David Freese turns down induction into Cardinals Hall of Fame, states that his tenure in St. Louis ‘weighs heavily on me’
David Freese turns down induction into Cardinals Hall of Fame, states that his tenure in St. Louis ‘weighs heavily on me’. Previous major leaguer David Freese has declined his election to be placed into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame, the club reported on Saturday. Freese, presently 40, was the top pick in the new round of fan balloting to decide the next class of Cardinals Hall of Famers. The Cardinals has conceded Freese’s plea, and the upcoming class will now comprise of Jose Oquendo and Max Lanier.
In making the decision, Freese made the following statement that was released through the club:
“This is something that I have given an extreme amount of thought to, humbly, even before the voting process began. I am aware of the impact I had helping the team bring great memories to the city I grew up in, including the 11th championship, but this honor means more to me.
“I look at who I was during my tenure, and that weighs heavily on me. The Cardinals and the entire city have always had my back in every way. I’m forever grateful to be part of such an amazing organization and fan base then, now and in the future. I’m especially sorry to the fans that took the time to cast their votes. Cardinal Nation is basically the reason why I’ve unfortunately waited so long for this decision and made it more of a headache for so many people. I feel strongly about my decision and understand how people might feel about this. I get it. I’ll wear it. Thank you for always being there for me, and I am excited to be around the Cardinals as we move forward.”