After a 43-year wait, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game returned to St. Louis on Tuesday. It well worth it.
From the five-day list of events to one of the most memorable nights in St. Louis on any front, it all came together. Even for those who can never be happy, they got in on the chat. For those who chose to inhale the environment, you could not help but think about how far things have come since the last All-Star Game in 1966.
The planning and commitment that went into this one event was
remarkable. One would have to think that a good impression was left on the minds of so many visitors.
While I have never been one to get too sappy over the notion of what some guy from Pittsburgh may think, I do understand that image is important. From a city perspective, you would have to say it gets an A+.
Never have you seen such manpower committed by the police department for such an event. Chief Dan Isom and his department made people feel safe and welcome. Now, if he could only get more money to have more officers secure other areas of St. Louis.
As for the ceremonies leading up to the ceremonial first pitch, I thought something was missing. I thought there were some things lacking with respect to honoring the game and the former Cardinals aside from just the Hall of Famers.
While it’s certainly an honor to wear that red jacket the Hall of Famers wear, more could have and should have been done along with recognizing them in an introduction.
Then there was the ceremonial first pitch. As the greatest living baseball player, Stan Musial, was carted out, one had to think something dramatic would be done other than a cordial greeting by the President of the
United States.
Musial is a man who is not in good health. At 88 years old, there was some concern about him even being able to attend, so for those who thought he was going to do an Ozzie Smith back-flip, think again.
The ceremonies were not on the shoulders of the Cardinals. Major League Baseball runs the show. If you have a beef, take it to them, as the home team has little involvement in the festivities.
Then, after much anticipation, out from the dugout pops the President of the United States of America, clad in a pair of jeans and his Chicago White Sox jacket (his favorite team).
The president was met with a surprisingly mixed reception. The minority of zealots who call themselves “Cardinal nation” were upset that he was not wearing a Cardinals jacket. Get over it. He was supporting his team. It’s THE ALL-STAR GAME, which is collection of stars from ALL teams.
Second, he is a politician… nuff said on that front.
Last, the losers from November still won’t let it go and will find anything negative to do or say.
When President Obama threw out the first pitch to Albert Pujols, he didn’t remind anyone of Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax. I’m O.K. with that, because he was not elected to throw a fast ball but how to deal with a curve.
As for the game, who cares about the score? It was the same old results. The National League had better go and get some speed if they want to figure out a way to beat the American League.
The stage was set for Albert and Ryan Howard, and they came up short. No problem. It will be worth watching to see what sort of toll this event will take
on Pujols and Howard. It was a long three days with the events and the Home Run Derby. Let’s hope they won’t start the remaining portion of the season slowly.
