51ºÚÁÏ

Initially, the whole thing didn’t quite sit well because of how abruptly Jocketty’s tenure with the club ended and the fact that his induction came nearly 18 years later (more than a decade after the Hall of Fame opened) — and after his death in April.

However, the scene in Ballpark Village with Jocketty’s son, Joey, locking his eyes on the video montage honoring his father and then standing in for his father as Bill DeWitt III read the inscription on Walt’s plaque to the crowd drove home that this weekend’s celebration signaled a healing moment.

Listening to Joey read his father’s words from a speech crafted while his father was in the hospital, then speaking with Joey and after the ceremony reinforced that healing sentiment.

An overdue honor? Sure. But still poignant and meaningful.

“We have a tradition in our family that goes several generations in Minnesota, long before we got to 51ºÚÁÏ,â€� Joey said from the podium after he read his father’s words. “We just, coincidentally, have always loved cardinals. The tradition was whenever you see a cardinal out in nature, that represents a lost loved one is with you.

“I can’t help but notice there are a lot of cardinals here, so we know he’s with us here today. And thanks to this incredible honor, he’ll always be right here where he belongs in ‘Baseball Heaven.’�

Walt Jocketty ran the club’s baseball operations department from 1994 through 2007. The Cardinals recorded a pair of 100-win seasons, went to the postseason seven times, captured seven National League Central Division titles, won two NL pennants and the 2006 World Series during his tenure.

He hired La Russa, a Hall of Fame manager, and the players earned 30 Gold Glove Awards, 16 Silver Slugger Awards and 51 All-Star selections during that span.

Jocketty, who worked in player development and the front office for the Oakland Athletics and also served as assistant general manager for the Colorado Rockies, became general manager in 51ºÚÁÏ in 1994 while Anheuser-Busch still owned the team. He remained in that role when a group led by Bill DeWitt Jr. bought the club.

Jocketty’s words, shared by Joey, described the Cardinals as “more than a baseball team. They’re a tradition, a symbol of excellence and a family.�

Jocketty also cited the 2006 World Series as one of the greatest highlights of his career and a “victoryâ€� for every employee and person affiliated with the club at every level of the organization as well as the fans of 51ºÚÁÏ.

Asked if it’s an overstatement to say Jocketty approached his job as though he worked for the fans of 51ºÚÁÏ, Joey confirmed that sentiment.

“I think that’s fair,� Joey responded. “Yeah, like he said in his words, everything he did was for the fans and for the organization, for the betterment. Having guys like Lou (Brock) and Stan (Musial) and Red (Schoendienst) around, I think that really upped the ante for him and made him want to make sure that he did those guys proud, too.�

Jocketty remained at the helm until DeWitt Jr. dismissed him following the 2007 season, one year after their World Series title together, due to differences in philosophy and “tension� within baseball operations.

Jocketty went on to become general manager of the NL Central rival Cincinnati Reds and competed head to head against the Cardinals from 2008-2015. Jocketty’s Reds teams won two NL Central titles. After the 2016 season, he became an adviser for the Reds.

“I actually got to tell him,� Joey said of his father finding out in January about going into the Cardinals Hall of Fame. “And he said it was the highlight of his career.

“It was during a tough time for him. It meant the world to him, such a historic franchise. Just to be remembered for all the success that they had here because it has been a long time since he was here, obviously, so people kind of forget about it.�

La Russa and DeWitt Jr. were the first two people Jocketty thanked in his speech. La Russa said he first heard the speech when he saw Jocketty in the hospital in the days immediately after he learned of his pending induction.

After the news, La Russa observed the color improve in Jocketty’s face, saw the adrenaline rush and improved energy it gave his ailing friend and witnessed a “rebirth.�

“That euphoria carried him for another couple months,� La Russa said.

Of the 12 red jacket Cardinals Hall of Famers on the stage for Saturday’s ceremony, half were brought to the organization by Jocketty, as was new inductee Edgar Renteria. Others like Ozzie Smith and new inductee Al Hrabosky remained involved in the organization in various capacities during Jocketty’s tenure.

The players Jocketty acquired included iconic slugger ; National Baseball Hall of Famers , Larry Walker and La Russa; star outfielder Jim Edmonds; pitchers Adam Wainwright, Jason Isringhausen, Darryl Kile and Chris Carpenter; and Gold Glove-winning catcher and eventual manager Mike Matheny.

Jocketty oversaw the baseball operations department that drafted and developed players such as J.D. Drew, Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina.

Away from the crowd after the ceremony, La Russa spoke glowingly of Jocketty, the family man, the friend and the baseball man for more than 15 minutes. La Russa spoke with a tone and a fervor that conveyed he badly wanted to make sure his words were absorbed and understood.

La Russa painted a picture of Jocketty as an executive who fiercely backed and trusted his people, never sought to claim credit for the club’s success and created a distinct culture within the organization.

“The culture was that every place in the organization, scouts, player development, major league, we were going to make sure that we earned each other’s respect and trust,� La Russa said. “It sounds corny, if you think about it.�

In La Russa’s eyes, that culture showed in the resilience of the team , when they overcame injuries, doubts and myriad adversities.

La Russa called it “traumatic� when Jocketty left the organization after 2007.

Jocketty’s background in player development, experience and respect throughout the industry allowed him to make shrewd acquisitions during his tenure in 51ºÚÁÏ, La Russa insisted.

La Russa offered a behind-the-scenes recollection of the McGwire trade as an example. According to La Russa, McGwire warned Jocketty not to give up valued prospects in the trade with Oakland because McGwire intended to sign with the Angels when he became a free agent at the end of that season.

“Walt said to me and the coaches, ‘I believe that if Mark comes here for two months, August and September, and he gets exposed to Cardinal tradition and the Cardinal fan support, I think we’ll have a chance to keep him here,’� La Russa recounted.

McGwire went 2 for 25 to start his Cardinal career, all on the road, and expected to get booed when he made his debut as a Cardinal at Busch Stadium. Instead, he got a standing ovation and homered against the Phillies. McGwire agreed to a three-year extension in mid-September.

Jocketty was right again.

So yes, it’s unquestionably meaningful that Jocketty learned of his Cardinals Hall of Fame honor before he died and that the legends associated with him got to celebrate his induction.

“We knew that you’re there to entertain the fans with the way you play,� La Russa said. “It’s not about ownership gives you this or anything else.

“In the end, it’s very simple: Our team plays against another team, and it’s a competition. If you entertain the fans, they pay to come to the park. So we were all doing it for the history and the fans. So was Walt. I know they’re trying to get back to that feeling right now.�