Crede Comes Home for Hero's Welcome
"Just seeing all the people, and seeing everybody with my jersey on. It just kinda sends chills up and down my spine," said Chicago White Sox Third Baseman Joe Crede.
People lined up and down the streets of Westphalia to see Joe Crede.
Former Fatima high school baseball star and now World Series Champion.
"Its indescribable. I mean the feelings.The emotions that go through your head. ust kinda all hits you right at once. You get that final out and you realize your dream came true," said Crede.
Sunday was a special day for this town, everyone, both rookie and veteran welcoming home the Crede family.
"I went to Chicago to see him and I came out of there with that shirt on and people thought who's that hoosier, but Joe hit the homerun that won the game and man when I walked out of there, you'd of thought I hit a homerun," said Vance Hopkins, former Fatima High School Baseball Coach.
What people remember around Westphalia though isn't just homeruns, but jumpshots.
"Joe was a great basketball player. Very athletic, very quick. You see a lot of the same types of movements that he makes at third base out on the basketball floor," said Todd Uffman Crede's high school basketball coach.
"I loved basketball growing up. I wish I was a foot taller, but I had to settle for baseball, said Crede.
Despite his basketball talent there's no question in this community that Joe made the right career choice.
"He did so well in the playoffs as well as the regular season that its just great to have him back just to tell him how proud we are of him," said Dennis Fick Crede's high school baseball coach.
"Without all these people, this wouldn't be possible and I don't know if I'd be here today, but I definitely thank them for their support and I'm glad they're all out here," said Crede.
Maybe Crede hasn't quite made Mid-Missouri Sox country, but has forever made a lot of special friends, family, and fans.
Crede batted .289 with four home runs and 11 RBI's during the White Sox postseason run.