VIDEO: Albert Pujols Gets Curtain Call After 1st St. Louis HR in Nearly 11 Years

St. Louis Cardinals fans have waited over a decade to experience this moment, and they enjoyed it to the max:

ALBERT PUJOLS OF THE SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS GOES YARD pic.twitter.com/uAdJirK2RN

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 13, 2022

“Welcome back, Albert! It’s like you never left!” was the call on the Cardinals broadcast as Albert Pujols hit his first HR back with the team with which he became a legend, after an 11-year absence. And of course his longtime teammate in St. Louis, Yadier Molina, was the first to greet him.

Following celebrations with teammates in the dugout, Pujols came out for a curtain call to the thunderous delight of the crowd.

The last time Cards fans celebrated an Albert Pujols home run was in the 2011 World Series, when he crushed THREE in the same game (in Texas), and helped bring St. Louis their last World Championship. 3,855 days have passed since he last left the yard in Busch Stadium with the Redbirds jersey on his back.

And then there’s this fact, as Pujols joins a very select group, surely a clan that will not have many more members added in the years to come.

Albert Pujols is the 5th player in MLB history to hit a home run at age 21 or younger and age 42 or older for the same franchise.

He joins the list of Ted Williams (BOS), Stan Musial (STL), Carl Yastrzemski (BOS), and Willie McCovey (SFG) pic.twitter.com/c5Qqh13AUB

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 13, 2022

He's only the 5th player in major league history to hit a HR aged 21 or younger, and 42 or older for the same franchise. He joins fellow legendary Cardinal Stan Musial, along with Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox, and Willie McCovey (San Francisco Giants). 

This blast was No. 680 in the storied career of the future Hall of Famer Pujols. The next ovation this thunderous in Busch should be when/if he’s able to join the 700 Club.

Photo Credit:  Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports