We are three days from the end of the Major League Baseball season. Our beloved St. Louis Cardinals have won their division (there are six) and will proceed into the complex system of playoffs.
Two of the team's all-time greats are retiring at the end of the season. Albert Pujols has been one of the greatest hitters in the history of the game. He played here for 11 seasons, went to California for the big bucks where his production tailed off with age. He came back here for one final season and, at age 42, is tearing up the field. He will finish the season fourth on the all time home run list, based on records going back to the late 19th Century. Yadier Molina, Yadi to the fans, has played here for 18 years at one of the most physically demanding positions in sports. By general acclaim, he is one of the greatest defensive players ever to put on the catcher's armor. Both are headed to the baseball Hall of Fame after the minimum waiting period.
The team set up these boards in a plaza across from the stadium for the fans to leave personal notes and memories. I got there just as the line was forming on Friday. They will be presented to the players today.
There are a few baseball teams here. But the passion for the sport, is missing. There are no players that we know about. There are never any news about baseball in the papers or on TV. But I have one friend who will often stay up late at night and watch live broadcsst from the US.
ReplyDelete