Night Owl Cards

This is the most sentimental day on the calendar for me. It doesn't have anything to do with baseball (although I did take a tour of old Busch Stadium in St. Louis on that same weekend in 1987). So I avoid slipping into mushy thoughts here by putting a baseball spin on the day. Last year I celebrated a milestone moment for this day by opening a rack pack of 1987 Topps. And in previous years, I've talked about my fondness for the city of St. Louis because of Oct. 29, 1987. But since that time, I've soured on the St. Louis Cardinals, the media there, and some of their fans. In 1987, I rooted for the Cardinals against the Twins in the World Series and turned off the TV in disappointment when Minnesota won. But if the same two teams were involved today, I'd be rooting for the Twins. I'm not sure why I rooted for the Cardinals that year anyway. It was two years removed from Jack Clark, Ozzie Smith, Whitey Herzog and GOD, I hated that team. So what possessed me...

Nineteen years ago today, Darryl Kile tossed a no-hitter against the Mets in the Astrodome. He walked only one batter, but it was costly. Two batters later, Kile threw a wild pitch. Catcher Scott Servais thought the ball had hit the batter and didn't chase it. First baseman Jeff Bagwell ran in and tried to throw runner Jeff McKnight out at third, but threw wildly and McKnight scored. And that's how Kile threw a no-hitter in a 7-1 game. Of course, Kile is now known less for the no-hitter and more as a member of that club of sadness, baseball players who died while their careers were still active. A number of notables are in that group. Thuman Munson, Roberto Clemente, Ray Chapman and Addie Joss. More recently there's been Greg Halman, Nick Adenhart, Josh Hancock and Joe Kennedy. I am of an age where those who departed this earth in the late 1970s had the greatest impact. I was too young to be devastated by the death of Clemente or Astros pitcher Don Wilson. ...