The late Buck O’Neil’s continuing snub by the Veterans Committee of the Baseball Hall of Fame is one of the great injustices in American sport.
He should be inducted for his stellar career in Negro League baseball as a player and manager.
He was also MLB’s first African-American scout, and later became the first black coach when hired by the Chicago Cubs in 1962.
Possibly, his greatest accomplishment helped create a St. Louis icon and treasure. O’Neil signed Lou Brock to his first contract. The Cubs were stupid enough to trade him to St. Louis, and the rest is history.
In October, the 76-year-old Brock felt leg pain on a flight home from Washington, D.C., where he had taken part in an autograph show with other Cardinal Hall of Famers.
Within weeks, he had his left leg amputated below the knee because of a diabetes-related infection. Brock learned he had Type 2 diabetes 15 years ago, but was meticulous in what he ate and exercised regularly.
Regardless, the infection also spread to his heart, lungs and kidneys, which led to heart bypass surgery.
You can’t keep a good man down for long – if at all.
Brock, clad in his red Cardinals Hall of Fame jacket, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Monday’s home opener at Busch Stadium III, six months after his surgery.
“I thought I could participate in the parade, but then they asked if I could throw out the first pitch, and that’s a challenge,” Brock said. “I’m like, Whoa!’”
While it was from 35 feet, Brock threw a strike and set the tone for the Redbirds’ 10-1 thrashing of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Brock set the season-record for stolen bases with 118 in 1974, a mark which lasted until 1982 when it was topped by Rickey Henderson. Brock was 35 years old that season, and it was the eighth of 10-consecutive seasons in which he stole at least 50 bases.
Henderson would also top Brock’s all-time stolen base record of 938 on May 1, 1991.
K.C. details cost of bill
The Kansas City Sports Commission is putting a dollar amount on what the so-called “religious freedom” bill could cost that region.
With debate on the bill scheduled to begin this week in the Missouri House, Kathy Nelson, the president and CEO of the sports commission, estimates it could cost Kansas City more than $50 million.
“Of all years for this to play out, it’s playing out in a bid cycle,” Nelson said during a recent press conference. “This could impact events held in our city for the next 10 years.”
Kansas City will host 16 championships through 2018, more than any city.
Next year, Kansas City will host the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship, NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Regional and numerous soccer championships.
The sports commission estimates $51.1 million in economic activity from those events and $3.1 million in state tax revenue.
“The proposed constitutional amendment will have a detrimental effect on our ability to attract future sports business to Missouri and terminate the millions of dollars of visitor spending our sports industry generates on a yearly basis,” Nelson said.
Sad end to young life
In February 2010, I wrote a column for the short-lived globe-democrat.com on a decision by Brandon Bourbon – a running back from Potosi – to eschew a scholarship offer to play football at Stanford for a full ride at the University of Kansas.
It was light-hearted and I really didn’t criticize Bourbon. I just wrote what the conversation would be like if he were my son. The column was picked up by espn.com and, boy, did I hear it from some of my fellow Jayhawks.
Bourbon’s KU career never really took off because of knee and leg injuries. He finished his career last season with Washburn University in Topeka. He was named a team captain and rushed for 937 yards and four touchdowns while earning co-offensive MVP honors.
On April 2, his family reported that he had not been seen in two days. A missing person report was issued. The story ends tragically.
According to the Maries County Sherriff’s Office, the 24-year-old Bourbon took his own life last week. A farmer discovered Bourbon’s silver minivan on Friday about 80 miles from Potosi in a field just north of Vienna, Missouri. The search was over.
Alvin A. Reid is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook and appears on ABC’s The Allman Report and several sports radio shows. His Twitter handle is @aareid1.
