FrankHartzell.com

Leaving the Kansas City Royals stadium early because of the 102-degree heat, Mom and I were walking with two Kansas City fans.

“That one moment was worth the price of admission,” one guy said to the other.

There was no doubt the moment was the grand slam of Cardinals slugger Albert Pujois?

I asked him if it hurt to see the Royals lose.

“Taking nothing away from the Royals or the rest of the Cardinals, this is a guy they will talk about someday like we talk about Babe Ruth,” he said.

Mom and I were some of very few people not dressed in red or blue. But this rivalry was no Crips or Bloods death match. Nor anything like Red Sox-Yanks or Giants-Dodgers. Nor was this the true bad blood of Michigan vs Ohio State. I’ve lived in all those places and Ohio State was the most extreme, perhaps more than the Crips!

In Kansas City, most people applauded both teams. There was a couple wearing opposite colors. When St. Louis scored two in the first the man, having had a few beers already, hollered in his girlfriends face. When KC scored 3 in the bottom of the inning, the guy next to her said to the yeller, “You seem quiet, are you OK?”

The real enemy was the 102-degree heat. That first inning lasted 37 minutes. When the bats started up for the Royals in the bottom of the 2nd, we left our seats for good, heat stroke knocking for both of us.

There were people being treated for heat stroke, people on the floor of the bathroom. We ordered frozen yogurt and watched from the shade. I could see, being tall, and Mom watched the TV.

We watched Pujois hit one homer before we left our seats.

When he came up in fourth with the game tied 4-4, the entire stadium was on its feet, anticipating a great moment. An older lady in a Royals shirt who couldn’t see and was watching the TV next to me said “I’d hate to be that pitcher right now.”

Pujois, who always tingles and fidgets at the plate, was practically electrified as he swung. He never loses his balance for a second, unlike the Babe, who often fell down, then got up to hit a homer.

The grand slam home run Albert was hit so hard I lost it as did those around me. I got to see Bonds hit one in the world series, but even that wasn’t gone that quick.

The line drive went through the hands of the fans in left field bleachers,too.

I filmed the entire at bat, video which was great to the point of the lost ball, as i scan madly around, then back to the guys running the bases.

As the man said, it was worth the price of admission and even the horrible heat.

I got some good almost photos. Here is one of a KC outfielder making an incredible over the wall steal of a home run in the first inning. Only his hand got cut off.

I became a St. Louis fan when living on the farm with Steve, listening to a little radio. Lou Brock was in his last year then.

Pujois tied Stan Musial with his 9th career slam and gave his manager Tony La Russa his 2500th career victory.

If he continues to remain steroid allegation free and continues to play like this, he could easily pass Ruth, Aaron and Bonds as home run king. He is obviously the best player in the game over the past 5 years. The 29 year old Dominican is also active in working with the developmentally disabled and has started a foundation for that purpose. He is an atypical Dominican, being so tall and massive.

I wonder why and if I am still a Cards fan, because I watch the Giants now, as they are on and I like them. But I feel the rooting for St. Louis deep in my gut, even when they play the Giants.

Loyalties made when young seem wonderfully invulnerable to the vagaries of later life.