners spoil the party in quick fashion.  He was part of “The Kids Can Play” group that joined the club between 1999 and 2001.  Check out the photo below which featured the young talent being developed within the White Sox farm system.  Only one of those guys really made it.  Burls.

White Sox farm system players of the future, circa 2001. Left to right: Jon Rauch, Joe Borchard, Matt Ginter, Mark Buehrle, Josh Fogg, David West, Dan Wright, Lorenzo Barcelo and Rocky Biddle

Five years after his debut I had the ride of a lifetime as the White Sox won the 2005 World Series.  11-1 in the posteason, the White Sox were powered by a dominating pitching staff led by Mark.  That was only the beginning.

White Sox starting pitchers (L-R) Jon Garland, Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras and Freddy Garcia celebrate with pitching coach Don Cooper after the four each hurled complete game wins against the Angels to lead the White Sox to the 2005 World Series, the first time that feat had occurred since the 1950's.

One of the most exciting moments in my career was covering Mark’s perfect game versus the Tampa Bay Rays on July 23, 2009.  As nervous as I was preparing for the “image” of the final pitch, I wondered just how in the hell he could throw strikes!  How was it that he wasn‘t nervous?  Cool and calm under pressure.  That was what Mark Buehrle was.  Get the ball, throw the ball, repeat.  No time for nervousness. He pitched so fast during the ninth inning I remember feeling like I had no time to focus between pitches.  Mark worked so damn fast I could barely keep up.  Fortunately I did, and the result was my first Sports Illustrated cover.

As many know, Mark threw two no-hitters while pitching for the White Sox, but unfortunately I wasn’t there for the first one.  Let me explain.  I left the ballgame that night in the third inning to relieve my baby sitter, who was working overtime.  It was a cold, misty  April night, pretty lousy actually.  And who would ever predict that there will be a no-hitter thrown this night?  I mean, it hadn’t been since Joel Horlen twirled a no-no at old Comiskey Park back in 1967 that  a White Sox pitcher threw a no-hitter at home.  Ha! Was I in for a surprise.  I arrived home and turned the game on as I always do (I was listening to music on the ride home) and noted that the game was in the bottom of the 7th, and the Sox were shutting out the Rangers. Great! Then I saw the line score.  Crap!  I knew I had no time to turn around and get back to the ballpark with Mark pitching, so I did the same thing I did back in 1967… I watched a White Sox pitcher throw a no-hitter live on television.

The two greatest left handed pitchers in White Sox history, Mark Buehrle and Billy Pierce pose for a photo during "1959 reunion weekend" at U.S. Cellular Field in 2005.

I felt sick.  Shortly after the game I received a phone call from our PR Department (who knew I wasn’t there) requesting that Mark was looking for me to take some pictures of him with his family… “Oh, you aren’t here?” was their response.  Nice.  Busting my chops.   A few days later pitching coach Don Cooper asked me for photos from Mark’s masterpiece for his home, fully aware I wasn’t there. Messin’ with Ves.  I thought I’d ever live this one down.

CHICAGO - JULY 23: Mark Buehrle #56 of the Chicago White Sox throws the final pitch of the game to Jason Bartlett to record the 18th perfect game in major league history against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 23, 2009 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox defeated the Rays 5-0.

Flash forward to 2009.  After Mark’s first no-hitter, the rules changed (obviously) regarding when I leave the ballpark.  Pretty simple, actually.  No leaving the yard until the opposition gets a hit.  Makes sense.  Too bad I had to learn the hard way.  July 23, 2009 I was given a second chance.  This time, I didn’t watch it on TV!

Mark and I posed for a photo the day he ended up signing his four year contract extension back in 2007. I was thrilled to have four more years of Mark messing with my world.

I made sure to kid Mark after the game by letting him know I only shoot perfect games, not no-hitters.  I then made up a special print of the final pitch for Mark, signed by me.  My inscription?  “Mark, Thanks for the second chance”.  The 8000 pound gorilla finally flew off my back!

On and off the field, Mark was fun to be around!

I’m going to miss our everyday interactions, since Mark always caught the ceremonial first pitche(s) (except on days when he pitched of course).  It didn’t matter if it was a kid from Tinley Park or Kid Rock.  Every game.  Who will take over next season? I suspect Mark’s shadow, John Danks will step in.  Two peas in a pod.  John would be a natural to step in and fill Mark’s void.

Appropriately, during Mark’s  final appearance in a White Sox uniform last September it seemed as though the skies were crying when a steady rain began to fall.  I felt a sense of sadness in the air.

I felt Mother Nature became a bit emotional during Mark's last start in a White Sox uniform September 27, 2011 against the Blue Jays.

So long, Mark! What a ride you gave us all. 2005′s magic may never have been without you.  I can’t thank you enough for the memories.  Seriously.  Quit laughing…!

So now that you’re in the National League it’s time to set a new goal.  Sure, you’ve won a World Series ring while earning a win and a save, hit a home run, thrown a no-hitter and perfect game while also winning three Gold Gloves so what else is there?

Time to hit for the cycle my friend.  Something tells me you will.

Game Seven’s photo rotation had me in the third base photo pit with Brad Mangin upstairs in the elevated first spot and MLB Director of Photography Rich Pilling in the inside first photo well, next to Cardinal team photographer Scott Rovak.  What this meant was that I was the “clubhouse” guy for tonight.  Champagne.  Sticky, nasty, eye stinging champagne.  Oh well.  The luck of the draw hadn’t gone my way since the Cardinals last won in 2006, so I was due.  Pregame was spent enclosing my Nikon D3s, 24-70 (utilizing a screw on UV filter for added protection) and SB-800 in Aqua-tech housings.  I will say this much.  Properly attached, the Aqua-tech housing for camera, lens and flash performs very well considering the circumstances.  Rain usually doesn’t stream at you from all angles under pressure like freshly opened champagne does.  Since I own my gear, I spend a little extra time to get things on right in the hopes of minimizing potential problems later on.

The Rangers Ian Kinsler was all smiles prior to Game Seven of the 2011 World Series. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

As I was getting ready for Game Seven I wondered just how the Texas Rangers would respond to Game Six’s  double letdown.  I still can’t quite imagine how I would respond if my team had been within one strike of winning the World Series with a two run lead and two outs twice!

The Rangers actually started off strong, scoring two runs in the first inning off of Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter.  Now the question was could the Rangers pitching hold off the Cardinals offensive machine.

Josh Hamilton gets a playful noogie from one of his teammates after scoring in the first inning of Game Seven. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the first, the Cardinals got started and plated two runs on future World Series MVP David Freese’s double.  Right back at ya, Rangers.  The speed in which the Cardinals tied the score seemed to take the life right out of the Rangers and when Allen Craig hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third, the Cardinals seemed comfortably in command, even though they only had a one-run lead.

The Cardinals Albert Pujols celebrates as he crosses home plate in the first inning of Game Seven of the 2011 World Series. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Two more runs in the fifth gave the Cardinals some breathing room, and with Chris Carpenter settled in, things weren’t looking too good for Rangers Nation.  As the game progressed, I began to think about who to focus on during the initial post-game celebration/scrum following the final out.  David Freese seemed like a no-brainer, but since I was shooting from third base he would be in front of me, so I left that potential scenario to Brad and Rich.

The Rangers Matt Harrison looks on in disgust after giving up a solo home run to the Cardinals Allen Craig in the third inning of Game Seven. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

I decided I was too far away from Albert Pujols so I went with Jason Motte.  What was not predicted was that Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa pulled David Freese for a defensive replacement forth ninth inning.  You have got to be kidding me!  The soon to be named MVP pulled from the game?  No jube pictures with the Series MVP?  A photo let down for sure, especially for Brad and Rich.  Everyone went to Motte.

I had all faces looking toward me as the Cardinals rushed the field to celebrate their 11th World Series Championship. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

There is a 10 second “hold” on the initial celebration so that no television cameras interfere with the photo.  As the last out was made, I focused on Motte and waited for what seemed forever to Yadier Molina to jump in his arms.  Forever was right, because just as Molina reached the apex of his leap, the third base umpire walked in front of my camera!  I was able to make one decent frame, but the best frame was lost in the pant legs of the umpire.  Seconds later, they “released the hounds” and network and MLB production television crews raced to the pile up on the mound.  My outside work was done.  Time to head into the Cardinals clubhouse.

I gave our photo runner my long lens and jacket and donned my REI rain suit and made my way to the Cardinals dugout, where I was let in to the clubhouse via the tunnel.  I was the only photographer allowed in this way, everyone else was in line outside the main entrance to the Cardinals clubhouse.

Kyle Loshe lets loose with the champagne in the Cardinals clubhouse following their Game Seven victory over the Rangers. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

No worries, though.  Since the trophy presentation was made on the field, there was nobody in the clubhouse for what seemed like forever.  And even when the players began to filter in, no one opened any champagne until MVP David Freese came in.  And with Freese being mobbed with interview requests, the wait was on.  Finally, Freese appeared and the corks popped.  Unfortunately, picture wise, there was one or two larger groups of players just drenching the scene.  What makes better pictures are small groups of two or three players celebrating, not a waterfall of champagne from under which focus is impossible.  Word of advise for those who have never ventured into a champagne storm.  Bring a couple of towels.  It is critical to occasionally wipe the champagne off the front of the lens so that you at least have a chance to focus properly.

Mitchell Boggs (L) celebrates with Cardinals closer Jason Motte in the Cardinals clubhouse following their Game Seven victory over the Texas Rangers. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The scene petered out quickly, and I headed back to the photo work room to rinse off my cameras with water (very little champagne made it past my Aqua-tech housings) and toss my rain suit into a plastic garbage bag.  It was all over.

Goodbye’s were exchanged as the photographers who covered this historic World Series packed their gear and headed home.  A long season has once again come to a close, but heading home is always bitter sweet for baseball junkies like myself.  The memories of this World Series will help get me through this winter.  1991, 1993, 2005 and now 2011.

But in the back of my mind I can’t help but think… Can spring training only be 15 weeks away?

A view of Busch Stadium during Game Six of the 2011 World Series from my elevated photo position along the first base line. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Not once, but TWICE the Cardinals came back from a two out, two strike, down by two runs situation to end up eventually defeating the Texas Rangers and send it all to a deciding, winner take all Game Seven Friday night in St. Louis.

I’m still feeling drained from it all.  I can’t even begin to think how the Texas Rangers and their fans feel this morning.  It must feel like being hit by a truck, getting up, taking a step and then getting hit by yet another truck coming from the opposite direction!

For me, this game ranks right up there with the Twins/Braves Game Six of the 1991 World Series, which ended on a Kirby Puckett walk-off home run to send that Series to a deciding Game Seven.

Entertaining? Absolutely! Pictures to be made? All night long!

The Cardiinals David Freese did a header nearly into the third base camera well early on in Game Six. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Game Six had me positioned in the wonderful elevated first base platform, located just up the first base line from home plate.  My responsibility from this position was not to shoot batters (we had Brad Mangin and Rich Pilling located at field level) but to follow the action on the field as best I could.  Think of this position as the “roving” spot.  I had the entire field in front of me.  All I had to do was wait for things to happen.  And did things happen!

Any game with five errors is going to provide pictures.  Add 19 total runs to the equation and you can see where I’m going with this.  It was a fun game to shoot to say the least.

Rafeal Furcal and Matt Holliday got their signals crossed on what turned out to be the first of five errors commited during Game Six. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The errors started coming the fourth inning when Matt Holliday and Rafael Furcal got their signals crossed and what should have been a routine play in short left field turned into the first error of the night, and of the inning.  Shortly afterward, Fernando Salas threw wildly to second base in an attempt to force Mike Napoli.  Napoli twisted his ankle on the play and lay writhing in pain for minutes while being attended to by the Rangers training staff.  Take a look at the frame I made of Napoli’s ankle and tell me how he didn’t snap it in two.

The Rangers Mike Napoli somehow avoided serious injury on this slide into second base. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The fact that he didn’t injure himself severely and ended up staying in the game blew me away.  I’m thinking Series MVP for sure should the Rangers hang on.  The way the Cardinal defense was playing, it looked at this point like it was the Rangers night.  Sure.

The Cardinals David Freese had began his wild night in the third inning when he went upside down and nearly landed in the third base photo box attempting to catch a pop foul hit by Josh Hamilton.  Two innings later, Freese dropped a routine popup hit again by Josh Hamilton, this time resulting in a run for the Rangers.  Little did we know at the time that Freese would make amends big time later in the evening!

David Freese's night improved dramatically after dropping this Josh Hamilton pop-up in the fifth inning of Game Six. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The Cardinals game back with a run in the fourth inning, thanks to a nice takeout slide by Matt Holliday which sent Elvis Andrus skyward preventing a double play.   This allowed Lance Berkman to advance to third and eventually score the Cardinals third run of the evening.  My elevated position provided a nice angle to capture this sequence.

Matt Holliday had Elvis Andrus in his sights as he broke up a potential double play in the fourth inning. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

After the Cardinals eventually tied the score at 4-4 in the sixth, they looked like they may seize control of the game, that is until Mike Napoli once again played a major role in the outcome of the game by picking off Matt Holliday at third base.  Adrian Beltre also contributed to making this play work by deftly placing his foot between Holliday’s hand and the third base bag, a big play in a game that was beginning to take shape as one of the all-time classic games in World Series history.  This pick-off play seemed to take the steam out of the Cardinals rally and kept the score tied.

Mike Napoli and Adrian Beltre combined to pick-off Matt Holliday in the sixth inning of Game Six, shutting down a Cardinal rally. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

After the Rangers took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, it was time to start preparing for potential a World Series ending celebration pictures.  I was certain that Mike Napoli was the likely candidate to win the Series MVP, however my photo location wasn’t ideal to photograph Napoli until he was in the arms of closer Neftali Feliz.  Brad and I discussed our strategy prior to the game, and given that his photo location was in the outside third photo well, we figured he had a better angle on Napoli.  I would go to Feliz for the final out, shooting first with my 500 f4 tight vertically, then switching to my 70-200 and shoot the ensuing mob scene loose.

Not exactly the image I had in mind of Neftali Perez with two outs in the ninth inning. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

With two strikes and two outs, I was ready to go and focused on Feliz.  As I focused on Feliz, I watched him look toward right field when David Freese lifted a fly ball toward Nelson Cruz.  I was hoping that Feliz would react and spin towards me.  That didn’t happen.  The crowd was quite and then suddenly went nuts and I knew there would be no jube on this play.  It wasn’t until later that I watched the replay as the ball sailed over Cruz’s head for a triple and send the game into extra innings.

Josh Hamilton's dramatic two-run home run seemed to seal the deal for the Rangers in the bottom of the tenth inning of Game Six. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Then, like a scene out of The Natural, an injured Josh Hamilton connected on a two-run home run in the top of the tenth inning to put the Rangers back up by two.  It seemed like the Rangers really were destined to become World Champions this night.  Once again, I prepared for shooting the Rangers celebrating, this time without Neftali Feliz.  Bummer.  Feliz is a “reactor”.  Darren Oliver?  No offense Darren, but you weren’t gonna make the picture I was looking for.  I decided that Adrian Beltre would be my guy.  Lance Berkman changed those plans with a clutch hit to tie the game and send it to the eleventh.

David Freese reacts as he rounds first base after hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eleventh inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a dramatic come from behind win over the Texas Rangers in Game Six of the 2011 World Series. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

One inning later Mr. David Freese once again took the spot light and dramatically ended this classic World Series Game Six with a dramatic walk-off solo home run off of Rangers reliever Mark Lowe to send the 2011 World Series to a deciding Game Seven.

My elevated photo position gave me a clear shot of David Freese as he prepared to be mobbed by his fellow teammates after hitting a walk-off home run to end Game Six. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Thank you David Freese.  I don’t think I could have handled the excitement any longer!

As Joe Buck so eloquently said on air in a tribute to his dad Jack as Freese’s home run left the yard… “We’ll see you tomorrow night”!

My photo position for Game 5 gave me an unobstructed view inside the Cardinals dugout, which is very rare during the postseason. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Game Five found me positioned in the third base outside photo well next to the dugout.  Working for Major League Baseball has its perks, and one of those was working things out with the MLB International broadcast cameraman to allow me to shoot next to him, giving me an unobstructed view inside the Cardinals dugout.

Lance Berkman slides head first into third base in the second inning and eventually scored. My ground level perspective worked well for this frame. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The Cardinals got things going in a hurry scoring two runs in the top of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead, taking the partisan home crowd out of the game early on.  That feeling didn’t last long for Rangers fans as Mitch Moreland sent a Chris Carpenter pitch out of the yard to get the Rangers on the board with their first run and hit of the night in the bottom of the third.

Adrian Beltre never looks cheated at the plate, and after swinging from his knees during a prior at-bat, he didn't miss this time as he took on a Reggie Jackson like pose as he launched a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning during Game Five. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Carpenter regained his groove while C.J. Wilson kept the Cardinals in check as well through five innings.  Carpenter seemed to have things under control until Adrian Beltre did his best “Mr. October” impersonation, connecting for a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to knot things up at 2.

In the eighth with the score still 2-2 Chris Carpenter was removed which signaled the beginning of the end for the Cards.  Marc Rzepczynski replaced Carpenter and after David Murphy reached base on a possible double play ball, the hero of the Series for the Rangers so far, Mike Napoli, drove in a pair of runs with a ringing double to right center to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead.

Ian Kinsler celebrates with Michael Young after Young scored on Mike Napoli's two-run double in the bottom of the eighth of Game Five. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The inning continued, culminating in a series of questionable pitching changes. Lance Lynn was called upon to intentionally walk Ian Kinsler, only to be replaced by Jason Motte after the intentional pass.  Later, Tony LaRussa explained that the communication between the dugout and the bullpen was lost in translation and that Motte was his intended choice to pitch to Napoli, but he wasn’t ready because the bullpen didn’t understand LaRussa’s message.  Rzepczynski was forced to stay in the game to pitch to Napoli, Napoli hit the double and then Lynn came in to give Motte time to warm up.  It turned out to be a rather bizarre and costly inning for the Cardinals.

Cardinals reliever Marc Rzepczynski reacts in the dugout after giving up a two-run double to Mike Napoli in the bottom of the eighth inning of Game Five. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The Cardinals continued to add controversy when not once but twice Allen Craig was caught stealing with Albert Pujols at the plate.  When questioned, know one was quite sure if Albert himself called for a hit an run himself or if Craig missed a sign.  All we know for sure is that twice the potential go ahead run or tying run was taken off the table when Craig was gunned down by who else, Mike Napoli.

The Cardinals Allen Craig was thrown out twice at second base with Albert Pujols at the plate, which raised many questions following the Cardinals Game Five loss to the Rangers. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

It was a night that Tony LaRussa and the rest of the Cardinals most certainly would like to forget and pretend like it never happened.  But it did, and now the Texas Rangers are one win away from winning their first World Series title.

This image of Tony LaRussa says it all as he waits for reliever Jason Motte to arrive at the mound during the eighth inning of Game Five. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The prospect of a rainy evening in St. Louis Wednesday night had MLB officials calling the game early in the afternoon, hoping to avoid potential “start-stop” weather delays that could adversely effect both pitching staffs, especially considering that the game could be a possible World Series clincher.  Even though the Series is finishing up in St. Louis, I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Rangers will end it all Thursday night.  The prospect of Carpenter now becoming available for a possible Game Seven makes Game Six even bigger for the Rangers.   They look to have the mojo working, where the Cardinals seem to be out thinking themselves.  What do you think?

The St. Louis Cardinals warm up prior to Game Four Sunday night in Arlington. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Game Four was the complete opposite of Game Three.  It was all about pitching, specifically the pitching of Rangers southpaw Derek Holland.  Holland spun eight innings of two-hit, shutout baseball as the Rangers came away with a 4-0 victory to knot the Series up at two games apiece.

Derek Holland threw eight innings of two-hit shutout baseball to help lead the Rangers to victory in Game Four. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

My shooting position for Game Four was in a freshly created elevated spot along the first base line.  It doesn’t compare to the spectacular elevated position we have in St. Louis (from which I am scheduled to shoot Game Six from Wednesday night), but with the help and persistence of MLB Photos Director of Photography Rich Pilling communicating our needs to the Rangers stadium operations department, a riser built high enough for us to see over the heads of standing Rangers fans was built just prior to the Game.  There is no avoiding hands held high waving rally towels, but in that case, you just shoot through the frenzy of towels and hope to make one decent frame.  It worked out very well.

One of the reasons I love shooting elevated is the unobstructed view I have when shooting plays like this double play turn by Elvis Andrus. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The Rangers win made one thing certain… we would be heading back to St. Louis for a deciding sixth or seventh game.  There hasn’t been a seven game Series since 2001, which helped fuel the excitement for our return trip to the City by the Arch.  The only fly in the ointment is the weather forecast for Wednesday night., which as of now is a 70% chance of rain at game time.  Could be worse.  100% would have me a bit worried.  No rain outs please!  I’ve got plans for Friday night, and would hate to have them cancelled!  Mother Nature, once again, will be in charge.  Be nice, my lady weather friend!

Elvis Andrus made some fine defensive plays behind Holland in Game Four. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The Rangers displayed some nice defense while shutting down Albert Pujols and the rest of the Cardinals lineup, particulary Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler.

Mike Napoli turned on the first pitch he saw from Cardinals reliver Mitchell Boggs and crushed a three-run home run in the sixth inning to give Holland some breathing room during Game Four. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Mike Napoli was the offensive hero of Game Four, breaking open a tight 1-0 game with a mosterours three-run home run in the sixth inning.  Napoli turned around a first ball fast ball delivered by Mitchell Boggs to give Holland and Neftei Perez all the run support they needed to bring home a Ranger win.

As I shot through a frenzy of waving towels, I was able to capture this frame of a happy Mike Napoli is greeted by teammates Nelson Cruz and David Murphy after hitting his three-run home run. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

My Game Five update will follow shortly.  With a travel day set for today, I am soon to be boarding my Southwest flight and meet up with the rest of the MLB Photos team for dinner tonight at Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill.  That in itself is worth the trip back to St. Louis.  Until then, so long from Arlington.

Fans enter the Rangers Ballpark prior to Game Three of the 2011 World Series. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

This year Game Three can only be described in one word.  Albert.  As in Albert Pujols.

Albert Pujols launches the first of his record tying three home runs off of Alexi Ogando in the sixth inning of Game Three of the 2011 World Series. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Albert Pujols.  The only three players in World Series history to hit three home runs in a World Series game.  Albert became a member of this exclusive club Saturday night at Rangers Ballpark.  Not only did he connect for three home runs, but he also ended up with five hits, tying another World Series record held by Hall of Famer Paul Molitor during the 1982 World Series while a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.

This game wasn’t always the Albert show.  It did, however, start out with a bang for the Cardinals in the very first inning when Allen Craig homered off of Matt Harrison to put the Cards on top early.

The Rangers Mike Napoli reacts after Ron Kulpa ruled Matt Holliday safe on a tag play at first base during the fourth inning of Game Three. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The score remained 1-0 until the fourth inning, when the wheels began to come off for the Rangers defensively.  The inning took a turn for the worse for Texas after Matt Holliday was ruled safe on a play at first base when Mike Napoli apparently tagged Holliday out, but was ruled safe by first base umpire Ron Kulpa.  The play shouldn’t have been close in the first place since Ian Kinsler had no one bearing down on him to force an off target throw.

Yorvit Torrealba had no chance to catch this wild throw by Mike Napoli, resulting in two runs during the fourth inning. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Arguing to no avail, the inning continued and a few moments later Napoli threw wildly to home plate on what should have been a routine force play at the plate, allowing two runs to score.  The floodgates were officially opened, thanks to some bad defensive plays mixed in with some bad luck.

Nelson Cruz and Adrian Beltre celebrate after Cruz connected for a two-run home run in the fourth inning of Game Three. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The Rangers, however, didn’t roll over and die, plating three runs in the bottom of the fourth on two home runs.  I was thinking this could be fun now, if the Rangers can keep up with the Cardinals.  The Cardinals, however, had other plans and came back to score three runs in the top of the fifth to take an 8-3 lead.

Yadier Molina is tagged out in a run-down during the fifth inning. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

The game began to get a touch sloppy for the Cardinals as well, although it didn’t factor into the scoring.  The Rangers came back once again, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 8-6 after five innings.

David Freese can't handle Michael Young's double in the fifth inning of Game Three Saturday night. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Finally, the offensive show many were anticipating came to life during Game Three.  This was starting to look like it could be fun.

Then, the Albert show took off.  His first of three home runs was a three run bomb off of Alexi Ogando with one out in the sixth inning.  Boom.  A four run sixth inning by the Cardinals seemed to take the wind out of the Rangers.

A frustrated Ian Kinsler returns to the dugout during Game Three. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Albert’s show was just getting started.  In the seventh, he hit a 424 foot two-run home run to put the Cardinals up 14-6.

Somewhere in this fan scrum is Albert Pujols's second home run of the night. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Allen Craig greets Albert Pujols after Pujols hit the second of his record tying three home runs during Game Three of the 2011 World Series. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

Wow.  I knew history was possible if Albert could get another at-bat this night.  Do you think he was seeing the ball well?  Oh my!

The stands remained packed for one reason.  Could Albert make history?  Would the Rangers pitch to him?  We discussed this in the photo box and my take on the situation was simple.  Why not pitch to him?  The score is already out of hand.  Challenge him.  Darren Oliver was the Rangers pitcher when Albert made his way to the plate in the ninth inning.

History. Albert Pujols hits his record tying third home run of the game in the ninth inning of Game Three of the 2011 World Series. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

With two out, Albert turned around an Oliver pitch and sent it out to left field to make history and close the book on one of the most impressive offensive shows ever in postseason play.

Albert Pujols rounds second base after hitting his record tying third home run of the night off of Darren Oliver. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos)

There is always talk about how players help or hurt their impending free agency based on their postseason performances.  Albert seemingly added millions on each one of his home runs this night.

I have recorded some of baseball’s greatest moments during over the 20 World Series I have been fortunate to cover.  Game Three of the 2011 World Series, The Albert Game, is the latest addition to my list of memorable World Series moments, joining Kirby Puckett’s Game Six in 1991, Joe Carter’s World Series walk-off in 1993, and Derek Jeter’s performance in 2001.

Thank you Albert.  What a night, a night I will never forget.