He doesn't want to think about it. But how can he not? Over the next two games at The Birdcage on Thursday and Friday (maybe Saturday), the Canaries all-time GOAT and American Association's career home run king Jabari Henry has a chance to deliver Sioux Falls its first American Association league championship in 17 years, and second ever in the mostly-futile 33-year history of the club.  The Birds are tied 1-1 with the Kane County Cougars (suburban Chicago), leaving a "best-of-three" scenario, with every game at The Birdcage for all the marbles.  Those two or three games might also be the last of Henry's record-setting, legendary career. In fact, the 34-year-old designated hitter told Happy Hour host John Gaskins this is likely it for not just him, but "half of the team." It is likely now or never, a chance to go out on top and complete an unthinkable reclamation project that started in 2017, when Henry joined manager Mike Meyer in an organization that had one of the worst records, worst facilities, worst fields, and lowest budgets in the league. Leave no doubt: Win or lose, Henry and the Birds — with a mix of grizzly independent league veterans and young talent that played college ball just a few years ago in Sioux Falls at both Augustana and USF — will go out swinging and go out smiling. Henry takes us through that nine-season journey, which included a detour for a season to the crown jewel of the league, the St. Paul Saints, who left the league after the 2020 season to become the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. How did he pick up the pieces from an affiliated minor league career that was taking off, then crashed and burned, leaving him to pick up the pieces and join the independent ranks? What turned him not just into "the most dangerous power hitter in the league, if not the league's history," according to Meyer, who has played or coached in the American Association for over 20 years? How does he continue to hit legendary home runs in the tightest of clutch situations? In August, down to his Canaries' last strike on a night when the Birds had not mustered one hit in 11 innings, only to for Henry send a walk-off dinger over the opposite field wall  In the deciding Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs at league leader Sioux City, when he blasted three homers in a Reggie Jackson-esque "Mr. September" performance In the deciding Game 5 of the second round, when he towered a three-run shot early and a grand slam late in an 11-2 route And, where, oh, where did that infectious smile come from?  Thursday and Friday (and maybe Saturday) will likely be Sioux Falls' last chance to bask in that smile, if not see on last Bari Bomb for the ages.  

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