I was an avid St. Louis Cardinal fan in the 1950s. I listened to Harry Caray on the radio - for me the radio was much more fun than watching games on TV. Often I worked in my bedroom on my Cardinal’s scrap book of newspaper clippings and cutouts from baseball magazines while I listened to the games.

Many hot and humid July and August Illinois nights I was on the edge of my chair to hear Harry proclaim “It might be, it could be, it is a home run.” I remember one game when the Cardinals loaded the bases with nobody out and Harry enumerated all the ways of getting one run. Unfortunately, the Cardinals did not score that inning, much to my chagrin. I learned then, that there is no such thing as a sure thing, no matter how good the odds.

My three favorite players were Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst and Enos Slaughter. I saw Stan the Man hit five homers in a one day, a double header with the New York Giants on May 2, 1954 at Sportsman Park in St. Louis. My step mother, a certified nut case, called him “Meatball”, not endearing herself to me - I won’t reveal what I called her.

I remember when Musial was the first baseball player to sign a $100,000 annual contract, huge money in those days

Schoendienst was one of the best second baseman in baseball. I played second base so he was one of my heroes. And then there was Enos Slaughter. No one could compare to this bald-headed right fielder. His name said it all - he was tough and not to be messed with.

Vinegar Bend Mizell, from Vinegar Bend, Alabama, came up as a rookie in 1952 and dazzled the fans with his left-handed delivery, especially his fastball which was usually wild. I loved it when he almost hit a batter and then struck him out a few pitches later.

In 1953 Rip Repolski and Ray Jablonski came to the Cardinals as rookies playing center field and third base. They were not the greatest players but I liked their names.

I loved Solly Hemus , the Cardinal’s lead-off shortstop. He was short, as I was, but he was a solid fielder and walked a lot, as I did.

Harvey Haddix was my favorite pitcher. His nickname was the “Kitten” after Harry Brecheen, another Cardinal left-handed pitcher called the “Cat.” In those days, pitchers actually completed games of nine innings and Haddix had the staying power. While with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959, he pitched a perfect game for 12 innings only to lose. Haddix was not as good as Sandy Koufax, but he once won 20 games.

My last favorite Cardinal was the owner August “Gussie” Busch. Believe it or not, he actually answered my letters in which I suggested to him what players to trade to improve the team. Maybe his secretary answered the letters, but who cares.

What a great time to be a Cardinal fan.