Inside Politics

His south-central Pennsylvania district is solidly Republican.

Before being elected to succeed longtime Rep. Bill Goodling in 2000, Mr. Platts had been a state House member representing a suburban York district.

WHITE HOUSE

Obama honors World Series champion Cardinals

President Obama on Tuesday dubbed the St. Louis Cardinals the “greatest comeback team in the history of baseball,” thanks to their thrilling late-season charge into the playoffs and death-defying, seven-game triumph in last fall’s World Series.

The Cardinals were 10½ games back at the end of August, but rallied to win a National League wild-card spot on the last day of the regular season. They trailed in each playoff round and were twice within a strike of elimination in Game 6 of the Series with the Texas Rangers before David Freese’s walk-off home run in the 11th inning saved them.

“That has to be one of the best baseball games of all time,” Mr. Obama said to applause and cheers as he welcomed team members in the East Room.

Two key figures of the championship season were absent. Cards Manager Tony LaRussa retired after the series. And star Albert Pujols signed a $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason.

Meantime, baseball purists still debate which team is really the comeback king of the national pastime. Some cite the 1951 N.Y. Giants; others the 2004 Boston Red Sox. But there was no doubting Mr. Obama’s enthusiasm for the Cardinals‘ heroics.

• From wire dispatches and staff reports